A stowaway scorpion grounded a flight for the second time in as many weeks on Sunday.
According to The Sacramento Bee, the arachnid grounded an American Airlines flight at Sacramento International Airport over the weekend.
Passenger Jim Zuber told the Bee that more than 100 passengers were lined up at the gate to board the 10:40 a.m. local time flight when they were informed of the unwelcome traveler.
"The flight was canceled because we want passengers and crews to feel comfortable," American Airlines spokeswoman Leslie Scott confirmed.
Scott said the aircraft in question was in Phoenix a day earlier. Scorpions are commonplace in Arizona, and the state is home to dozens of different species.
Airline officials were unable to confirm whether the scorpion was still on board, so the Boeing 737 was sent to a maintenance facility near American's headquarters in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas to be fumigated.
Last week, a scorpion delayed an EasyJet flight from Paris to Glasgow overnight. The aircraft involved in that incident also had to be fumigated.
[READMORE]READ MORE: Scorpion Stings Passenger on Flight to Chicago[/READMORE]
While stowaway scorpions have been in the headlines frequently of late, travelers should take solace in the fact that stings are rare and typically pose little threat to their health.
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