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Passengers aboard a recent Delta Air Lines flight were left in a perilous situation when part of the aircraft’s ceiling collapsed mid-flight, forcing them to physically hold it in place as the plane continued its journey.
Delta Passengers Step In to Prevent Further Damage
A video shared on social media by TikTok user Lucas Michael Layne vividly captured the alarming scene on the flight from Atlanta to Chicago. The footage shows several passengers holding up the ceiling with their hands while seated, trying to prevent it from falling completely. Layne, who described the incident as happening to his friend, said, “My hommie was on a Delta flight and the ceiling collapsed.”
In the video, the ceiling is shown seemingly restored to its original position, with strips of bright neon yellow tape securing the panels in place. Layne further explained that the cabin crew eventually resorted to using duct tape after passengers had been holding the ceiling up for a while.
Watch: Delta passengers hold up collapsing cabin roof in shocking mid-air incident
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Delta Response and Compensation
Layne detailed the aftermath of the incident in a follow-up comment, claiming that Delta offered the affected passengers 10,000 air miles — the equivalent of around $120 (£90) — as compensation. However, the passengers were forced to return to Atlanta, deplane, and board another aircraft to continue their journey to Chicago, adding to their frustration.
“These planes!!!” Layne added in his post, which has garnered significant attention, attracting over 208,000 views and 6,336 likes.
Social Media Reactions and Safety Concerns
The incident sparked a range of responses from social media users. One commenter, an aircraft mechanic, dismissed the issue, writing, “Those panels are sh*t. Doesn’t surprise me.” Meanwhile, others questioned the safety of the situation, with one person pointing out, “You can still get hurt from cosmetic pieces of the aircraft.”
Layne responded to critics, expressing his frustration, “So if a plane piece falls that you have to hold up mid-flight so it doesn’t hit an elderly woman, you’re such an engineer that it would not bother you? All that is great, but emotionally seeing a plane fall apart at 30,000 feet is not cool.”
Delta’s Statement on the Incident
In response to the incident, a Delta spokesperson told The New York Post that the ceiling panel was “affixed into place so customers did not have to manually hold it during flight” and reassured that no passengers were injured during the ordeal.
“We apologize for the delay in their travels,” the spokesperson added, explaining that the affected passengers experienced a two-hour delay before they were transferred to another aircraft to continue their journey to Chicago. “Delta thanks our customers for their patience and cooperation.”
