by Donald Wood
Last updated: 1:15 PM ET, Mon January 9, 2017
On Sunday, an Emirates flight was canceled after a snake was discovered in the cargo hold prior to passengers being permitted to board the plane.
According to The National, Emirates EK0863 was originally scheduled to depart from Muscat, Oman, en route to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Jan. 8, but was canceled after employees loading the plane discovered the snake.
The snake's species was not identified by Emirates officials who confirmed the incident, but a spokesperson did say that the plane was being investigated by engineers and will be thoroughly cleaned by airline crews before reentering service.
Emirates also issued an official apology to passengers inconvenienced by the incident.
For airline passengers, the movie "Snakes on a Plane" was a horrifying look at what has become a real fear for many. Sunday's discovery of a snake in the cargo hold was the latest in a long line of unwanted reptiles on planes.
In November, passengers on an Aeromexico flight to Mexico City from Torreon were surprised and terrified when a snake was seen escaping from an overhead bin. Passengers claimed the snake was three-feet long and dangled from the ceiling before falling to the ground, forcing an emergency landing.
Another incident took place in 2012, which saw animal protection officers board a plane after a snake made its way from Mexico to Scotland on a flight.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
