A United Airlines flight from Newark to Indianapolis was canceled after a female passenger suffered a severe bout of food poisoning that left the plane’s bathroom unusable and forced a hazmat cleanup. The incident quickly went viral after the passenger herself shared the shocking details online.
The In-Flight Medical Emergency
Writer and actor Meghan Reinertsen revealed she was the passenger at the center of the July 2024 flight disruption. In a TikTok video that has now been viewed nearly 20 million times, Reinertsen admitted she spent more than 90 minutes locked in the lavatory as she battled uncontrollable diarrhea and vomiting.
“For the next 20 minutes I had more diarrhea than any human should ever have in their life,” she said, adding that the illness left her drenched in sweat, crying, and panicked. She later discovered it was caused by food poisoning from an undercooked hamburger eaten the night before.
Flight Crew Response
Flight attendants quickly realized the seriousness of the situation and allowed her to remain in the bathroom for the duration of the flight. The pilot granted clearance for her to stay inside the lavatory even during landing. According to Reinertsen, attendants told her through the door to “brace for impact.”
Once the plane landed in Indianapolis, passengers were evacuated, and Reinertsen was wheeled off the aircraft in a wheelchair due to her weakened state. A hazmat team was called in to disinfect the plane, and the airline confirmed the next flight was canceled due to contamination concerns.
Airline Statement and Public Reaction
United Airlines confirmed the incident, telling Metro that the crew “helped as much as they could during the flight and upon arrival in Indianapolis.” The airline added that its teams are trained to respond to onboard medical emergencies of this nature.
Public reaction to the story has been a mix of sympathy and shock. On TikTok, users flooded the comments with supportive messages for Reinertsen, calling her “brave” for sharing such a humiliating story. Others noted the incident underscores how quickly food poisoning can escalate, especially in confined environments like airplanes.