US carrier Delta issued an apology on Thursday following a recent flight that was forced to make an emergency landing due to a cabin pressure issue. Local media reports indicated that the incident caused passengers to experience bleeding from their noses and ears.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed it is investigating the September 15 incident involving a flight from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Portland, Oregon. In a statement emailed to AFP, Delta disclosed that the aircraft, which was carrying 140 passengers, "was unable to pressurise above 10,000 feet." Upon landing, 10 individuals received medical attention from personnel who were waiting at the gate.
"We deeply regret the experience our customers had on flight 1203 on September 15," the statement read. "The flight crew adhered to procedures and returned to SLC, where our ground team assisted our customers with their immediate needs."
Local station KSL TV spoke with passengers who recounted witnessing fellow travelers clutching their heads in agony or bleeding from their ears or noses shortly after takeoff. Jaci Purser, a passenger, told KSL TV she felt a piercing pain in her ear. "I touched my ear and when I pulled my hand back, it was covered in blood," she said.
Delta noted that the plane's oxygen masks did not deploy. The Boeing 737-900 aircraft was subsequently repaired and returned to service the day after the incident. It is important to note that the plane is not part of the Boeing 737 MAX fleet, which faced renewed scrutiny in January when an Alaska Airlines plane experienced a fuselage panel blowing out mid-flight, necessitating an emergency landing.
