Delta Air Lines is currently facing a lawsuit from 20 individuals who were on board a flight that experienced severe turbulence last year, resulting in injuries to more than two dozen passengers and crew. The incident, which passengers have dubbed the '2.5 minutes of terror', occurred on 30 July 2025, during a flight from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Amsterdam. The aircraft, encountering severe weather over Wyoming, was forced to divert to Minnesota.
Upon landing, Delta Air Lines confirmed that 25 people required hospital treatment for their injuries. The lawsuit, filed in Utah's 3rd District Court, alleges that the pilots 'recklessly flew' the aircraft too close to a thunderstorm, despite having access to warnings about the adverse weather conditions. According to the Aviation Law Group, representing the plaintiffs, Delta 'had the tools' and 'the ability to avoid this weather and chose to disregard the warnings', suggesting the incident was preventable.
The legal filing details the harrowing experience, stating that passengers who were not restrained were thrown with such force that they crashed into the cabin ceiling, causing damage to the aircraft's interior fixtures. Injuries reported include head injuries, spinal injuries, concussions, lacerations, broken bones, bruises, and abrasions across passengers' bodies. A key point of contention in the lawsuit is the claim that the plane's seatbelt sign was not illuminated when it encountered the severe turbulence.
While the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that the pilots were caught off-guard by the storm, the plaintiffs argue that the National Weather Service had issued an advisory warning about severe weather, including thunderstorms, along the flight path. The lawsuit further claims that pilots ignored 'multiple warnings and briefing packages' and even acknowledged seeing the weather on their radar but 'continued directly into the dangerous conditions'.
Beyond the initial encounter with turbulence, the lawsuit also questions the decision to divert the flight to Minnesota instead of closer airports like Salt Lake City or Denver. The plaintiffs argue that sending the plane to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, a major Delta hub, added an additional 90 minutes to the flight and was chosen primarily to 'save Delta money on the cost of diversion, required aircraft maintenance, and for rebooking passengers'. The passengers are seeking an undisclosed amount in damages and have requested a trial.