TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – An American Airlines passenger said he was covered in blood after his flight from Tampa to Nashville experienced severe turbulence on Wednesday.
The plane made an emergency landing in Birmingham, Alabama. Eight people, including six passengers and two crew members, suffered injuries and were taken to the hospital for further evaluation.
Travis Hamilton, a passenger on Wednesday’s flight, was on his way to Nashville to participate in a charity golf tournament. He was in the airplane bathroom when, about an hour into the flight, it felt like he was being whipped around on a roller coaster,” he said.
“Before I could finish washing my hands, I was on the roof of the bathroom,” Hamilton remembered. “Up and down. 10 seconds.”
When it stopped, all Hamilton could see was blood, he said.
“I looked in the mirror and it was kind of running down my face.”
After kicking his way out the bathroom, Hamilton said he saw chaos throughout the cabin.
“Oxygen masks were down,” Hamilton said. “Babies were screaming. Everybody’s kind of like, ‘What just happened?'”
Hamilton then realized he wasn’t the only one who was hurt.
“The one stewardess, man, she was messed up,” Hamilton said. “There’s blood just all over her face and the other one couldn’t hardly turn her head or neck or anything.”
A spokeswoman for American Airlines had previously issued a statement on Wednesday’s flight, saying the plane — an Embraer E175 — had experienced “unexpected turbulence” but landed without incident in Birmingham.
Hamilton, however, feels the airline should be penalized.
“The fact they gave less than a minute warning to put on our seatbelt, they need to be held accountable for it,” Hamilton claimed.
Hamilton was also checked by fire-rescue team upon landing, having suffered a small cut on his head. For his troubles, Hamilton said the airline offered a $12 meal voucher and AAdvantage miles — which wasn’t good enough, in his opinion.
“That’s very rude,” he said.
Hamilton eventually made it to his intended destination in Nashville.
