In a bizarre turn of events, an American Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Phoenix after a passenger reportedly saw bugs crawling in a fellow traveler’s hair.
The flight, originally en route from Los Angeles to New York, had a routine start until a disconcerting situation unfolded.
According to TikTok creator Ethan Judelson, who was on board, the crew gave minimal information about the diversion, leaving passengers puzzled.
Judelson shared his experience in a TikTok video, recounting a sudden commotion as a woman across the aisle bolted to the front of the plane as soon as they landed. His initial reaction was confusion, as there was no apparent panic among the passengers.
In a subsequent interview with the People, Judelson described the scene, noting that the woman’s rush seemed overly dramatic for the situation. He and another passenger wondered why she was so frantic, since everyone would be deplaning together.
Judelson recounted, “I look around, no one’s on the ground, no one’s freaking out. I’m like, ‘it can’t be that dire.’” Upon landing, the situation became more peculiar. “As soon as we land, this woman across the aisle from me shoots up and rushes to the front of the plane,” he ewas quoted as explaing, noting that it seemed like an exaggerated urgency to be the first off the aircraft.
The situation grew even stranger when passengers were told they would face a 12-hour delay and were given hotel vouchers. Judelson’s confusion deepened as he questioned whether they were stuck in Phoenix indefinitely.
American Airlines confirmed in a statement that the flight was diverted due to a medical emergency. However, the specifics remained unclear until Judelson learned through word of mouth that the real cause was a lice outbreak. He overheard other passengers discussing how bugs had been spotted in the woman’s hair, prompting the emergency landing.
Despite the unusual interruption, passengers eventually continued their journey to New York, albeit with an unexpected detour.
The flight, originally en route from Los Angeles to New York, had a routine start until a disconcerting situation unfolded.
According to TikTok creator Ethan Judelson, who was on board, the crew gave minimal information about the diversion, leaving passengers puzzled.
Judelson shared his experience in a TikTok video, recounting a sudden commotion as a woman across the aisle bolted to the front of the plane as soon as they landed. His initial reaction was confusion, as there was no apparent panic among the passengers.
In a subsequent interview with the People, Judelson described the scene, noting that the woman’s rush seemed overly dramatic for the situation. He and another passenger wondered why she was so frantic, since everyone would be deplaning together.
Judelson recounted, “I look around, no one’s on the ground, no one’s freaking out. I’m like, ‘it can’t be that dire.’” Upon landing, the situation became more peculiar. “As soon as we land, this woman across the aisle from me shoots up and rushes to the front of the plane,” he ewas quoted as explaing, noting that it seemed like an exaggerated urgency to be the first off the aircraft.
The situation grew even stranger when passengers were told they would face a 12-hour delay and were given hotel vouchers. Judelson’s confusion deepened as he questioned whether they were stuck in Phoenix indefinitely.
American Airlines confirmed in a statement that the flight was diverted due to a medical emergency. However, the specifics remained unclear until Judelson learned through word of mouth that the real cause was a lice outbreak. He overheard other passengers discussing how bugs had been spotted in the woman’s hair, prompting the emergency landing.
Despite the unusual interruption, passengers eventually continued their journey to New York, albeit with an unexpected detour.