A bat goes batty on an Atlantic Southeast Airlines flight

The Dallas Morning News’ Airline Biz Blog has noted an odd story about an apparent bat that got loose on an Atlantic Southeast Airlines flight last week. In fact, a passenger even took a video of the bat flying to and fro within the passenger cabin as passengers swatted at it with newspapers and other items.

However and if you think bats loose on an airplane is bad enough, how about crocodiles or scorpions? As we noted back in 2009, a foot long baby crocodile walked down the passenger aisle during the flight from Abu Dhabi to Cairo before being re-captured (or perhaps wrestled…) by the crew. Of course, none of the passengers admitted to bringing a live crocodile onboard a passenger flight and the unlikely passenger was sent to live in the Giza Zoo in Cairo.

Meanwhile and on a Southwest Airlines flight from Phoenix to Indiana, a scorpion with five babies hitched a ride and stung a passenger. The passenger notified the flight crew who had ground personnel exterminate the hitchhikers and fumigate the aircraft overnight (The passenger himself was treated at the airport for his sting).

Nevertheless, such incidents do show how unwanted passengers (like bees or wasps) could conceivably hitch a wide with you on your next flight.