Smelling a rat: Airline denies farting passenger sparked plane evacuation
American Airlines are denying media reports that passenger flatulence caused a plane to be evacuated at Raleigh Durham International Airport.
The bizarre and presumably strong-smelling incident was reported to have happened at the North Carolina airport on Sunday, with passengers complaining of nausea and headaches, according to WBTV.
The American Airlines plane landed at 4pm local time, and a subsequent investigation by airport officials determined that a passenger had “passed gas,” reported the Charlotte Observer.
‘Passed gas’ forces passengers from plane at Raleigh-Durham airport - Yes, you're reading this tweet right. 🤢😷 https://t.co/H562TQrkwT
— Mireya CBS (@cbsmireya) July 17, 2017
What in the H-E-DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS did this person eat 😅
— Dartmouth Police (@DartmouthPD) July 17, 2017
Person ‘passes gas’ on an American Airlines plane,... https://t.co/rzIG5WF1fX
Instead of turbulence, this plane hit some flatulence 😂🙈😷https://t.co/8w6frLOTQO
— Emily C. Singer (@CahnEmily) July 16, 2017
American Airlines plane rerouted to North Carolina and forced to remove passengers due to customer passing gas.....#NCistheplacetotootpic.twitter.com/9StLVRkrhs
— Beth 💖 (@StealthBeth) July 17, 2017
What the. Was it mustard gas? https://t.co/GtZUk3wJxf
— shauna (@goldengateblond) July 17, 2017
It’s not immediately clear from where the passenger jet had traveled.
READ MORE: Builder who ‘farted on boy’s face’ stands trial for child cruelty
American Airlines has rejected the claims, however, telling WNCN that the plane is “out of service for an actual mechanical issue – and odor in the cabin.
“But it is not due to ‘passed gas’ as mentioned,” a spokesperson for the airline said.
In a separate statement to RT.com, an American Airlines representative simply stated: "The story is not true."