Sonali Tiwary
A Delta Air Lines flight from Barcelona to Boston diverted to Porto Airport on Sunday 27 September 2026 after smoke was detected in the passenger cabin. All 296 passengers landed safely. Eight passengers were treated at the airport, and three were taken to hospital for further treatment.
Delta Flight DL251 departed Barcelona El Prat airport on an Airbus A330-300 bound for Boston Logan. Approximately two hours into the flight, the crew detected smoke in the cabin and diverted to Porto (OPO) in northern Portugal. Portuguese emergency services — including INEM, the national medical emergency institute, and civil protection authorities — responded to the aircraft on landing. Eight passengers were treated on the tarmac; three were taken to hospital. The cause of the cabin smoke had not been confirmed at the time of reporting. Delta told Reuters the flight diverted following a reported mechanical issue and that the aircraft landed safely.
Because this flight departed from Barcelona — an EU airport — passengers may have rights under EU Regulation 261/2004. Under EU261, passengers whose flight is disrupted at an EU-departure airport may be entitled to assistance including care (meals, hotel accommodation if an overnight stay is required) and re-routing. Fixed statutory compensation of up to €600 depends on the specific circumstances, including the length of any arrival delay and whether the disruption was caused by extraordinary circumstances. Passengers should request written confirmation of the disruption from Delta, keep all receipts for accommodation and meals incurred, and contact Delta’s passenger rights team to assess what applies to their specific situation.
For broader context on [passenger rights when an international flight diverts unexpectedly](/eu261-flight-diversion-passenger-rights) and [what travel insurance policies cover in an emergency landing overseas](/travel-insurance-emergency-diversion-coverage), both are on Karmactive.
A formal investigation by Portuguese civil aviation authorities into the cause of the incident is expected to follow standard accident and incident reporting procedures.
