A Delta plane scheduled to fly from Atlanta to Sacramento with 155 passengers on board had to return to the gate shortly after departure when the captain detected a smoky odor in the cockpit, airline officials say.

The Saturday morning incident involved Flight 2581, a Boeing 737-800, according to Delta Air Lines spokesman Paul Skrbec.

“Out of an abundance of caution, the captain elected (to) return to the gate and advised emergency ground personnel,” Skrbec said in a released statement.

All passengers deplaned without incident and were put on later available flights. The aircraft is currently in maintenance, Skrbec said.

About the Author

Keep Reading

On April 8, 1974, in Atlanta, Hank Aaron smashed baseball’s home run record. Our special coverage celebrating the 50th anniversary of this magical moment has begun online and in our print editions. There’s still more to come as Monday’s historic anniversary arrives.

Credit: Richard Watkins

Featured

Travelers wait in Concourse F, the international terminal, at Hartsfield-Jackson airport in Atlanta on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (Arvin Temkar / AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com