An American Airlines flight travelling from Los Angeles (LAX/KLAX) to New York (JFK/KJFK) had to be diverted to Phoenix (PHX/KPHX), Arizona, after it was discovered that a passenger on board had a severe head lice infestation. The unexpected detour resulted in passengers being stranded in Phoenix for over 12 hours.
TikTok content creator Ethan Judelson shared the unusual experience in a video that quickly went viral, amassing over 1.2 million views. Initially, Judelson uploaded a short clip showing himself at the airport with the caption, “I have been at the airport for 12 hours because my flight was grounded because the lady next to me had such an awful case of lice that we had to land in Phoenix, Arizona.”
Following requests for more details from intrigued viewers, Judelson provided a full account of the incident in a subsequent video. Despite the bizarre circumstances, American Airlines did not immediately inform passengers of the reason for the emergency landing. This left many passengers perplexed as to why the flight was diverted.
Judelson noted that, initially, the atmosphere on the plane was surprisingly calm. He recounted how one passenger behaved oddly as soon as the plane touched down, swiftly getting up and hurrying to the front of the aircraft. This behaviour seemed unusual to Judelson and his seatmate, who remarked that they were all getting off together and there was no need for such haste.
At the gate, the situation remained unclear as the airline provided little information. Passengers were merely informed that they would need to stay overnight in Phoenix, with a 12-hour wait for their next flight. Each passenger received a voucher for a hotel stay and a modest $12 for food.
However, Judelson became increasingly suspicious after observing two women who appeared to know more about the incident. When he inquired, they responded cryptically, suggesting that the diversion was in everyone’s best interest and necessary for the safety of the plane.
It wasn’t until the following morning that Judelson overheard the real reason for the emergency landing: a lice outbreak on the plane. This information had been circulating among passengers through word of mouth, and it was confirmed by two women who had been seated near the infested passenger. They had noticed bugs crawling in her hair and alerted a flight attendant, which ultimately led to the decision to divert the flight.
American Airlines later confirmed the diversion was due to the “medical needs of a customer” but has yet to provide an official statement regarding the lice infestation. The passengers eventually arrived safely in New York, albeit significantly delayed.
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