Southwest pilot turns plane around after passenger reportedly bleeds from ears over pressure

Hope Schreiber
·Writer
A Southwest Airlines flight was forced to turn around midflight, after a pilot declared an “emergency.” (Photo by Robert Alexander/Getty Images)
A Southwest Airlines flight was forced to turn around midflight, after a pilot declared an “emergency.” (Photo by Robert Alexander/Getty Images)

A Southwest Airlines flight from Hartford, Conn., to Tampa, Fla., was forced to turn around midflight on Friday night, after the pilot declared an emergency. Flight 1694 returned safely to Bradley International Airport at 9:11 p.m., an hour after it took off, due to apparent depressurization in the cabin.

Ambulances met the Boeing 737 at the request of the pilot and treated a number of passengers. While there were no severe injuries, passengers complained of ear pain and other issues. Initial reports state that at least one passenger was bleeding from the ears, the Hartford Courant reported.

“The pilot declared an emergency and reported a possible pressurization issue,” an FAA spokesman told the Harford Courant.

Southwest Airlines provided a statement to Yahoo Lifestyle on the incident.

“Flight 1694 with scheduled service between Bradley International Airport (BDL) and Tampa Bay (TPA) experienced a pressurization issue shortly after takeoff. Our Flight Crew followed proper procedures and returned to BDL, where it landed safely,” the statement read. “Several Customers among the 139 onboard were treated for injuries and discomfort by local paramedics. We removed the aircraft from service and continued Customer’s travel with another aircraft. The safety of our Customers and Crew is always our top priority.”

While decompression is rare, it is vital that both pilots and passengers react to sudden and gradual cabin decompression quickly. The Telegraph reports that at 40,000 feet, people have just 18 seconds of “useful consciousness” if they lack oxygen, which is why flight attendance advise passengers during their safety announcements to put on their oxygen mask before helping others.

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