Get All Access for $5/mo

'Treated Like Roaches': Passengers Slam Airport Staff After Allegedly Being Starved, 'Abandoned' for 12 Hours on Remote Island After Emergency Landing Delta Airlines Flight 157 was headed from Ghana to New York's JFK airport on Friday before the plane encountered oxygen issues.

By Emily Rella

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Passengers on a Delta Airlines flight headed to New York from Ghana claimed that they were starved for hours and told to "be grateful" after the plane diverted due to mechanical issues and landed on a remote island for nearly 12 hours.

Delta Flight 157 diverted to an airport on Terceira Island in the Azores on Friday out of "an abundance of caution" as the plane had begun to undergo a "mechanical issue with a backup oxygen system."

"Delta flight 157 from Accra to New York-JFK diverted to Lajes Airport following a mechanical issue that required observation," Delta said on Friday in a statement to Pulse. "The aircraft landed safely and an alternate aircraft is en route to Lajes Airport from Lisbon to help our customers more quickly get to their final destinations while the original aircraft is evaluated by maintenance technicians. We apologize to our customers for the delay in their travels."

Related: Delta Plane Tire Pops During Landing, Passengers Evacuated

Passengers however, took to Facebook to allege that the experience was a nightmare.

In a lengthy post, Nana Asante-Smith said that five hours into the flight, the pilot announced that the plane would be making an emergency landing due to low oxygen, with the passenger claiming that the flight attendants were "kind and gentle" and that "the unfortunate situation was not in Delta's control."

However, when the plane landed, Asante-Smith alleges that the airline displayed a "reckless disregard for human life and well-being. While crew members were shuttled to a hotel, passengers had to go to a portioned part of the airport and could not move around freely because they did not have the proper passport documentation or visas.

With limited access to the airport and no Delta crew, Asante-Smith claims it was hard to find food.

"After begging and pleading, we received paper bags with ham sandwiches (that many could not eat due to dietary restrictions associated with pork), juice boxes and cookies/crackers," she wrote. "Still, no official announcements or updates from Delta as passengers scrambled to rebook connecting flights, request clarity about the situation we found ourselves in."

Related: Liz Hurley Slams British Airways, Was 'Stranded' in Antigua

Passengers on social media said that the airport conditions were "uncomfortable" and that airport representatives told them not to start "a revolution" and "be grateful for a second chance at life."

"We were abandoned by Delta and treated like encroaching roaches by airport representatives on Terceira Islands," Asante-Smith wrote. "We were (and are) physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted."

The flight eventually left and landed at JFK after 12 hours on the island.

Related: Delta Flight Hits Runway in Frightening Emergency Landing

One passenger named Kiaundra Eggleston took to X to post video footage of the scene inside the airport, as disgruntled passengers tried to make sense of the situation and find a way out.

A Delta spokesperson told Insider that customers were provided with refunds, and the inability to help passengers once they arrived back in New York had to do with poor weather conditions on the East Coast.

Delta Airlines did not immediately respond to Entrepreneur's request for comment.

Related: Delta Turbulence Hospitalizes 11 Passengers

Emily Rella

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

These Companies Offer the Best Work-Life Balance, According to Employees

The ranking is based on Glassdoor ratings and reviews.

Science & Technology

Use This Framework to Successfully Integrate AI Into Your Business Operations

Here's how to ensure both innovation and compliance when using AI in your organization.

Growing a Business

5 Effective Strategies to Boost Your Business's Online Presence

Boosting your online presence in 2025 is the key to success for businesses looking to grow. Working on your branding and reputation management is important to drive more sales and improve conversion.

Leadership

Why Your AI Strategy Will Fail Without the Right Talent in Place

Using fractional AI experts through specialized platforms allows companies to access top talent cost-effectively, drive innovation and scale agile strategies for growth.