Several years ago, after a 3-week cruise of South America, we were flying home from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Just as I was boarding the plane, an old guy behind me passed out. Plop.
"Bummer," I mumbled. Soon enough we were airborne. Just as we hit cruising altitude, the PA crackles to life. "Code blue... code blue, any medical professionals please come to the rear of the plane." Soon we heard. The old man's wife argued and screamed at the stewardesses to drag him on the plane. Which they did! The whole flight we had to stay in our seats and listen to him coughing and barfing. Only allowed a bathroom break. The plane was diverted to Atlanta. Finally landed, parked far from the terminal. We were told the plane was under quarantine, stay in our seats. Soon an ambulance arrived and the old man and wife were escorted off the plane. So the dude and his wife who caused all this... get off while we gotta stay! After a couple of uncomfortable hours, the plane was boarded by CDC (Centers for Disease Control) technicians dressed in full hazmat suits. By now, fellow passengers were upset. CDC techs started taking wipe samples all over. Then they left. And we waited... waited. Soon passengers were yelling and getting up. Stewardesses tried without success to calm them. A couple of hours later, we were informed all of us might be held in quarantine for an indeterminate length of time pending test results of the samples. OK... people were REALLY pissed now. Good thing the old man & wife were gone, irate passengers would have gone "postal" on them. Finally an hour later we were escorted off the plane one by one with a CDC escort. Taken to a disinfected bathroom to wash our hands while the CDC tech watched. Then board a bus back to the terminal.
After a huge hassle getting a flight back to Los Angeles, getting a ride back to Huntington Beach, we arrived home safe... but completely, totally pissed.
Later we found out the old man had Norovirus.
