State of the Airlines

Friday, September 29, 2006

Delta is Smokin' in a Bad Way

What are the odds...two Delta Airlines flights reporting smoke in the cabin within 24 hours.

The first occurrence was Thursday on a Paris to Atlanta flight causing a diversion into Knoxville, Tennessee. Apparently passengers smelled smoke in the cabin on the Delta 767 but the diversion was considered precautionary. Passengers deplaned at the gate and caught a flight to Atlanta a few hours later. I know I shouldn't make light of this but the thought of a planeload of Parisians in Knoxville's airport kinda makes me chuckle.

The second occurrence was this morning on a Delta MD-80 that had just landed in Boston. The flight crew "detected smoke in the cabin" as they were taxiing to a gate. They immediately stopped and had 40 passengers and 5 crew evacuate using the escape slides. Two people were injured which doesn't surprise me. Anybody that has ever taken a ride down an evac slide will tell you its not all fun and games. Its a lot steeper than it looks.

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