GI illness leads to hazmat response, cancels United flight

A United Airlines flight from Newark to Indianapolis was halted and ultimately canceled after a passenger’s severe gastrointestinal episode required long use of the lavatory, prompting a hazmat response and a cascade of flight disruptions. The passenger, Meghan Reinertsen, 29, a nanny and actress from Atlanta, has since described the episode as originating from an undercooked hamburger she ate hours earlier. She spoke publicly about the incident after posting a widely viewed TikTok video documenting the ordeal.

The sequence began about 30 minutes into the two-hour flight, when Reinertsen said she was struck by intense stomach pains, sweating profusely and contorted by cramps. She described spending roughly 90 minutes locked in the aircraft’s lavatory, during which she experienced repeated episodes of diarrhea and vomiting. Flight attendants supplied bags and support, and the crew obtained special clearance from the pilot to allow her to remain in the bathroom through landing. Upon arrival, Reinertsen said she was wheeled off in a wheelchair, unable to walk, while other passengers looked on in disbelief as the next leg of the journey was scrubbed.