A sneezing passenger onboard a United Boeing 757-200 to Newark, New Jersey, on Sunday afternoon prompted an altercation among several travellers.
Flight UA1562 was subsequently diverted to Denver, where it landed at 1.27pm before taking off again at 2.00pm.
CBS Denver and a host of other US outlets reported that fears around the COVID-19 outbreak triggered the dispute, despite in-flight testing showing the passenger in question not to be presenting with fever.
According to several sources, three passengers seated next to the sick individual became irate and failed to follow directions from flight attendants.
United Airlines said that the plane was diverted “due to a small group of disruptive passengers on board who failed to follow crew member instructions. After landing safely, the aircraft was met by law enforcement. The passengers were removed and the flight re-departed for Newark.”
Though the altercation reportedly sparked FBI involvement, airline officials have announced that the passengers removed will not face charges.
The incident builds on recent hysteria around the virus, and shows the significant effect it has had on the airline industry.
Falling demand for air travel has seen bookings plummet, pushing at least one European airline to bankruptcy.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “because of how air circulates and is filtered on airplanes, most viruses and other germs do not spread easily on airplanes”.
Though most state authorities warn against travel to hard-hit areas of China, South Korea and Italy, the UK Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) “is not advising against travel to any other country/territory as a result of coronavirus risks”.
The CDC also updated its guidelines for airlines and flight crews on 4 March in response to the outbreak. This directive requires flight crews to report passengers presenting with either “a fever of over 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit [38 degrees Celsius] that has persisted for more than 48 hours”, or:
- Persistent cough;
- Difficulty breathing; or
- “Unwell” appearance.
CDC regulations also prescribe aircraft cleaning procedures where travellers have been reported under these guidelines.
