Four crew members and one passenger aboard an American Airlines flight were hospitalized on Sunday after “reports of odor” forced the plane to divert mid-flight, officials said.
The American Airlines Flight 2118 suddenly landed at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston “after the crew reported fumes in the flight deck and cabin,” according to a write-up from the Federal Aviation Administration.
It was heading from the Orlando International Airport to the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Arizona, according to the FAA.
As everyone on board was loaded off the plane, four flight attendants and one passenger were rushed to a nearby hospital as a precaution, according to American Airlines.
The exact condition of the five people who were hospitalized is unclear.
“American Airlines flight 2118 landed safely and taxied to the gate under its own power … following reports of an odor on board,” the carrier said in a statement to Fox Houston, adding thanks to its crew for their “professionalism” while offering apologies to any miffed passengers.
The Post reached out to American Airlines for comment.
The passengers and remaining crew re-boarded on a replacement aircraft and landed in Phoenix around 7:10 p.m., according to the FAA.
The cause of the foul odor is unclear. The FAA said that it “will investigate.”
A spokesperson with the Houston Fire Department told The Independent that they were advised of fumes but “received no reports of smoke.”
Fire officials added that they also hadn’t “received any updates” on the people who were hospitalized.
In late June, multiple passengers and crew on an American Airlines flight were hospitalized for “inhalation symptoms” after encountering a mysterious “odor” that wafted through Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
Many believed the smell was tied to jet fuel. which produces toxic fumes.
In 2019, an entire family was booted from an American Airlines flight after the passengers, crew, and pilot all complained about their patriarch’s body odor.
The irate father berated an American Airlines official who tried to have him removed. He boldly claimed that the airline was trying to kick them off because they were Jewish and insisted “nobody here has odor” while citing a vague “religious reason” for his smell.
“You told me for religious reasons you don’t shower — is that what you said?” the confounded official asked. The man reportedly replied that he showers daily.
