Woman says Delta served chicken curry on a packed international flight. Then the bathroom lines never stopped: ‘Kept getting crop dusted’

A TikTok user who posts as Erika, under the handle @erika_vision, said Delta served chicken curry on a large international flight and that the meal left the cabin smelling bad afterward. She tagged the airline in the caption and called the dish a bold choice for airplane food.

The caption on the video reads, “chicken curry is a BOLD choice for airplane food to say the least @delta.” On-screen text in the clip said, “delta, please do not EVER AGAIN serve chicken curry on a large international flight.” She added that “the odors produced by travelers afterwards were horrifying and the lines for the bathrooms were unending.”

The video opened with a view from an airport terminal window of planes on the tarmac, including a Delta aircraft. It then moved inside the cabin, showing rows of seats and seatback screens. One screen briefly displayed “NOW BOARDING: FRESCA.” The final shots were from a window seat looking out at the wing. Erika wrote that she sat in the aisle and “kept getting crop dusted with curry farts.”

Experts describe why some in-flight meals may sit poorly

Nutrition and performance specialists have described airplane meals as harder on digestion than the same food on the ground. According to The Manual, Dr. Mark Kovacs, a performance physiologist, said airlines often raise sodium, sugar, and artificial flavoring because taste changes at altitude. He said sitting for long periods with lower cabin humidity can slow gastric motility, and that heavy, salty, or processed foods may increase bloating and fluid retention.

Nutritionist and exercise physiologist Veronika Larisova said about one-third of taste buds can feel “numbed” on board because of air pressure and low humidity. She said airlines add sugar, salt, and spice to make meals taste more normal. Larisova also said many airline meals use preservatives and hydrogenated oils to keep food stable in storage.

A Smartblood UK article on bloating after Indian-style meals pointed to several common ingredients. The piece said legumes such as lentils and chickpeas contain oligosaccharides that the small intestine does not fully break down. Those sugars can reach the large intestine and ferment, which, the article said, produces gas.

The same article said onions and garlic, which often form the base of a curry, are high in fructans. It also pointed to cream, ghee, paneer, and other dairy as possible issues for people who do not digest lactose well. High-fat sauces, it said, can slow the rate at which food leaves the stomach.

Kovacs recommended eating a lighter meal before boarding when possible, drinking water during the flight, and standing or moving about every 60 minutes.

He said passengers who do eat onboard may feel better choosing lighter meals with vegetables and lean protein and avoiding heavy, creamy, or fried dishes and foods that commonly cause gas, including beans. Passenger frustrations with Delta don’t stop at in-flight meals, as one traveler was put on standby after trying to get an earlier flight.

Viewers split over the meal itself. Some said they had been served chicken curry on Delta and thought it was one of the better economy options. Others said they had a similar experience after the airline ran out of another dish, and only curry was left.

One commenter said the video reminded them of another airplane clip in which passengers covered their noses while a soundtrack said, “Whoever is farting, please stop farting it smells.” Another wrote, “That sounds a little racist.”

Other comments focused on the food rather than the smell. One person wrote, “They told me they ran out of the ravioli and all they had left was chicken curry and I legit cried.” Another said, “I had a curry on a Sri Lankan flight and I still think about how good it was till this day.” A third wrote, “British Airways serves this. I was surprised that the plane did not smell and the meal was delicious.”

Additional viewers said they had flown on flights where chicken curry was an option and did not have the same aftermath Erika described. One wrote, “Really? We had it. Prob one of the best meals we’ve had in economy on Delta.” Another suggested flying Delta One instead. Delta’s in-flight experiences can vary widely, such as when a passenger complained that a PA announcement blocked his screen during a crucial World Cup penalty kick.