Passengers on a domestic AirAsia flight from the Thai capital city Bangkok to Phuket were left shocked and angered after they discovered a snake slithering along the plane’s overhead bin. The video of the incident has since garnered millions of views on TikTok.
Snake on a plane!
Upon the discovery of the reptile, passengers seated near the bin were seen standing and scrambling away from their seats while others began recording a video of the shocking incident which took place on January 13.
The clip posted on social media shows a tiny snake slithering near the cabin lights above the overhead compartment on an AirAsia Airbus A320. Subsequently, a surprisingly calm member of the cabin crew was seen trying to capture the reptile in an empty plastic bottle.
However, the snake was later swept into an empty garbage bag using a plastic bottle. According to reports, the reptile was stored away in a cupboard for the rest of the flight.
Social media users linked the incident to the 2006 film Snakes on a Plane where an FBI agent played by Samuel L Jackson escorts a witness on a flight when criminals release venomous snakes.
It was not immediately clear how the snake ended up inside the aircraft.
Not the first time
As shocking as this incident is, it is not the first time a snake has hitched a ride on an AirAsia plane. In February 2022, a plane travelling from the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur to Sabah had to be rerouted after a python was found slithering through the plane’s light fixtures.
In a statement sent to CNN, AirAsia Thailand said it was aware of an incident on Saturday (Jan 13) but stressed that it was still “a very rare incident.”
“Flight attendants were notified before landing in Phuket after a passenger noticed a small snake in the overhead luggage compartment,” said Phol Poompuang, head of corporate safety of AirAsia Thailand.
He added, “AirAsia crew were well trained to handle an occurrence of this nature and relocated passengers from the area as a precautionary measure.”
According to the video on TikTok, the extra passenger was later identified as a Blanford’s bridle snake which is a species of harmless snake and is non-venomous.
The reptile was found as the plane was preparing to land at the Phuket airport. Upon landing the aircraft was reportedly searched thoroughly and no other snakes were found.
“As per standard procedure for an incident of this nature, the aircraft underwent a deep clean and fumigation before resuming operations,” Phol added.
(With inputs from agencies)
