CHICAGO — Police were called to a Southwest Airlines flight landing in Chicago after reports that a passenger removed her clothes and defecated in her seat, a source told NBC News.
According to a statement from Southwest Airlines, Flight 418, en route from Philadelphia to Chicago Midway Airport, was met by law enforcement officers and medical personnel responding to “a situation involving a female passenger.”
A source with knowledge of the situation told NBC News that the passenger removed her clothes and defecated on the seat, forcing the plane to be taken off for cleaning.
“Our teams are reaching out to those on board to apologise for the situation and any delays to their travel plans,” the airline said in a statement. “At Southwest, nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and employees, and we appreciate the professionalism of our crew.”
The incident follows a series of flight-related problems for airlines.
Recently, a Southwest flight in Houston was evacuated due to an engine fire. Similarly, a Lufthansa flight was forced to land in Boston after an iPad became lodged in a passenger’s seat.
Southwest announced this month that it will reduce capacity later this year as it anticipates a decline in revenue. Furthermore, the airline is just one month away from changing its traditional policies and charging passengers for checked baggage.