Maggots Rain on Delta Flight: A Bizarre Air Travel Ordeal

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Flying can sometimes be an adventure, but for passengers on Delta Air Lines Flight 133 from Amsterdam to Detroit, the journey turned into a harrowing experience they won't soon forget. What started as a routine flight took a bizarre turn when maggots began raining down from the overhead storage bins, prompting an unexpected diversion back to Amsterdam.

Philip Schotte, a passenger on the flight, described the surreal scene: "She was doing something on the empty seat next to her and I couldn't immediately see because the armrest was blocking my view, but she kept doing it, so I kind of peeked and saw eventually there were maggots on the chair."

The discovery left both Schotte and his fellow passenger in shock. They watched in disbelief as maggots continued to fall onto their row from the overhead bins. "She was very freaked out," Schotte recalled. "Especially when I saw a maggot fall on her, she got especially freaked out."

Despite their attempts to get the attention of flight attendants, it wasn't until they were able to flag down staff that action was taken. Opening the overhead bins revealed even more maggots, confirming the unsettling situation.

According to Schotte, the source of the infestation was eventually traced back to a passenger's improperly packed carry-on bag. "As soon as the bag was opened, I could see everyone around pinch their nose because there was clearly a foul odor coming from this bag," Schotte explained. "The passenger explained when he opened it there were fish in there. That’s the only word I heard from as far back as I was sitting, just the word fish. So I knew at that point there's rotten fish in there, a bunch of maggots are coming from it."

In response to the incident, Delta issued an apology to the affected customers and explained that the aircraft was taken out of service for cleaning. "We apologize to the customers of flight 133 AMS-DTW as their trip was interrupted due to an improperly packed carry-on bag," Delta stated.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Schotte expressed gratitude for the decision to turn the plane around. "In hindsight, I think turning the plane around was the right decision because I was five rows back and by the time we got to landing, one of the maggots had made its way to my row," he said. "I can only imagine what it would've been like had we been on that plane for seven more hours."

Despite the unexpected detour and delay, Schotte was eventually able to rebook a new flight and safely make it back to his destination in Des Moines, albeit 25 hours later.

This bizarre incident serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of air travel and the importance of proper packing to avoid such unsettling surprises.