In 1986, the US government passed a law allowing passengers to bring emotional support animals aboard flights free of charge. While this was well-intentioned, the consequences have included everything from ducks to cockerels strolling down aircraft aisles. But emotional support animals aren’t the only surprise guests in the skies. Some flights have had to deal with uninvited creatures – the most infamous being snakes.
So, what do you do when a snake slithers onto your seat mid-flight? Read on to discover ten truly bizarre animal incidents that took place high above the clouds.
1. The Cobra on EgyptAir
In 2012, a 48-year-old man attempted to smuggle his pet Egyptian cobra on a flight from Cairo. The man, who owned a pet shop in Kuwait, hid the snake in his hand luggage – until it escaped, bit him, and disappeared under the seats. Chaos ensued, and the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in the town of Al Ghardaqa. Thankfully, local authorities captured the snake before it could harm anyone else.
2. The Forgotten Snake on Ravn Alaska
In March 2017, a passenger brought a snake onboard a Ravn Alaska flight as an emotional support animal. After disembarking in Aniak, he somehow forgot his slithery companion. On the return flight to Anchorage, the snake was spotted near a young boy. Fortunately, it didn’t bite anyone, and a brave flight attendant secured it safely for the remainder of the journey.
3. The Disruptive Support Pig on US Airways
On a Thanksgiving Day flight from Connecticut to Washington, passengers were startled when a woman boarded with an 80-pound pig as her emotional support animal. The pig wasn’t crated, smelled terrible, and eventually defecated in the aisle. Matters escalated when it began squealing loudly, creating mayhem in the cabin. The crew promptly removed both the woman and her pig from the plane.
4. Snake on a Plane – Aeromexico Edition
In 2016, a bright green snake made an unexpected appearance on a flight from Torreón to Mexico City. A passenger captured footage of the reptile slithering from the overhead compartments before it dropped onto a seat. The pilot was granted priority landing to allow passengers to disembark safely. Thankfully, the snake didn’t bite anyone – though how it got onboard remains a mystery.
5. Cat Chaos on Tarco Aviation
In March 2021, a Tarco Aviation flight from Khartoum to Doha was forced to return shortly after take-off when a stray cat launched an attack on the pilots. The aggressive feline, which had likely boarded the night before unnoticed, resisted all attempts to be captured. The pilots, unable to contain the chaos in the cockpit, made an emergency landing back in Sudan.
6. AirAsia’s Slithery Scare
During a 2022 AirAsia flight from Kuala Lumpur to Tawau, passengers were shocked to spot a snake slithering inside the overhead lighting panel. Although it never made it into the cabin itself, the sight was unsettling enough to prompt an emergency landing in Kuching. Passengers were safely transferred to another plane while the original aircraft was thoroughly sanitised.
7. Labrador Attack on Delta Airlines
In June 2017, Marlin Jackson was settling into his window seat on a Delta Airlines flight from Atlanta when a fellow passenger’s emotional support Labrador suddenly attacked him. The dog mauled Jackson’s face, leaving him needing 28 stitches before the flight even departed. Jackson later sued the airline and the dog’s owner, claiming he bled so much that an entire row of seats had to be removed.
8. Daniel the Duck
Not every emotional support animal is a nightmare. In 2016, Daniel the Duck became a social media darling after flying on a puddle-jumper from Charlotte to Asheville, North Carolina. Wearing red booties and a nappy, Daniel gazed out the window and wagged his tail in delight. Far from causing distress, he charmed fellow passengers and quickly went viral online.
9. Dog Poop Disaster on US Airways
Think a bit of dog mess can’t cause a flight diversion? Think again. In 2014, an emotional support dog repeatedly defecated during a US Airways flight from Los Angeles to Philadelphia. The smell was so overpowering that passengers became physically ill, and flight attendants ran out of towels. The pilot had no choice but to divert to Kansas City to clean up the mess and restore order.
10. Dexter the Peacock Gets Grounded
In 2018, Ventiko, an artist from Brooklyn, tried to board a United Airlines flight from Newark to Los Angeles with her emotional support peacock named Dexter. Despite his celebrity status in the Bushwick neighbourhood, United Airlines denied boarding, citing new rules about acceptable species and size for emotional support animals. Dexter had to find another way to travel – and likely ruffled a few feathers in the process.
Final Thoughts
While many emotional support animals provide genuine comfort to their owners, these sky-high tales show that not every animal is suited for air travel. From snakes and pigs to peacocks and poop disasters, airlines have seen it all – prompting tighter rules and stricter regulations in recent years.
If you enjoyed these wild in-flight stories, don’t forget to share this post with your fellow travel lovers. Have you ever encountered a strange or unexpected animal while flying? Let us know in the comments – we’d love to hear your story!