Passengers aboard an Orlando-bound Delta flight had to evacuate via slide after the aircraft made an emergency landing on a taxiway at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport shortly after takeoff Saturday morning.
Delta Flight 2204 departed Atlanta for Orlando on Saturday carrying 199 customers and six crew members.
Delta Flight 2204, which took off from Atlanta shortly before 7:30 a.m., turned back and made an emergency landing.
The flight departed at 7:23 a.m., according to flight tracking site FlightAware.
The aircraft only climbed to a maximum altitude of around 9,000 feet before the pilots suddenly started to divert back to ATL.
The pilots reported fumes in the cockpit, telling air traffic control: “We have smoke and fumes, we’re going to return… We are declaring an emergency,” the pilot said while taking gasps of air.
“Delta 2204, change of plans. We now have smoke in the back, and we need to deplane immediately,” according to air traffic control audio captured by ATC.com.
The FAA said in a statement that the aircraft landed safely around 8 a.m. and that the agency will investigate the incident.
Airport fire trucks pulled alongside the aircraft to check it over with the fire chief telling the pilots there was no sign of fire or smoke, and that the tires and brakes looked fine.
Evacuation slides were deployed and passengers and crew departed the plane on the taxiway before being bused to the terminal.
At least three inflatable slides can be seen deployed from the plane.
Video of the incident posted to TikTok show passengers frantically escaping the plane via its inflatable emergency slides on an airport taxiway. “Just experienced one of my worst fears ever!” the video was captioned. “Plane evacuation.”
Dozens of passengers holding their belongings lined up along the taxiway, the video shows.
The airline said that one crew member and one customer sought medical attention.
Airline officials have not yet confirmed what caused the fumes inside the cockpit, according to a Delta spokesperson.
Maintenance teams are currently evaluating the Boeing 757 to determine the origin of the issue.
“The flight crew followed procedures to return to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport after reports of fumes in the flight deck,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
“A slide evacuation occurred on a taxiway, and customers are being reaccommodated on a new aircraft. Safety is paramount at Delta, and we apologize to our customers for their experience.” Passengers are being rebooked to Orlando, and the aircraft is undergoing a maintenance review, Delta said.
In the viral moment captured on social media, the Boeing 757 made its emergency return to Atlanta after the flight crew detected smoke and fumes shortly after departure. The aircraft had reached a cruising altitude of approximately 9,000 feet before pilots decided to turn back. Upon landing, emergency responders and fire rescue personnel met the aircraft on the taxiway as a precaution. Flight attendants deployed all available emergency slides, and passengers evacuated directly onto the tarmac while crews stood by to assist anyone requiring help.
The FAA will investigate the incident.