A United Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing when passengers and crew began vomiting uncontrollably. The flight from Houston to Boston landed in Washington Dulles Airport after its pilot told air traffic controllers that an on-board “biohazard” meant “we have to get this plane on the ground ASAP.”
A statement from the airline confirmed that none of the 155 passengers required medical treatment upon landing. The company also confirmed that the Boeing 737-800 would undergo a deep clean before carrying passengers again.
Biohazard Events
The incident was classified as a biohazard event, which usually involves exposure to body fluids such as blood, feces, or vomit. For instance, last September, a flight from Atlanta to Barcelona turned back when a passenger came down with a bout of diarrhea. A passenger later provided a disturbing description of the incident and said that diarrhea was pouring down the aisle in the plane’s cabin. When the aircraft returned to Atlanta, it underwent a five-hour deep clean that included pulling up the carpets.
Humans are not the only culprits, as was confirmed in April when a United Airlines flight was diverted after a dog pooed on the floor of the first-class cabin. The dog appeared unwell and left a mess that reportedly took some hours to clean. The cabin crew later stated that, “The smell never quite went away.”
Airline Incidents
Some regular flyers and airline workers say they believe the chaos on flights has increased, and there have been several incidents this year. In July, a passenger bit a chunk out of a cabin crew worker’s uniform before shouting at a random woman and demanding she go “back to Russia.” The female passenger then accused the cabin crew of trying to murder her, forcing staff to take drastic action and subdue her with zip ties.
Also on United Airlines this year, 161 passengers faced emergency evacuation when their pilot failed to slow the plane enough on landing, and drifted over the end of the runway.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also notes several small aircraft incidents every year, sometimes running into the hundreds.
