An American Airlines flight from Los Angeles to New York had to make an unexpected emergency landing in Phoenix after passengers reported seeing head lice in a fellow traveler’s hair.
The incident occurred in June and was later highlighted by TikTok user Ethan Judelson, whose video has since garnered over a million views.Judelson shared his experience, stating, “I’ve been stuck at the airport for 12 hours because my flight was grounded due to a severe lice outbreak in a passenger seated near me.
We had to land in Phoenix, Arizona.”Despite the diversion, passengers were not immediately informed about the exact cause of the emergency landing.
They were only given an email with hotel vouchers and $12 in spending money, leading to confusion and frustration.Judelson mentioned that the flight crew had promised more information after landing, but passengers were only informed that their flight to New York would be delayed by 12 hours. It was only after overhearing conversations among other passengers that Judelson discovered the diversion was due to the lice outbreak.
American Airlines later confirmed the incident in a statement, saying the flight was diverted “due to the medical needs of a customer.”This unusual situation has sparked widespread discussion online, with many expressing concern over the airline’s handling of the incident and the communication with passengers.