Delta Flight 1334, bound for Fort Lauderdale, made an emergency landing in Atlanta on Thursday morning after a smoky odor was reported onboard shortly after departure. The aircraft returned to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport around 7 a.m.
According to Delta, the flight crew followed established procedures and the plane landed normally without incident. "Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and crew, and we apologize to our customers for the delay in their travels," the airline said in a statement. The crew reportedly halted the ascent at 5,900 feet due to an undisclosed technical issue.
The cause of the smell, which was reported to be wafting from the cockpit, has not yet been confirmed. It was unclear if any of the 181 passengers required medical evaluation following the emergency landing.
Flight tracking data indicated that the delayed flight was expected to depart approximately two hours and 30 minutes later than scheduled.