Coronavirus: Delta flight grounded at JFK after passenger reveals possible exposure

Andrea Mandell, USA TODAY
·2 min read

A flight was grounded Monday at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport over coronavirus concerns.

The Seattle-bound flight was held from taking off after a passenger received word they may have been previously exposed to coronavirus.

The passenger alerted a flight attendant, who consulted Stat MD, a dedicated on-call organization for airlines consulted by crew when medical concerns arise in the airport or on the aircraft.

"Customers on Delta flight 2503 returned to the JFK terminal Monday after a customer shared they may have been previously exposed to coronavirus, and our aviation medical consultants recommended the customer be evaluated," said Delta in a statement sent by spokesperson Kate Modolo.

"We continue to follow all guidelines from the CDC and local health officials and the aircraft is in the process of being cleaned. The safety and health of our customers and crew remain our top priority."

The flight is scheduled to continue Monday evening after the aircraft is cleaned.

Last week, JetBlue banned a passenger who knowingly boarded a flight from JFK to Palm Beach after testing positive for coronavirus.

Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue and officials of the Florida Department of Health met the JetBlue plane when it arrived. The flight's 109 passengers and crew of five stayed on board for at least two hours before deplaning.

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Delta Air Lines says one of its flights returned to the terminal after a passenger told the crew they had been exposed to someone with coronavirus.
Delta Air Lines says one of its flights returned to the terminal after a passenger told the crew they had been exposed to someone with coronavirus.

The JetBlue passengers, including the one with the illness, were told to quarantine themselves for 14 days. The JetBlue plane and a Palm Beach concourse at its airport were subsequently scrubbed down.

JFK is one of the 13 major airports designated as an entry point for Americans returning from international travel.

Many U.S. travelers flying back from Europe this weekend were greeted with snaking lines and hours-long waits at major airports as expanded coronavirus screenings required by the government's new European travel restrictions took effect.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coronavirus: Delta flight grounded at JFK over COVID-19 concerns