Before boarding the plane, the man told the airline that he had no COVID-19-related symptoms, the New York Post reported. United Airlines has sent a statement to customers who were outraged after being put at risk.

“We are sharing requested information with the (CDC) so they can work with local health officials to conduct outreach to any customer the CDC believes may be at risk for possible exposure or infection,” the airline stated.

Aldapa, however, said the CDC hasn't reached out to him.

"The CDC is in the process of collecting information and proceeding according to our standard operating procedures to determine if further public health action is appropriate," the department said in a statement to CBS Los Angeles. "To protect the privacy of the individual, we aren’t providing this information to the public.”

United Airlines also described the incident in a statement to Daily Mail.

"Our flight diverted to New Orleans due to a medical emergency and paramedics transported the passenger to a local hospital where the individual was pronounced deceased," the airline stated. "We have been in touch with his family and have extended our sincerest condolences to them for their loss."

Passengers noticed the man before the plane took off, seeing that he was shaking and sweating and having a hard time breathing, Daily Mail reported. The man's condition deteriorated after the plane took off.

Several passengers captured photos of the scene on the plane, which appeared chaotic as the EMTs tried to save the man. Aldapa, however, said there was no chaos.

"The photos look like it, but that's because there were a lot of people in one spot in a small space," he said. "Just like when boarding a flight, it's organized but a photo will make it look like a mob. The flight crew had everything under control to the best of their ability and any passenger that was not actively helping was sitting calmly in their seats. I've been in chaotic situations before and that was absolutely not the case."

Tony Aldapa

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