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Emirates Flight Quarantined at JFK After Several Passengers Fall Sick

Sept. 05, 2018
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2 min read
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Emirates Flight Quarantined at JFK After Several Passengers Fall Sick
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Emirates Airlines Flight EK203 from Dubai (DXB) was quarantined Wednesday morning, away from Terminal 4 at New York John F. Kennedy Airport, after dozens of passengers on board reported feeling ill during the flight.

Initial reports said that at least 100 passengers fell ill on the flight with fevers of 100 degrees or more and coughing. That number has since been downgraded, but it remains unclear exactly how many passengers have fallen ill.

The Airbus A380 landed at JFK shortly after 9:00am with 521 people on board, according to ABC Channel 7. The plane did not go to the terminal, docking instead near a hard stand area to meet emergency response teams from the Centers for Disease Control and Port Authority police. CBS reports that only 10 or so passengers were taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center for treatment.

Health officials were checking passengers one by one for symptoms. A row of ambulances met the plane upon arrival.

Eric Phillips, press secretary for NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio, stated around 11:00am that about 40 passengers had been cleared in good health and were passing through customs, while several others who were showing symptoms were being held back for possible treatment.

Passengers uploaded video of the travelers' restlessness on board the docked plane, which Phillips erroneously stated had stopped in Mecca on its way from Dubai. Phillips said that Mecca is currently undergoing a flu outbreak, and was a possible cause of the illness.

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Emirates Airlines released a statement around 10:30am ET, stating that "about 10 passengers on EK203 from Dubai to New York were taken ill. On arrival, as a precaution, they were attended to by local health authorities. All others will disembark shortly. The safety & care of our customers is our first priority." The airline stated that their own initial investigations suggested that food poisoning was the cause of the outbreak.

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  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
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