United Airlines passenger shares concerning photo of BAND-AID being used to cover broken air vent - but everything may not be as it seems

A United Airlines passenger spotted a Band-Aid covering an overhead air vent on a plane - leading to grossed-out reactions and at least one potential explanation. 

United, you good?, read a post that appeared on Reddit Monday.

The adhesive appeared to be holding in place the vents air gasper, which provides a passenger control of cold air flow. 

Reactions from users on the platform ranged from ew to a nauseated-face emoji, though one commenter who identified as a flight attendant tried to offer some context.

Please let a flight attendant know so that something can actually be done about it instead of posting on Reddit, the user wrote.

A United Airlines passenger posted a bizarre photo showing a Band-Aid covering an air vent

Reactions from users on the platform ranged, though one commenter who identified as a flight attendant tried to offer some context 

If the gasper is truly loose then they can use a glove to remove the Band-Aid and write it up inflight so that when the plane land TechOps will already be there.

When I write up a coffee maker, gasper, latch, whatever, actually inflight they are already there when the door opens so as not to delay the next flight.   

United Airlines did not respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com 

The flight attendant clarified in the Reddit post that if the plane lands and the problem isnt reported, technical operations cant handle the issue immediately because it will delay the next flight. 

The flight attendant elaborated in a response to questions from DailyMail.com.

This could either be a joke, someone who actually used the dressing on a wound and then stuck it on the plane, or incorrectly trying to fix a broken part of the gasper, said the person, who declined to give a name. It just depends, then you take it from there.

United Airlines is ranked a three star airline on Skytrax, a London-based international air transport rating organization that classifies airlines by the quality of product and staff service.

Their highest rating is five stars - held by airlines such as Qatar Airways and Korean Air.

This could either be a joke, someone who actually used the dressing on a wound and then stuck it on the plane, or incorrectly trying to fix a broken part, the flight attendant told DailyMail.com 

In March, a United Airlines flight traveling to San Francisco was forced to make a U-turn in midair and return to Frankfurt after feces flowed from a broken toilet into the cabin, filling it with a foul-smelling odor.

The flight was an hour into its 11hr 30min journey when the captain decided the best course of action was to return to Germany rather than continue to fly across the Atlantic.

FlightAware showed the plane circled for a short time over the North Sea to the east of England while the crew weighed their options. Technicians were unable to find an immediate solution to the problem.