Summary

  • A United Airlines flight was recently diverted after a passenger became ill and created a ‘biohazard.’
  • The pilots decided to land immediately after crew members started vomiting.
  • Biohazard situations on flights require quick action for safety and well-being of everyone onboard.

A United Airlines flight to Boston had to divert to Washington Dulles due to a biohazard situation onboard. The pilots decided the best course of action was to get the plane on the ground immediately as some cabin crew members had started vomiting, and passengers were asking for masks.

Biohazard makes crew members sick

On July 28, a United Airlines flight from Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) reported a biohazard situation onboard after a passenger became ill.

Things began to go south quickly as the ‘biohazard’ started making some cabin crew members and passengers uncomfortable, resulting in some of the crew members vomiting as well.

United Airlines Boeing 737-800

Photo: Benson Truong | Shutterstock

The pilots were informed of the development in the cabin, and after assessing the situation, they decided to land the plane ASAP. An audio clip between the pilot and ATC circulating on social media highlights just how bad the problem was. The pilot was heard saying,

“The crew is vomiting and passengers all around are asking for masks…I talked to the crew and it sounds like it’s quite bad back there … with this kind of being a biohazard, I think we need to get this plane on the ground ASAP.”

United Airlines said that the passenger experienced a medical issue, resulting in the diversion. In a statement to Simple Flying, the carrier said,

“United flight UA2477 (Houston – Boston), diverted to Washington-Dulles after a customer experienced a medical issue. The aircraft was deep cleaned and departed for Boston this evening.”

Diverted to Washington

The aircraft, a Boeing 737-800, was operating flight UA2477, a scheduled service between Houston and Washington with a departure time of 09:30 and an arrival time of 14:45. The flight usually takes a little more than three hours to complete, but on Sunday, due to the situation onboard, it had to divert to Washington Dulles Airport.

Flight path

In such cases, an industrial-level cleaning is required for the aircraft, which usually takes a lot longer than regular cleaning. The aircraft eventually departed Washington at 18:37 and landed in Boston at 19:47, according to Flightradar24.

Not the first time

A biohazard situation on an airplane is not just uncomfortable for everyone onboard but could also be dangerous, requiring swift action from the crew members. Often, it results in the diversion of the flight for the safety and well-being of the occupants of the plane.

In September 2023, a Delta Air Lines flight from Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International (ATL) to Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport (BCN) was forced to turn around because a passenger suffered from diarrhea, creating a ‘biohazard.’

Related

Delta Diarrhea ‘Biohazard’ Forces Flight To Make U-Turn

The incident delayed the transatlantic flight by several hours.

The situation was more than what the cabin crew members could handle. They initially tried to clean the plane, but it was reported that the use of a disinfectant with vanilla smell only made the odor worse. The aircraft eventually landed in Atlanta, where it underwent industrial-scale cleaning, including a full-scale carpet replacement for some sections of the aisle. Thankfully, the aircraft was ready for the flight in a few hours.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *