Delta Airlines Flight from Salt Lake City to Portland Suffers Sudden Descent After Cabin Pressure Loss, Leaving Passengers with Burst Eardrums and Bleeding Noses

On Tuesday, Delta Airlines flight from Salt Lake City to Portland took a terrifying turn when the cabin lost pressure, causing the plane to make a sudden, dramatic descent.

Passengers on board experienced severe discomfort, including burst eardrums and bleeding noses.

Passenger Reactions to the Crisis

Caryn Allen recounted her ordeal, saying, “I glanced over at my husband, and he had his hands covering his ears, leaning forward in distress.”

She also noted a man a few rows back with a severe nosebleed, surrounded by passengers trying to help him.

Jaci Purser described the intense pain she felt, comparing it to being stabbed in the ear.

She shared, “I grabbed my ear, and when I looked at my hand, it was covered in blood.”

Delta’s Response and Medical Attention

Delta Airlines issued a statement explaining that the Boeing 737-900 had to return to Salt Lake City due to pressurization problems.

The plane landed at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, where paramedics were on standby to assist the injured passengers.

A total of ten individuals required medical treatment or evaluation upon landing.

Purser reported that she was diagnosed with a ruptured eardrum and received antibiotics, nasal spray steroids, and decongestants from paramedics.

Airline and Pilot Comments

Delta apologized for the distress caused and confirmed that the aircraft was back in service the following day.

The airline stated, “We sincerely apologize for the experience on flight 1203 on September 15.

The flight crew followed the necessary procedures to return to SLC, and our ground teams supported our customers with their immediate needs.”

Retired Delta pilot Valerie Walker explained that such incidents are usually managed by the aircraft’s automatic systems, which are closely monitored.

She mentioned that, while similar issues have occurred in her experience, Sunday’s situation was unusually severe.

Investigation Underway

The Federal Aviation Administration is set to investigate the incident.

As of now, the cause of the pressurization failure has not been disclosed.