Delta flight is grounded on the tarmac at JFK for two hours after a passenger announced they had been exposed to coronavirus
- A flight was grounded Monday at New York’s JFK Airport over coronavirus fears
- The Seattle-bound flight was held from taking off after a passenger received word they may have been previously exposed to coronavirus
- The passenger alerted a flight attendant, who referred to Stat MD, a dedicated on-call organization for airlines consulted by crew when medical concerns arise
- Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?
A Delta Airlines flight from New York JFK to Seattle was delayed for hours before eventually being completely cancelled after a passenger revealed they may have been exposed to the coronavirus.
It happened on Monday night while the plane was still sitting on the tarmac.
Delta Airlines flight 2503 returned to the terminal ‘after a customer shared they may have been previously exposed to coronavirus and our aviation medical consultants recommended the customer be evaluated,’ a spokeswoman from Delta said.
A flight was grounded Monday at New York’s JFK Airport over coronavirus fears
A passenger who was said to be on board the flight tweeted while the plane was grounded
The passenger told a flight attendant, who consulted Stat MD, a dedicated on-call organization for airlines consulted by crew when medical concerns arise in the airport or on the aircraft.
A passenger tweeted while sitting on plane at around 7pm.
‘Someone on our flight got notified they were exposed to someone with corona before we could take off and now our plane is heading back to the gate.’
‘We’re just sitting on this plane waiting for them to decide wtf to do. All breathing this recycled plane air :(‘ Ifrah F. Ahmed wrote.
The plane was original scheduled to depart at 6:30pm. It wasn’t for another two hours at 8:45pm the passenger tweeted: ‘They’re cleaning our plane and we’re back inside the airport at a different gate.’
Passengers were eventually found a new plane to Seattle which departed at 10pm according to the New York Post.
‘We continue to follow all guidelines from the CDC and local health officials and the aircraft is in the process of being cleaned,’ Delta spokeswoman Kate Modolo said.
A woman wears a protective mask and gloves whilst using her mobile phone at JFK (file photo)
Last week, JetBlue banned a passenger from flying with them after he boarded a plane knowing he was waiting for coronavirus test results which came back positive during his trip
Agents with the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County assessed the situation and spokes with all the passengers aboard the aircraft (pictured on the tarmac)
Last week, JetBlue banned a passenger who knowingly boarded a flight from JFK to Palm Beach after testing positive for coronavirus.
Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue and officials of the Florida Department of Health met the JetBlue plane when it arrived.
The flight’s 109 passengers and crew of five stayed on board for at least two hours before deplaning.
The JetBlue passengers, including the one with the illness, were told to quarantine themselves for 14 days.
The JetBlue plane and a Palm Beach concourse at its airport were subsequently scrubbed down.
