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17 March 2016 09:08
Strange reasons for flight delays have been revealed by a paper
A number of travellers had a bad start to their week when their New Jersey-Texas flight was forced to about-turn on Monday (March 14).
A "strong" cabin smell was to blame for the Boeing 739's U-turn just 20 minutes into the air. An investigation has now started.
But The Telegraph reports that it is nothing unusual for a craft to turn around or not even get off the ground due to strange circumstances.
Diva behaviour, bees, human waste and "inflammatory" comments have all caused unwelcome delays, according to travel writer Lizzie Porter.
Flight delay comfort
There are numerous reasons why flights get delayed - and most of them are not as strange as bees or human waste.
But whatever holds up holidaymakers, it is good to know that trusted travel insurance can financially safeguard them against problems such as missed connections.
It can also cover travellers against cancelled journeys, lost luggage and stolen property.
Busy bees
Bees twice delayed flights last year, according to the newspaper.
In the first case in June this was bee singular. An insect delayed a flight after becoming lodged in an external instrument.
Six months later, a bee-keeper saved the day for passengers on another flight. The expert dispersed a 1,000-strong swarm which had infiltrated the aircraft's wing on the Dallas-Frankfurt flight.
Human waste
"Smelly" human waste was the reason for a Heathrow- Dubai flight doing a U-turn this time last year.
"Inflammatory" comments
And a Dallas Fort Worth-Chicago flight reportedly returned when one of its flight attendants broadcast "inflammatory" comments regarding a crash which were picked up over the plane's PA system prior to take-off.
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