Several crew members and a passenger were taken to a hospital after a mysterious odor on an American Airlines flight forced a mid‑air diversion, officials said.
The aircraft, designated Flight 2118, had taken off from Orlando International Airport bound for Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport when the crew reported fumes in both the cockpit and the cabin. The flight was redirected to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, where the FAA documented the crew’s alarm about the odor.
Once everyone was safely disembarked, four flight attendants and one passenger were rushed to a nearby medical facility as a precaution. The exact nature of their conditions remains unknown at this time.
American Airlines confirmed that the plane landed and taxi‑ed to the gate under its own power without incident, praising the professionalism of the crew and apologizing to any upset passengers. The airline said it had not received any reports of smoke or hard‑fighting victims.
Passengers and remaining crew finally boarded a replacement aircraft, reaching Phoenix just after 7:10 p.m., according to FAA records. The agency has announced that it will launch an investigation into the source of the unpleasant smell.
Houston Fire Department personnel were notified of the “fumes,” but they did not report seeing any smoke or receiving updates on the hospitalized passengers. Fire officials also mentioned that no updates had yet been provided about the medical status of those aboard.
In a separate incident in late June, multiple passengers and crew on another American Airlines flight were hospitalized after inhaling a “mysterious odor” that appeared near Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Many speculated that the scent may have been related to jet fuel, which can produce toxic fumes.
American Airlines has faced other odd smell complaints in the past. In 2019, a family was removed from a flight after the passengers, crew, and pilot all complained about the father’s body odor. The enraged man challenged an airline staff member who suggested that the airline was trying to expel them for “religious reasons,” insisting that “nobody here has odor” and that he showered daily.
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