Running late: Flight forced to land after passengers diarrhoea declared “biohazard” incident

Airport, Airplane, Airport Runway, Commercial Airplane
Edited by Travel Weekly


    It’s one thing to have a bad bathroom experience onboard an airplane, but it’s another to have it declared a biohazard that forces the flight to make an emergency landing.

    But, that’s what unfolded onboard a Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Barcelona at the weekend.

    Delta Flight 194 was just two hours into the 8-hour flight when the pilot informed air traffic control of a “biohazard” incident

    A listener to air traffic control tweeted about the incident.

    “We’ve had a passenger who’s had diarrhoea all the way through the airplane, so they want us to come back to Atlanta,.”

    Photos were also shared of flight progress strips with information about the flight being diverted due to “passenger diarrhoea all over aircraft”.

    Cleaning crews serviced the aircraft and it left for Spain 8 hours later.

    A Delta spokesperson told media a “medical issue” had occurred onboard.

    “Our teams worked as quickly and safely as possible to thoroughly clean the airplane and get our customers to their final destination. We sincerely apologise to our customers for the delay and inconvenience to their travel plans,” a spokesperson said.

    It’s not the first time bodily movements have affected the movement of passengers in the air.

    In June, a Qantas flight from Perth to Broome also made a landing due to diarrhoea.

    According to reports online, QF1070 initially reported a technical issue just after take off from Perth.

    An air traffic control listener on the ground reported the first officer had become incapacitated and was taken home in a taxi by the station manager after suffering from gastric diarrhoea.

    Latest News

    • Technology

    Booking.com launches AI Trip Planner in Australia and New Zealand

    Booking.com has announced its AI Trip Planner (Beta) is now available for travellers in Australia and New Zealand, the first markets to launch in Asia Pacific. Until now, AI Trip Planner was only available for US and UK travellers after it was launched in the Booking.com app in June last year. Built using Booking.com’s existing […]

    • Products

    Embrace the journey: Traversing the world with the Shokz OpenRun

    If you’ve been on the wrong side of a final call in the airport, or missed the stop on rail journey, it might be time to invest in a pair of Shokz OpenRun headphones. Originally marketed as headphones for fitness fanatics, runners or cyclists with a keen to steer clear of a prang with a car, […]

    • Tour Operators
    • Tourism

    TTC: Deals are driving up demand for September trips

    The latest market research from TTC Tour Brands shows interest in international leisure travel remains high for 2024, with 77 per cent of Australians over 18 still planning trips this year. Notably, 28 per cent of those travellers are eyeing September for their journeys. Europe continues to be the most popular destination, with 68 per […]

    • Aviation

    Qantas ‘working urgently’ to fix app data leak

    Qantas is looking into customer reports that passengers have this morning been able to access other passengers’ personal information on the airlines app. X user Lachlan posted that he was able log into different accounts every time he opened the app. My @Qantas app logs me in to a different person each time I open […]

    • Hotels

    Revamped Wailoaloa Beach hotel opens as Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa

    Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa is open and ready for bookings after the first phase of a multi-million-dollar transformation. Part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ premium collection, the transformation has seen the completion of 106 guestrooms showcasing contemporary interiors reflective of the premium Crowne Plaza brand and is a first for the […]

    • Luxury
    • News

    Kamalaya Koh Samui clinches clutch of wellness awards

    Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa has so far clinched five prestigious awards in 2024, including being inducted into the ‘Hall of Fame’ at the World Spa & Wellness Awards in London. Founders of the Koh Samui sanctuary and spa John and Karina Stewart expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the awards. “We are profoundly honoured […]