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Panic in the air as passengers start 'bleeding from the mouth and ears' during flight

Delta Air Lines Flight 1203, which was flying from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Portland, Oregon, had pressurisation issues, but the company didn't say what caused them

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Stricken passengers are treated back at Salt Lake International Airport.(Image: KSL 5 TV/X)

A pilot was forced to turn around mid air after a sudden issue meant passengers started bleeding from the mouth and ears during a commercial flight.

Delta Air Lines Flight 1203, which was flying from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Portland, Oregon, when the plane dipped, according to passengers. The pilot made the decision to turn around shortly into the flight, and head back to Salt Lake International Airport.

Passenger Caryn Allen said it didnt take very long for people onboard to notice something was wrong, before it became clear there was a pressurisation issue.

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I looked over at my husband, and he had both of his hands over his ears, you know, kind of leaning forward, Allen said.

[Purser and another passenger holding a cloth on their ears]

Purser and another passenger holding a cloth on their ears(Image: KSL 5 TV/Jaci Pursuer/X)

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, Jaci Purser, said it felt like somebody was stabbing her in the ear. She said she felt her ear pop from the pressure in the cabin, then bubble.

I grabbed my ear, and I pulled my hand back, and there was blood on it, Purser said.

Delta Air Lines later said the Boeing 737-900 aircraft had pressurisation issues, but didn't say what caused them.

[Delta Air Lines later said the Boeing 737-900 aircraft had pressurisation issues]

Delta Air Lines later said the Boeing 737-900 aircraft had pressurisation issues(Image: KSL 5 TV/X)

Valerie Walker, a retired Delta Air Lines pilot, said its likely the pilot couldnt find a way to re-pressurise the plane, as it returned to the airport.

She added that the issue isn't usually caused by pilot error, either.

Its usually something called the outflow valve that monitors the pressure in the aircraft or, it could be a sensor that went wrong and is telling the outflow valve to do the wrong thing, she said.

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