According to the FDA's letter to the airline, rodent droppings were "too numerous to count" in the ceiling panel of an aircraft's central crossover galley. This is a location directly above where food and drinks are stored. Additionally, rodent pellets were found in the forward galley of the same aircraft, above the door panels.
Delta quickly removed the aircraft from service and the apparent rodent infestation was resolved within a few days. A Delta spokeswoman commented, "This clearly was an isolated incident, and we cooperated with the FDA immediately to resolve it earlier this year. The health and safety of Delta's customers and employees are Delta's top priority. We take this issue very seriously and have an established routine servicing program to inspect our aircraft."
The FDA has given the Atlanta-based carrier 15 days to respond to its letter and outline what it intends to do to prevent a recurrence on the more than 700 aircraft in its fleet. The government agency said that it believes "...a recurrence is likely without adequate preventive measures in place."
Delta operates a major hub at the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport with more than 400 daily flights. Included in its schedule from MSP are 12 flights each day to Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the world's busiest.
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