A plane was forced to make an emergency landing this week after a dog got sick on board.
Delta Flight 694 from Detroit to Los Angeles had to make an emergency landing in Minneapolis, one hour into its five-hour flight time, on Monday evening after a dog fell ill in the cabin.
Despite a veterinarian onboard providing care to the pet, the flight crew diverted so the passenger and her dog could disembark.
Why It Matters
The emergency landing resulted in a two-and-a-half-hour delay for nearly 200 passengers on the flight.
This delay comes amid more visible struggles for the aviation industry in the United States in 2025, including several high-profile plane crashes and mass firings of air traffic controllers by the Trump Administration.
What To Know
The flight to Los Angeles was diverted an hour after taking off from Detroit at 5:30 p.m.
After first receiving assistance from a veterinarian who happened to be onboard the plane, the flight was met in Minneapolis, the nearest major airport on their flight path, by medical personnel who were able to assist the dog and its owner, according to KTLA reporting.
A passenger from Delta Flight 694 told KTLA that the flight captain then made an announcement to the 181 passengers that the dog was going to be fine.
A Delta spokesperson told Newsweek that the safety of their customers “comes before everything else at Delta.”
Delta Flight 694 was one of 7,691 flights delayed across the country on Memorial Day. Most were delayed due to storms, according to FlightAware. There were also 424 flights cancelled within, or travelling to or from the United States on Memorial Day.
What People Are Saying
A spokesperson for Delta Airlines told Newsweek: “The safety of our customers and people comes before everything else at Delta. That’s why Delta flight 694 diverted to [Minneapolis] to ensure a cabin pet that became ill received proper care.”
What Happens Next
Flight delays are common throughout the US, but are not typically caused by unwell animals. According to Newsweek reporting, several major US airlines, including Delta, have projected a fall in demand for air travel in 2025.
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