Delta Passengers Hold Up Ceiling Panel Mid-Flight

A Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Chicago turned chaotic when part of the plane’s ceiling came crashing down shortly after takeoff on April 14.

Video shared by passengers showed the loose panel hanging overhead, with several people reaching up to support it during the flight. Thomas Witschy, one of the passengers, said he and two others had to physically hold the ceiling up for about 30 to 45 minutes until flight attendants managed to tape it back in place using neon yellow tape.

The Boeing 717 returned safely to Atlanta for maintenance. Thankfully, no injuries were reported. Passengers were later transferred to another aircraft, reaching Chicago with about a two-hour delay.

Delta apologized for the inconvenience, thanking passengers for their patience and offering them 10,000 air miles—roughly $120—as compensation.

“It’s not something you expect to happen mid-flight,” Witschy said. “We just did what we had to do to stay safe.”