I was on the Delta flight where 24 people fell ill including both pilots… after they served moldy chicken

A Delta Airlines flight was diverted to New York City after passengers and crew, including both pilots, were served moldy chicken, a traveler has revealed. 

Nancy Kirchoff, 65, was on the Amsterdam bound flight with her husband when it made an emergency landing at JFK Airport in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The pilot announced they were turning around because there was 'some type of food issue and people were sick', Kirchoff told DailyMail.com.

'They said they saw some mold on the chicken,' she added. 'I asked if anyone had gotten sick and they told us no one had been affected, but the pilots both ate the chicken.'

Medics met the plane after it landed at JFK and aid was provided to 14 passengers and 10 flight crew, all of whom declined to receive medical attention.

The A330 plane, which had 277 customers on board, departed from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport just before 11pm Tuesday.

The flight crew decided to divert to NYC after it was discovered that a portion of the in-flight meal service had been spoiled, a Delta spokesperson told DailyMail.com. 

'We were probably halfway to Amsterdam, around Nova Scotia and starting to cross ocean when the pilot came on and said there was some type of food issue,' Kirchoff recalled. 

She said that the flight attendants then 'came around to each row and asked if everyone was feeling good or sick.'

That's when she asked the crew about the food issue and was allegedly told that mold was discovered on the chicken. She also claims the flight attendants disclosed that both pilots had eaten the meal. 

The traveler says she suspects the plane was diverted as a 'precautionary measure', adding that 'I didn't see anyone getting sick' during the flight.

She confirmed that her husband did eat the chicken during the flight's meal service, but thankfully 'he was fine'.

The flight landed safely at JFK around 4am Wednesday, where passengers and crew were met by medics.

'There were 24 aided cases upon landing, including 10 members of the flight crew and 14 passengers, all of whom declined to receive medical attention,' a Port Authority spokesperson told DailyMail.com.

'Passengers were provided with hotel rooms and transportation and will be rebooked to continue to their destination.'

A Delta spokesperson said the flight crew had consulted with medical experts who recommended the diversion before deciding to make the emergency landing.

But one seemingly frustrated traveler tweeted at the airline after the emergency landing, complaining about the travel disruption. 

Virginia said: 'I need to know how you're going to get me to Amsterdam today - I'm on the plane that's emergency landing at JFK because you served passengers 'contaminated' food.

'I don't need hotel/food vouchers I need to arrive in Amsterdam today.'

A spokesperson told DailyMail.com: 'Delta flight 136 from Detroit to Amsterdam diverted to New York's JFK early Wednesday morning after it was discovered that a portion of the in-flight meal service was spoiled.

'Medical crews were on site to meet the aircraft and treat any affected passengers and crew members. Delta teams will immediately work to gather information into how this incident occurred. 

'This is not the service Delta is known for and we sincerely apologize to our customers for the inconvenience and delay in their travels.'

It comes after a separate Delta plane was forced to make an emergency landing at JFK in April after an emergency slide fell off the aircraft.

The Los Angeles-bound Delta flight 520 was diverted back JFK Airport at around 8.30am on April 26. The plane had been an hour into its journey when the freak incident set off an emergency alarm.

No injuries were reported aboard the Boeing 767, which was carrying 176 customers, two pilots and five flight attendants at the time.