From the Stinky Durian to the Smelly Poo: 5 Hilarious Flight Delay Stories

While flight delays are a common occurrence, there are some that are more unusual and amusing than others. In this article, we will explore some of the funniest flight delay stories that have caused passengers to scratch their heads in confusion or laugh out loud in disbelief.

Have you encountered ridiculous flight delays or cancellations in the UK or EU? Contact Flight-Delayed.co.uk today to find out if you're entitled to compensation for your disrupted flight!

1. Stinkin' Up the Skies: The Durian Attack on Turkish Airlines

The durian fruit, a spiky fruit considered a delicacy in Southeast Asia, is notorious for its strong and unpleasant odour when it is ripe. Once again, the durian fruit has caused significant issues.

On March 6th, 2023, a Turkish Airlines Airbus A330 that was travelling from Istanbul to Barcelona was delayed for 5.5 hours due to an unusual smell coming from the cargo hold. After investigation, it was determined that the source of the smell was a shipment of durian fruits, which caused discomfort to the passengers and resulted in the flight being returned to Istanbul.

This is not the first time durian fruit has caused issues on a flight. In 2018, an Indonesian plane was delayed for an hour after passengers complained about the strong smell of durian fruit being transported on the plane. In 2019, a shipment of durian caused a flight delay in Germany. Despite the controversy surrounding its odour, durian remains a popular fruit in Southeast Asia, with many people willing to brave its strong smell for the sweet, creamy flesh inside.

2. Rat on a Plane: Air India Flight Forced to Turn Back Mid-Flight

Flying can already be a nerve-wracking experience for some people, but imagine being on a plane and seeing a rat scurrying around.

On December 31st, 2015, passengers on Air India Flight AI 131 travelling from Mumbai to London experienced just that when the flight was forced to turn back mid-flight due to a rat sighting on board. This is not the first time that a rat has been spotted on an Air India flight. In July 2015, one of their aircraft was forced to return to New Delhi during a flight to Milan because of a similar sighting.

Although the presence of the rat was not confirmed, the airline decided to abort the flight as a precautionary measure in the interest of passenger safety. Rats are known to occasionally board aircraft with catering and other supplies, and they can pose serious hazards if they chew through wires or cause other technical problems.

3. Wrong door! Passenger's bathroom break delays PIA flight from Manchester

In June 2019, a flight from Manchester to Islamabad was delayed for almost eight hours after a passenger opened an emergency exit instead of the bathroom door. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight PK702 was scheduled to depart at 9:20 PM but was halted when a female passenger mistakenly opened the emergency exit, instead of the toilet door. The incident caused the emergency slide to deploy, leading to a reduction in the aircraft's evacuation capacity.

After the incident, all passengers disembarked from the plane, and PIA had to reduce the number of passengers by 38 to fly with a cut evacuation capacity. The remaining passengers were provided with dinner, while the offloaded passengers were given hotel accommodation and transportation. The plane left Manchester for Islamabad at 5 AM the next day, with several dozen fewer passengers.

Although the reason why the cabin crew was unable to prevent the incident is unclear, PIA released a statement apologising for the delay and regretting the inconvenience caused to passengers.

4. Oops, wrong country! British Airways takes passengers to Edinburgh instead of Düsseldorf

Passengers aboard a British Airways flight were in for a surprise when they found themselves landing in Edinburgh, Scotland instead of their intended destination, Düsseldorf, Germany. The flight, operated by WDL Aviation under a “wet-lease” agreement with BA CityFlyer branding, took off from London City airport, but instead of heading east towards Düsseldorf, it flew north to Edinburgh, a distance of over 500 miles in the wrong direction. The mistake was only noticed during landing when passengers were welcomed to Edinburgh.

To make matters worse, the pilot took a show of hands to determine who had expected to land in Germany, which resulted in all the passengers raising their hands. Passengers reported initially thinking that the pilot was joking when the announcement was made from the cockpit.

The fault lay with the German operator, as a paperwork error caused the pilot to follow an incorrect flight plan filed by WDL Aviation's head office in Germany. The unplanned stopover in Edinburgh lasted for two and a half hours. Although the passengers eventually reached their destination, they were delayed by over five hours, and are entitled to receive at least £215 in compensation under EU flight delay regulation 261.

5. Stinky Situation: When a smelly poo ruins a British Airways flight to Dubai

One of the most ridiculous reasons for a flight delay happened in 2015 when a British Airways flight was forced to land early due to a "smelly poo" on board. The plane was flying from Heathrow to Dubai, a seven-hour journey when passengers started noticing an unpleasant smell. After investigating, the crew found that a particularly pungent poop was the cause of the problem.

The flight had only been airborne for 30 minutes when it was forced to turn around. The next available flight to Dubai was 15 hours later, so the passengers had to spend the night in a hotel. A representative from British Airways explained that the decision was made to return the flight for the safety and comfort of the passengers on board, as any unpleasant odours can be a health and safety concern at high altitudes where only 50% of the air is being recycled and cleaned.

Flight disrupted due to ridiculous reasons? You may be entitled to compensation!

While the reasons for flight disruptions can sometimes be humorous, they can also be frustrating and cause inconvenience to passengers. Delays or cancellations due to issues like the smell of durian fruit or a smelly poo can disrupt travel plans and cause financial loss.

Fortunately, in many cases, passengers may be entitled to compensation under British and EU regulations. These regulations provide guidelines for airlines to compensate passengers in case of flight disruptions, including delays, cancellations and denied boarding.

The regulation applies to all flights departing from UK and EU airports, as well as flights arriving at UK and EU airports operated by UK/EU-based airlines. Passengers may be eligible for compensation of up to £520 depending on the distance of the flight.

If you have experienced a flight disruption due to a ridiculous reason like the ones mentioned above, it is important to know your rights as a passenger. You can contact the airline to request compensation, or you can seek the assistance of a flight compensation company like Flight-Delayed.co.uk to handle the claim on your behalf.

While it may not undo the inconvenience caused by the disruption, compensation can provide some relief and help to cover any additional expenses incurred as a result of the delay or cancellation. So if you find yourself in a stinky situation on your next flight, remember that you may be entitled to compensation.