Passengers on an Emirates flight from Dubai to Istanbul were drenched when water began streaming from the cabin ceiling shortly after takeoff, in footage that has since circulated widely online.
The incident occurred aboard Emirates flight EK123 on Sept. 17, according to Viral Press. A passenger’s video shows travelers pulling blankets over themselves to stay dry as water continued pouring down, with several others filming the scene on their phones.
Hsin Ying Chang, a passenger from Taiwan, said the water soaked her “like a waterfall.”
Emirates addressed the incident in a statement, saying condensation had built up and led to water appearing in part of the cabin shortly after takeoff.
“Emirates can confirm that an accumulation of condensation resulted in water being observed in a part of the cabin shortly after take-off on flight EK123 from Dubai to Istanbul on 17 September 2026,” the airline said. “Cabin crew responded in accordance with established procedures and relocated affected customers whose seats had become wet. No further water was observed during the flight, which continued to Istanbul as scheduled. We apologize to the affected customers for the inconvenience caused.”
Chang, however, said cabin crew did not explain or apologize for the situation at the time. She also said her new seat had no television or other entertainment, leaving her to “sit facing the wall” for the rest of the trip.
“I had always heard that Emirates was one of the most luxurious airlines in the world, but this experience completely changed my view,” she said, according to Viral Press.
It remains unclear exactly when the leak began. Flight records show EK123 departed Dubai at 11:14 a.m. and landed in Istanbul at 2:16 p.m. local time, a flight of just over four hours.
Water dripping from ceiling panels can sometimes be traced to condensation building up in an aircraft’s air-conditioning system, though officials have not confirmed that was the cause in this case.
The episode echoes a separate incident in 2024, when water flooded the aisle of an American Airlines flight from Dallas to Minneapolis after a lavatory leak, forcing passengers to lift their bags and step over the liquid as crew members tried to stop it.
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