Nearly 300 Delta passengers spent an entire night trapped on planes at an Alabama airport without customs facilities, turning what should have been routine flights into a 15-hour nightmare that left travelers furious and the airline offering full refunds.

At a Glance

• Severe storms forced two Delta international flights to divert to Montgomery Regional Airport, which lacks customs facilities
• About 300 passengers were trapped overnight on planes because the airport couldn’t process international travelers
• Crews reached their maximum legal working hours, further preventing any resolution until morning
• Passengers eventually reached Atlanta approximately 15 hours late after limited food, water, and police-guarded bathrooms
• Delta has apologized and offered full refunds to all affected customers

International Flights Stranded at Domestic Airport

Two Delta flights from Mexico destined for Atlanta were diverted to Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama on Thursday when severe thunderstorms caused a ground stop at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The unexpected routing created an immediate problem: Montgomery lacks customs facilities required to process international travelers. This critical infrastructure gap meant nearly 300 passengers from flights originating in Cabo San Lucas and Mexico City found themselves unable to legally exit the aircraft upon landing.

Delta intended to reach Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport instead but couldn’t proceed due to worsening storm conditions and fuel constraints. According to the airline’s statement, pilots reported dangerous windshear at Birmingham, forcing them to select Montgomery as the only viable alternative. As darkness fell, passengers realized they were facing a much longer ordeal than anticipated when crew members announced they had reached their federally mandated maximum duty hours.

Passengers Describe “Total Chaos”

After spending the entire night confined to their seats, passengers were finally allowed to disembark after 5 a.m. when customs officials became available. The nightmare continued as travelers were escorted under police supervision into a cordoned-off area of the terminal. Political commentator Mike Gallagher, who documented the experience on social media, described the scene as “total chaos” with overwhelmed airport staff unprepared for the situation.

“Total chaos at the airport. Five gate agents overwhelmed. No one here at the Montgomery Airport knows what to do. In all the years I’ve flown, I’ve never seen anything like this in my life.”, said Mike Gallagher.

Passenger Lauren Forbes expressed shock at discovering the legal restrictions that prevented their deplaning. “So we ended up in Montgomery, which is not an international airport. I guess the law is that if there’s no customs at the airport, you are literally stuck on that airplane. So, I just learned that today,” she told reporters. The minimal provisions offered during the overnight ordeal—just water and cookies initially, followed by chips and sandwiches several hours later—further exacerbated passengers’ frustration.

From Bad to Worse: Additional Delays and Police Presence

After enduring the overnight stay on the aircraft, passengers faced an additional five-hour delay inside the airport terminal before finally boarding replacement flights to Atlanta. During this time, police officers guarded bathrooms and confined travelers to specific areas until they could properly clear customs. The complete journey ultimately took nearly 20 hours instead of the scheduled three-and-a-half hour flight.

Many passengers expressed frustration at having to reorganize their connecting flights and onward travel plans after finally reaching Atlanta. The cumulative effect of multiple delays, confined spaces, limited refreshments, and poor communication left travelers feeling mistreated throughout the experience. Gallagher noted that even after reaching the airport terminal, boarding the rescue flight was processed just ten passengers at a time, further extending the delay.

Delta’s Response and Future Prevention

Delta Air Lines has issued a formal apology and promised full refunds to all affected passengers. The airline acknowledged that their response fell significantly short of their service standards despite the challenging weather conditions. A spokesperson stated that Delta is conducting a thorough review of the incident to improve procedures and prevent similar situations in the future.

In a statement, the company said: “We sincerely apologize to our customers for this experience. We fell short of how we aspire to serve and care for our customers amid thunderstorms in the Southeast U.S. Thursday evening. We are reaching out to each customer with a full refund of their booking.”

The incident highlights the complex interplay between weather disruptions, regulatory requirements for international flights, crew duty-time limitations, and the limited capabilities of smaller regional airports. Delta’s operational planning will likely face scrutiny for routing international flights to an airport unable to process them, particularly when adverse weather affects major hubs in the southeastern United States.