If you think you’ve had a rough travel day, TikTok user Meghan Reinertsen has a story that will make you rethink complaining about flight delays. Last summer, Meghan claims she single-handedly got a flight canceled after an unfortunate case of food poisoning — all thanks to a few bites of an undercooked burger.
Meghan, a live-in nanny based in Portugal, was flying back to Indianapolis for a film premiere. Her journey involved two connecting flights: Lisbon to Newark, and then Newark to Indianapolis.
Everything was fine… until it wasn’t.
When the Burger Fights Back
The night before her trip, Meghan indulged in what seemed like a normal burger. Unfortunately, it wasn’t cooked properly. By the time she boarded her Lisbon to Newark flight, she felt a faint “disturbance” in her stomach — but nothing she couldn’t handle.
It was on the Newark to Indianapolis leg that things went downhill fast. Within 30 minutes of takeoff, Meghan was drenched in sweat, doubled over in pain, and dealing with cramps she compared to childbirth contractions.
Usually the type to follow the seatbelt sign rules, she bolted to the tiny airplane bathroom, declaring this was an emergency.
A Bathroom Occupied for Landing
What followed was, in Meghan’s words, “20 minutes of diarrhea no human should experience.” But it didn’t stop there — she began vomiting, too.
In a panic, she burst open the bathroom door and yelled into the cabin: “I NEED HELP!” A flight attendant handed her a barf bag, and Meghan spent the next 90 minutes sick from both ends.
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Her condition was so severe that the pilot allowed her to remain in the bathroom during landing — a rare exception.
The Flight Cancellation Twist
By the time they landed, every passenger had left the plane — except Meghan. That’s when an air hostess casually mentioned that the next flight was canceled. At first, she thought it was a coincidence… but it later clicked that her bathroom marathon was likely the reason.
The live-in nanny has profusely apologised on TikTok (Getty Stock Image)
Completely drained, the cabin crew wheeled her to baggage claim. Later, she took to TikTok to issue a heartfelt apology to anyone whose travel plans were ruined.
“If that flight cancellation changed the trajectory of your life, I’m so sorry,” she told her followers. “It was not without pain and suffering.”
Food Safety Lesson Learned
While Meghan’s story has entertained millions online, it’s also a reminder to be cautious when dining before long-haul travel. According to the CDC’s food safety guidelines, undercooked meat can lead to serious foodborne illnesses that are the last thing you want on a plane.
And if you’re looking for more wild travel tales, check out our Guide to the Funniest In-Flight Mishaps — though hopefully, none involve you being the main character.
