Delta Passengers’ Bags Arrive Drenched and Smelly

A handful of Delta passengers arriving in Denver over the holiday weekend picked up their bags only to find them soaked in a mysterious, malodorous liquid. “Our bags were the last ones to come out of the baggage carousel and they were just smelling profusely,” passenger Michael Jobin told ABC News. “It was horrible. Everything was soaked to the bone.”

While the passengers suspected jet fuel, Delta said the liquid was actually deicing fluid. But the airline later retracted that statement, telling ABC News an investigation is ongoing and that it is “following up with our customers to ensure their claims are resolved immediately.”

The affected travelers were returning from a cruise, and as a result many were traveling with formal wear, such as tuxedos. Some of the passengers said they’d tried cleaning their clothes in a washing machine, but the smell won’t come out. Jobin told ABC News he thinks “most of that stuff is not going to be salvageable.”

Of course, mishaps like this are amplified by the fact that these passengers essentially paid Delta to soak their bags in an unknown and potentially hazardous substance. That said, most of the passengers interviewed by ABC News said Delta had handled the mess fairly well.

Readers, what’s the most bizarre flying experience you’ve ever had? The one story I can think of that tops this is that of a cheetah loose in a cargo hold. Share your weird travel tale below. Thanks!