1970s Horror Movie Happens For Real On Maggot Plane

The unexpected, grotesque infestation and incident occurred in the economy class section and originated from a passenger’s suitcase stored in the overhead bin. Said suitcase, everyone in this real-life version of Suspiria soon found out, contained rotting fish—yum!—and, of course, the rotting fish preceded the maggots plopping onto the plane’s occupants. Any fans of classic Italian horror movies aboard the plane might have remembered the Suspiria scene where the main character brushes her hair, only to discover maggots on her comb.

Maybe a passenger aboard the Delta flight was also combing their hair at the time of discovery? It’s a possibility. 

In any case, as memorable as that scene is—having remained imprinted in the public imagination for almost 50 years—doubtlessly, the horror show aboard the Detroit-bound flight will remain imprinted in the minds of its unfortunate passengers. 

For their part, Delta responded to the hail of maggots on the plane by instructing all passengers to de-board the aircraft upon landing. The offending suitcase was immediately bagged and slated for destruction while the aircraft underwent a deep cleaning to verify no remnants of the ordeal lingered. 

Obviously, and inescapably, it’s hard not to imagine the passenger in possession of the fish suitcase, as maggots fell onto the heads of your neighbors, sitting there and trying to keep a low profile. It’s a scene straight out of a comedy series, like Netflix’s I Think You Should Leave. Then again, the perspective of a person who flies across the Atlantic with a suitcase full of rotting fish is hard to relate to, generally. 

No surprises here: passengers swiftly took to social media to post about the maggot-infested plane and share the horrible experience. One Twitter/X user in particular, identified as Kelce, notably and memorably captured the shock and stark disbelief accompanying the surreal development—an emotional reaction incredibly close to that of the characters in Suspiria. 

Delta quickly compensated passengers for the ordeal, offering those affected 8,000 air miles, hotel accommodations, and meal tickets for anyone delayed overnight. Of course, the emotional and psychological toll of such an experience is a little harder to quantify. In any case, airline apologized for the inconvenience (a wonderfully sanitized term for what was, literally, maggots infesting a plane mid-air) in a formal statement.

A 1977 Italian supernatural horror film directed by Dario Argento, Suspiria is known for its incredible visuals, elaborate set design, and intense use of color—particularly its reliance on vibrant reds. Since its debut, the film has become a cult classic, celebrated for its incomparable style and outsized influence on horror films

The scene in question depicts the film’s star, Suzy Bannion, a young ballet student enrolled in a dance school in Germany thats secretly a witches’ coven, realizing her hair is full of maggots (though at least she’s not trapped on a plane) as the other students, similarly drenched in the disgusting downpour, do, too. 

The scene is a shocker to watch–even today, largely because of all the live larvae involved. Argento’s brilliant direction and the iconic soundtrack by prog-rock group Goblin also explain the scene’s timelessness.

Let’s hope the incident on the Delta flight is the last scene from Suspiria recurring in real life.

Source: The Independent