Sick dog on flight diverts California-bound jetliner to Minnesota, airline says

A passenger’s dog who fell ill in the cabin of an airliner diverted the California-bound flight to a Minnesota airport, Delta Air Lines reported.

Flight 694 took off from Detroit Metro Airport bound for Los Angeles International Airport on Monday, May 26, the airline told McClatchy News in an email.

After a dog became ill in the cabin, the flight landed at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to allow the passenger and animal to disembark, the airline said.

A veterinarian on the flight also provided care to the dog and medical personnel met the flight when it landed, Delta said.

“The safety of our customers and people comes before everything else at Delta,” the airline said.

The diversion caused a 2 ½-hour delay for the 181 passengers aboard, Delta said. The flight continued to Los Angeles and landed safely.

The airline did not provide information on the dog’s condition, but the pilot told passengers the pet would be all right, KTLA reported.

This story was originally published May 28, 2025 at 8:18 AM with the headline "Sick dog on flight diverts California-bound jetliner to Minnesota, airline says."