Delta flight forced to delay take off after de-icing fluid soaks passenger

The airline later said only a small amount of liquid landed on the passenger’s clothes

De-icing fluid managed to get inside the Delta fuselage, soaking a passenger onboard (Getty Images)

A Delta plane was forced to return to the gate after de-icing fluid made its way into the plane and “soaked” a passenger.

Delta flight 1307 was preparing to depart LaGuardia airport in New York at 2.10pm on Sunday, 18 January, for a two-hour flight to Jacksonville, Florida.

However, the flight became more than three hours delayed after crew reported that de-icing fluid had managed to make its way inside the cabin and land on a passenger.

Planes are de-iced by using a combination of warm water and propylene glycol to remove snow and ice from its exterior. This is an important step in cold weather, as when snow and ice accumulate on a plane, it can alter the shape of the wings, prevent proper air flow and the free movement of components such as the rudder.

In an air traffic control (ATC) recording obtained by LiveATC.net, a Delta pilot requests to leave the de-icing pad and return to the gate.

“We had a bunch of de-icing fluid leak inside the aircraft and soak a passenger,” the pilot tells ATC.

The controller asks if the passenger needs any medical assistance or if they just need to get dried off.

The pilot responds that new trousers may need to be found for the passenger, but they were worried about how the fluids managed to get inside.

“We’re not used to that coming into the fuselage like that, so we want to have maintenance take a look at it, make sure that we don’t have a leak,” the pilot said.

A Delta spokesperson told The Independent the passenger was seated near the wings of the aircraft and only a small amount of fluid landed on his clothes.

They added that de-icing fluid leaks are “very rare” and the chemicals are “non-hazardous” to passengers.

The spokesperson added the customer continued travelling with the airline and maintenance swapped the aircraft out of caution.

After the swap, the flight took off from LaGuardia three hours behind schedule, landing in Jacksonville just before 8pm.

The Independent has contacted LaGuardia airport for comment.

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