250 passengers held as 12 fall sick on flights landing at Philadelphia Airport

A total of 250 passengers, along with America Airlines crew members, are being assessed by medics after landing at the US airport.

The precautionary move came after 12 people reported "experiencing flu-like symptoms" while going through customs, officials said.

It is not yet known what caused the people to become sick.

A spokeswoman for the airport said the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been notified.

She said: "All passengers on the two flights – totalling about 250 plus crew – were held for a medical review as a precaution.

"CDC, the Philadelphia Health Department, and Philadelphia Fire Department personnel performed medical evaluations



and assessments.

"The passengers, except for the 12 affected, are in the process of being released.

"Airport operations were not impacted during this time."

A CDC spokesman added: "CDC is aware of two American Airlines flights that arrived at PHL airport this afternoon with ill passengers on board.

"CDC and Philadelphia public health officers worked to evaluate and test the ill passengers for influenza and other respiratory illnesses.

"Twelve passengers from the two flights reported sore throat and cough. None were identified with fever.

"None of the passengers are severely ill, and they will be released and informed of test results in 24 hours."