On Monday, February 24, 2025, a Delta Air Lines flight bound for Columbia, South Carolina, was forced to return to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport shortly after takeoff due to a reported haze in the cabin. The Boeing 717-200, operating as Flight 876, carried 94 passengers, three flight attendants, and two pilots. Following standard emergency procedures, the pilots turned the aircraft around, and upon landing, passengers evacuated via emergency slides. No injuries were reported. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the incident.
This event marks the latest in a series of aviation incidents in 2025. As of February 20, there have been 87 aviation accidents reported this year, resulting in 89 fatalities.
Notably, a January 29 collision near Washington, D.C., between a passenger plane and a Black Hawk helicopter resulted in 67 deaths.
Despite the recent clustering of incidents, aviation experts emphasize that air travel remains statistically safe. Jeff Guzzetti, an aviation safety consultant and former National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) air safety investigator, noted that while recent commercial air carrier accidents have garnered significant attention, such events are extremely rare.
Delta Air Lines has expressed regret over the recent events, stating, “Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and people, and we apologize to our customers for the experience.”
