Delta Flight Returns To ATL After Haze Detected In Cabin

ATLANTA, GA — Delta Air Lines has been facing a series of airplane mishaps recently after two of its flights had to return to the Atlanta and Los Angeles airports due to smoke and haze in the cabins, per media reports.

Most recently, Delta flight DL876 on Monday was required to pivot from its route to Columbia, South Carolina, and return to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport due to haze inside the airplane, Delta told Patch.

FlightAware data shows the Boeing 717-200 twin jet returned to Atlanta around 9 a.m., 27 minutes after takeoff.

"The flight crew followed procedures to return to Atlanta when a haze inside the aircraft was observed after departure," Delta said in a statement to Patch. "Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and people, and we apologize to our customers for the experience."

The flight carried 94 passengers, two pilots and three flight attendants, Delta said, adding the passengers were able to rebook.

Data showed DL876 was scheduled to depart for Columbia at 11:20 a.m. but was at least 2 hours late as of early Monday afternoon.

This comes after smoke detection prompted Delta flight 43 to return to Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday night. Delta told CNN the smoke was detected in the galley.

The Airbus A350-900 twin jet was originally headed to Sydney, Australia, but returned around 9:30 p.m. to LAX, data showed.

Additionally, Delta is the focal point of an investigation after Delta Connection Flight 4819, operated by Endeavor Air, crashed on Feb. 17 in Toronto, Canada, with 80 people on board. Media video showed the aircraft overturned.

Delta CEO Ed Bastian told CBS Mornings that "all 80 people walked off the plane with limited physical injuries."

"It's horrifying when you look at the video," Bastian said in the CBS Mornings interview.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.