Delta Flight Forced to Emergency Land After Passengers Served Moldy Spoiled Meals

The flight crew decided to divert the aircraft to JFK Airport after consulting with medical experts.

By Ashley Turner

A Delta Air Lines flight en route from Detroit to Amsterdam was forced to make an emergency landing at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport after passengers were served contaminated meals. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday, July 3, has prompted a thorough investigation and temporary modifications to Delta's food service procedures, reported People.

Delta Flight 136, an Airbus A330 carrying 277 passengers, was approximately one-third of the way through its meal service when crew members discovered that a portion of the food served to economy-class passengers was spoiled. After consulting with medical experts, the flight crew decided to divert the aircraft to JFK Airport, where it landed safely at 4 a.m. ET, per the Washington Post.

Upon arrival, "medical crews met the aircraft to treat any affected passengers and crew members," according to the airline reported People. Paramedics examined about a dozen people, though fortunately, no one required hospitalization. The airline confirmed that the flight crew did not consume the contaminated food.

Passengers who experienced the ordeal shared their accounts with CBS News. One traveler described the unsettling sight of the spoiled food, stating, "There was these two black spots that almost looked like burnt cheese. I thought it was just something different, and I guess that turned out to be the black mold." Another passenger recalled, "One girl said that she did eat the chicken and she didn't finish it because it tasted really really sour," reported People.

Photographic evidence of the meals revealed various stages of mold growth on multiple meal packages, with some areas displaying significant contamination. The images have since circulated widely, prompting public outrage and calls for stricter food safety measures in the airline industry.

In response to the incident, Delta issued a statement acknowledging the situation and expressing regret: "Delta flight 136 from Detroit to Amsterdam diverted to New York's JFK early Wednesday morning after reports that a portion of the Main Cabin in-flight meal service were spoiled. Delta's Food Safety team has engaged our suppliers to immediately isolate the product and launch a thorough investigation into the incident. This is not the service Delta is known for and we sincerely apologize to our customers for the inconvenience and delay in their travels."

The airline took immediate action to prevent similar occurrences on other flights. For approximately 75 international flights on Wednesday and Thursday following the incident, Delta "moved to a pasta service" amid the review of its meals, according to Delta spokesman Anthony Black, per Washington Post.

Black explained that the airline uses meals prepared by external vendors, with hot meals typically cooked in advance and either frozen or kept cold before being reheated on the plane. He noted that "there are multiple catering components under review" but did not specify the catering company responsible for the contaminated meals on Flight 136, reported the outlet.

The timing of this food safety breach was particularly inconvenient, coinciding with the busy Fourth of July travel week. Delta had anticipated flying nearly 6 million people during this period, and CEO Ed Bastian had previously assured CBS Mornings that the airline's teams were ready for the holiday.

Health experts, per Washington Post, have weighed in on the potential risks associated with consuming moldy airplane food. They emphasize that airplane food, like any other food, can become contaminated through various means, including exposure to unclean water, improper handling, or inadequate cooking. Improper heating or prolonged storage at incorrect temperatures can also contribute to food spoilage. However, experts note that while food poisoning on planes does occur, it's not a very common issue.

As of Friday, July 5, Delta reported that they were "ramping up to our full, everyday service" while continuing to work closely with their catering partners to ensure stringent quality assurance measures are in place. The airline confirmed that meal service was adjusted on "a few dozen flights" in the days following the incident to allow for a thorough review of quality assurance procedures with their catering providers, reported People.

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Interestingly, this is not the first time in recent months that an airline has faced issues with in-flight sickness. In May, a United Airlines flight traveling from Vancouver to Houston had to be diverted after multiple passengers experienced nausea. The aircraft, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 carrying 163 passengers and six crew members, had to undergo a deep cleaning and was temporarily removed from service following the incident, according to People.

In that case, the affected passengers had all been on the same cruise prior to the flight. United Airlines stated at the time, "United Airlines is actively coordinating with health authorities to address the situation. As a precautionary measure, the aircraft will be removed from service and go through a deep cleaning before returning to service. Ensuring the health and safety of our passengers and crew remains our top priority." 

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