Delta Passenger Ends Up ‘Soaked’ in Deicing Fluid

A Delta Air Lines passenger experienced an unusual mishap Sunday when deicing fluid leaked into the cabin of a flight preparing to depart New York.

Delta Flight 1307, an Airbus A220 bound for Jacksonville, Florida, returned to the gate at LaGuardia Airport after deicing liquid entered the aircraft and soaked a passenger, according to air traffic control audio posted by LiveATC.net. The flight had been scheduled to depart around 2:20 p.m. but was delayed by roughly three hours, flight data shows.

In the recording, the pilot informed air traffic controllers that “a bunch of deicing fluid” had leaked inside the plane and drenched a passenger. When asked if medical assistance was required, the pilot responded that the traveler might only need “a new pair of pants.”

Delta later said that only a small amount of fluid came into contact with the passenger’s clothing. The affected traveler was seated near the wing, and the airline replaced the aircraft as a precaution. Delta described such incidents as “very rare” and said the propylene glycol-based deicing fluid used is considered non-hazardous.

According to aviation site View From the Wing, aircraft doors and seals are not designed to be completely watertight while on the ground, and high-pressure deicing spray applied too close to gaps can force fluid past the seals and into the cabin.

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