A Delta Air Lines flight from Salt Lake City to Portland experienced a cabin pressurization issue on September 15, forcing an emergency landing and resulting in injuries to several passengers.
Delta Flight 1203, operated by a Boeing 737-932ER (registration N916DU), was unable to pressurize above 10,000 feet, according to the airline.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the incident is under investigation.
Passengers reported experiencing ear pain and discomfort during the climb, according to a news report from NPR.
Passenger Caryn Allen recounted, “I looked over at my husband, and he had both of his hands over his ears, you know, kind of leaning forward. I looked about a row behind me, over on the other side of the aisle, and there was a gentleman that clearly had a very bad bloody nose, and people were trying to help him.”
Another passenger revealed that a colleague suffered ruptured eardrums and was bleeding from the ears.
Jaci Purser, who was later diagnosed with a ruptured eardrum, told KSL TV 5, “I grabbed my ear, and I pulled my hand back and there was blood on it. It sounds like I am underwater when I talk.”
Upon detecting the pressurization problem, the pilots initiated a controlled descent and returned to Salt Lake City International Airport, landing safely about 16 minutes after departure.
While passenger oxygen masks did not deploy, the aircraft descended to an altitude where supplemental oxygen was not required.
Paramedics met the aircraft at the gate, and Delta confirmed that 10 passengers required medical evaluation or treatment.
The airline stated they offered to cover transportation costs to medical facilities for affected passengers.
Delta apologized for the incident, stating, “We sincerely apologize to our customers for their experience on flight 1203 on Sept. 15. The flight crew followed procedures to return to SLC where our teams on the ground supported our customers with their immediate needs.”
The aircraft was taken out of service for inspection and returned to operation on September 16 after Delta technicians resolved the pressurization issue.
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