A Delta plane had to U-turn after flying through a hailstorm that seemingly put a dent in its nose

A Delta Air Lines flight from Barcelona to New York JFK returned to its origin after sustaining damage from a hailstorm. Flight DL169, operated by an Airbus A330, departed at 2:30 p.m. local time on Saturday for an expected eight-hour journey.

Flight tracking data revealed the aircraft looped over mainland Spain and the Balearic Sea before circling multiple times and landing back in Barcelona approximately 45 minutes after departure. Delta confirmed the plane experienced "weather-related damage" during the incident.

Social media images showed significant damage, including a large dent on the nose and other hail-consistent impacts. Passengers reportedly received severe storm alerts on their phones during taxiing before takeoff. The nine-year-old aircraft (registered N827NW) remained parked in Barcelona through Monday.

Delta stated the flight landed safely and rebooked passengers on alternate flights, apologizing for travel delays. This incident follows similar weather-related events, including an Austrian Airlines plane damaged in a 2022 thunderstorm and another Delta flight that diverted to Rome after a 2023 hailstorm.