A Delta Airlines flight was diverted to New York City after passengers and crew, including both pilots, were served moldy chicken, a traveler revealed.
Nancy Kirchoff, 65, was on a plane to Amsterdam with her husband when the plane made an emergency landing at JFK Airport in the early morning hours of Wednesday.
The pilot announced they were turning back because “there was a food problem and people were sick,” Kirchoff told DailyMail.com.
“They said they saw some mold on the chicken,” she added. “I asked if anyone got sick and they told us no one got sick, but the pilots both ate the chicken.”
Medics found the plane after it landed at JFK and assisted 14 passengers and 10 crew members, all of whom refused medical attention.
Delta Airlines Flight 136 en route to Amsterdam was diverted to JFK Airport in New York City after it was discovered that passengers were served “spoiled food” during in-flight meal service
An apparently frustrated passenger posted a call on social media asking how the airline would “get him to Amsterdam today” after they had to divert the plane “because you served passengers ‘contaminated’ food” on the plane
The A330 aircraft, carrying 277 passengers, took off from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport just before 11 p.m. Tuesday evening.
The flight crew decided to divert to NYC after it was discovered that some of the inflight meal service had been spoiled, a Delta spokesperson told DailyMail.com.
“We were probably halfway to Amsterdam, near Nova Scotia, starting to cross the ocean when the pilot came and said there was a problem with food,” Kirchoff recalled.
She said the flight attendants then “went around to each row and asked if everyone was feeling okay or sick.”
She then asked the crew about the food issue and was reportedly told that mold had been discovered on the chicken. She also claims that the flight attendants revealed that both pilots had eaten the meal.
DailyMail.com has reached out to Delta and LSG Sky Chefs, Delta’s meal service provider, for comment.
The passenger says she suspects the plane was diverted as a “precautionary measure,” adding that “I didn’t see anyone get sick” during the flight.
Kirchoff confirmed that her husband had eaten the chicken during the meal service on the plane, but that he was fortunately “fine.”
The plane landed safely at JFK around 4 a.m. Wednesday, where passengers and crew were met by doctors (file photo from JFK Airport)
File photo. Nancy Kirchoff said she was told there was mold on the chicken — but also that “no one was bothered by it”
The plane landed safely at JFK around 4 a.m. Wednesday, where passengers and crew were met by doctors.
“Upon landing, 24 cases of medical assistance were treated, including 10 crew members and 14 passengers. All of them refused to receive medical assistance,” a port authority spokesperson told DailyMail.com.
‘Passengers were offered a hotel room and transportation and are being rebooked to their destination.’
A Delta spokesman said the crew consulted with medical experts who recommended the diversion before deciding to make an emergency landing.
But one apparently frustrated traveler tweeted to the airline after the emergency landing, complaining about the disruption to his journey.
Virginia said, “I need to know how you’re going to get me to Amsterdam today. I’m on a plane that has to make an emergency landing at JFK because you served passengers ‘contaminated’ food.
‘I don’t need any hotel/food vouchers. I have to arrive in Amsterdam today.’
Kirchoff confirmed that she and her husband, who were on a cruise to celebrate their 20th anniversary, have already been rebooked on another flight to Amsterdam after their ticket was changed three times by the airline.
They are expected in the Netherlands on Thursday, but have missed the first day of the cruise due to the disruption. They will board at the first port stop.
A Delta spokesperson told DailyMail.com that its teams are investigating the incident and have apologized to its customers (stock photo)
A spokesperson told DailyMail.com: ‘Delta Flight 136 from Detroit to Amsterdam was diverted to JFK in New York early on Wednesday morning after it was discovered that part of the meal on board had been spoiled.
‘Medical crews were on scene to meet the aircraft and treat all affected passengers and crew. Delta teams will immediately gather information on how this incident occurred.
“This is not the service Delta is known for and we sincerely apologize to our customers for the inconvenience and delays during their travel.”
This comes after another Delta plane was forced to make an emergency landing at JFK in April after an emergency slide fell off the plane.
Delta Flight 520, bound for Los Angeles, was diverted to JFK Airport at around 8:30 a.m. on April 26. The plane had been en route for an hour when the strange incident triggered an emergency alarm.
There were no injuries on board the Boeing 767, which was carrying 176 passengers, two pilots and five flight attendants at the time.