Talk about a simple meal.
After “tainted” meals on a Delta Airlines flight forced the plane to make an emergency landing at JFK International Airport on Wednesday, the airline is sticking to pasta only on many of its international flights, CNBC reported.
According to sources, an estimated 70 people fell ill during the journey from Detroit to Amsterdam from the contaminated food, which contained black mold.
Last winter, a flight on the Delta route took place where, to everyone’s surprise, maggots landed on the passengers.
Following this week’s hilarious incident, some 75 international flights were operated on Wednesday and a similar number on Thursday, with only the Italian favourite being served.
“Out of an abundance of caution, Delta teams have proactively adjusted our in-flight meal service on a number of international flights,” a company spokeswoman told CNBC.
How widespread is foodborne illness on airplanes? A 2007 research paper stated that while incidents “are relatively uncommon in the modern era,” it “would be impossible to estimate the true burden of illness.”
Additionally, the Food and Drug Administration requires inspections of airlines — sometimes resulting in as many as 22 serious safety issues per visit — but fines are rarely issued, according to NBC News.
This is despite reports in recent years that dangerous bacteria such as Listeria monocytogene have been found in tests at some airlines.
“Oh, it’s negligent,” Roy Costa, an environmental inspector, told the outlet. “What you’re seeing here is a repeated pattern of them not following the rules… It’s very, very clear that they’re potentially at risk.”
The FDA only looks at airline caterers once every three to five years. They are also often exempt from the agency’s food code and safety rules, meaning fewer inspections are done “when time and opportunity permits,” according to an agency manual.
And to add insult to injury, Gate Gourmet, a caterer that does business with Delta and other airlines, is expected to go on strike later this month.
The strike could take place as early as July 30.