In an unusual incident, an American Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Phoenix after a passenger reported seeing bugs in another traveler’s hair.
The flight was on its way from Los Angeles to New York when the situation took a turn for the bizarre. According to TikTok creator Ethan Judelson, who was on the flight, the crew provided little information about the emergency landing, leaving passengers confused.
Judelson shared his experience in a TikTok video, describing a sudden commotion as a woman across the aisle rushed to the front of the plane upon landing. He noted that there was no visible panic among the other passengers, which led to his confusion about the urgency of the situation.
In a later interview with People, Judelson said that the woman’s hurried departure seemed excessive given the circumstances. He and another passenger questioned why she was so frantic, especially since everyone would be deplaning together.
Judelson recalled, “I looked around, and no one was on the ground or freaking out. I thought, ‘It can’t be that serious.'” He described how, after landing, the woman immediately raced to the front of the plane, appearing unusually eager to be the first off.
The situation became even more perplexing when passengers were informed of a 12-hour delay and provided with hotel vouchers. Judelson’s confusion grew as he wondered if they were stuck in Phoenix indefinitely.
American Airlines later confirmed that the flight had been diverted due to a medical emergency. It was eventually revealed that the emergency was related to a lice outbreak. Passengers had reported seeing bugs in a woman’s hair, prompting the emergency landing.
Despite the disruption, the passengers were able to continue their journey to New York, albeit with an unexpected delay.