Passengers aboard Delta Flight 133 from Amsterdam to Detroit were met with a repulsive surprise as maggots showered a passenger after falling from a bag stored in an overhead bin. The incident occurred approximately an hour into the flight, prompting the pilot to make the decision to turn the plane around.

According to witnesses, the maggots were discovered falling from a bag that was carrying what appeared to be a rotten fish. Maggots, small worm-like larvae of flies, are commonly found in decaying organic matter. Passenger Philip Schotte, who resides in Iowa but is of Dutch origin, observed a maggot fall on a woman seated near him, followed by several more near her seat.

The alarmed woman, trying to contain the maggots, explained to Schotte that they were falling from the overhead storage. Although composed, it was evident that she was visibly distressed as the maggots fell onto her clothes. Schotte and the woman promptly alerted a flight attendant, but had to wait until the takeoff process was complete.

Once the plane was in the air, the flight attendants opened the storage compartment, causing numerous maggots to spill out. Schotte, along with the affected passenger, relocated to new seats further back in the aircraft. The source of the maggots was traced back to a bag belonging to a male passenger, who claimed ownership when the flight attendants identified it. The bag emitted a strong odor, leading Schotte to overhear the passenger explaining that it contained fish.

The bag was subsequently tightly wrapped in plastic and moved to the rear of the plane. Around the same time, the pilot addressed the passengers, informing them about the situation and announcing the decision to turn the aircraft back to Amsterdam. The unsettling incident triggered a sense of fear and chaos among the passengers, leading some to check their surroundings with flashlights.

Upon landing, a cleaning crew was seen boarding the plane. The FlightAware data showed that the flight departed at 10:11 a.m. local time and returned to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol at 12 p.m. The fate of the passenger who brought the rotten fish on board remains unclear, as there were no reports of immediate detainment.

Passenger Philip Schotte, who experienced the ordeal firsthand, expressed his astonishment and sympathized with fellow passengers. He expressed his concern regarding how a bag with a rotten fish and live maggots managed to pass through security undetected. Delta Airlines, in a statement, apologized to the affected customers and acknowledged that the incident was a result of an improperly packed carry-on bag.

The impacted passengers' flights were rebooked, and Schotte was able to continue his journey to his final destination, Des Moines, on the same day. Delta assured customers that the aircraft would undergo thorough cleaning before being put back into service. The airline's policy allows the carriage of perishable items, both edible and non-edible, as long as there are no violations of agricultural restrictions for the destination country.

This unusual and repulsive incident serves as a reminder of the importance of proper packing and adherence to security regulations when traveling, not only for the comfort and safety of passengers but also to prevent disruptions to flights caused by avoidable incidents such as this.