A Delta Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit took a turn for the worse when passengers were showered with maggots from an overhead bin, according to multiple reports. The infestation was linked to a decomposing fish tucked away in a passenger's carry-on luggage.
Less than one hour into Delta Flight DL133's nine-hour journey on Tuesday, travelers were startled to find maggots falling on them, as described by Philip Schotte, a Netherlands native who lives in Iowa. "She was freaking out," Schotte said about a female passenger, as reported by FOX 2 Detroit. "She was just trying to kind of fight off these maggots." The unpleasant discovery prompted the crew to turn the plane around and head back to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.
Delta quickly issued an apology for the incident, stating, "Their trip was interrupted due to an improperly packed carry-on bag," according to a statement obtained by The Guardian. The airline took measures by removing the aircraft from service to undergo a thorough cleaning, and inconvenienced passengers were given compensation in the form of air miles and meal tickets.
When attendants opened the offending baggage, the reaction from onlookers was immediate, with Schotte recounting to Michigansthumb.com, "an immediate pinching of the nose." The fish, wrapped in newspaper, was swiftly removed by the flight crew. The passenger responsible for bringing the spoilage onboard, however, was not reported to have been detained or fined. The unnerving event has left some travelers questioning airport security measures, as Schotte expressed surprise to quickly find out that "both a rotten fish and live maggots were not picked up on by security."
