What is United Airlines' biohazard?
  • 05 Aug, 2024
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United Airlines' biohazard

An emergency can happen at any time and is not preplanned, especially when it comes to traveling. Sometimes, the airline may encounter accidents that can trigger an emergency landing. This happened with United Airlines when it left from Houston to Boston due to a sudden medical emergency. The airline needed to land the plane in Washington-Dulles after the passengers experienced a medical issue.  

This incident happened on 28 July 2024, when a United Airlines flight bound for Boston was forced to divert to Washington Dulles International Airport due to illness on flight 2477. As per the report, the airline did not disclose the reason yet, but a radio traffic recording shared by flight tracking company RadarBox suggests that there had been some kind of biohazard on the flight.

According to United, there were 155 passengers and six crew members on the plane, and none of them needed medical assistance after arriving at Washington Dullers International Airport. Upon asking on United Airlines, they said that we deep cleaned the aircraft, and it departed for Boston later that afternoon.

One crew member said that it was quite bad back there. The crew is vomiting, and passengers all around are asking for masks. They also added that with this kind of biohazard, the plane needs to land on the ground as soon as possible. 

In a further statement, United Airlines told the reporters that the aircraft was currently undergoing a deep cleaning, and all the passengers had been safely and soundly sent to Boston on the same evening at approximately 7:35 PM. 

It is still not clear why multiple passengers and crew members suddenly started vomiting. But later that, the pilots quickly landed their Boeing 737-800 on the ground as soon as possible. 

Flighteadar 24 provided a date that shows the United 737 flying to Boston for six hours after landing in Washington, DC. The passengers who were on the next flight back to Houston were delayed for around five hours.

What is the biohazard on the plane?

On Sunday, 28 July 2024, 155 passengers and six crew members were flying from Houston to Boston. Suddenly, the plane made an emergency landing in Washington because the passengers and crew members suddenly fell sick, and some of them started vomiting. As per the report, the reason is still not clear, but some say this happened due to a biohazard on the plane. But after reaching Dulles Airport, no one needed medical help. In the statement, United Airlines said. The Boeing 737 is still under deep cleaning. 

A biohazard is a compressed, flammable, or toxic gas that can be harmful to health if mixed with oxygen. If this biohazard happens on the plane, then the passengers may encounter health issues, including vomit, diarrhea, and more. It is an aviation context that can range from an infectious illness to bodily fluids contaminating the cabin environment.

After this incident happened at United Airlines, the representative provided medical help to the passengers and crew members. After that, all the passengers are sent to their destination on the next flight. However, the airline makes sure the passengers' safety.