Chaos breaks out on the Thai domestic flight Linking the capital Bangkok with the Phuket region after passengers found a snake living in a compartment.
• Also read: Japan: Passenger bites flight attendant, plane turns around
• Also read: Flight delayed by 13 hours due to weather: Angry passenger attacks pilot
• Also read: In court for winning $2,000 against Air Canada
A video posted by a passenger showing a flight attendant reacting to the commotion caused by the reptile went viral on the social network TikTok.
A TikTok user, @wannabnailssalon, posted a video of a small snake on a plane heading from Bangkok to Phuket.
After passengers pointed out the line, a flight attendant caught them with a plastic bottle and a bag before landing.
The incident occurred on Thai AirAsia's FD3015… pic.twitter.com/zgY2rOqfPf
— Thai Enquirer (@ThaiEnquirer) January 16, 2024
He grabbed a plastic bottle and calmly reached over the luggage compartment to catch the animal, but failed.
Screenshot @wannabnailssalon / TikTok
Finally, he used the back of the bottle to push the snake into a plastic bag.
An extraordinary discovery
“This is a very rare incident that can happen on any aircraft from time to time,” said AirAsia Thailand, the owner of the aircraft in question.
The company also issued a press release to CNN News clarifying that it was aware of the accident on board flight FD3015, which departed from Bangkok International Airport on January 13.
AirAsia's head of security, Phol Poompuang, reiterated to US media CNN that sightings of snakes on planes was a “very rare” event.
Screenshot @wannabnailssalon / TikTok
“Flight attendants were notified prior to arrival in Phuket after a passenger noticed a small snake in the luggage compartment,” he said in a written message.
“The AirAsia team was well trained to deal with incidents of this nature and evacuated passengers from the area as a precautionary measure,” the security official added.
Screenshot @wannabnailssalon / TikTok
The plane landed without any further problems, it is said, and was immediately inspected by all engineers responsible for safety on the ground.
“In accordance with the procedure for an incident of this nature, the aircraft underwent thorough cleaning and fumigation before resuming operations,” the statement concluded.
The company did not mention the fate of the snake after the plane landed in Phuket.
Second snake in two years
In fact, AirAsia is no stranger to snakes: another similar incident was reported in 2022.
In February 2022, a spotted python was found on board an aircraft during a Malaysian domestic flight connecting the country's capital, Kuala Lumpur, with the state of Sabah.
The plane was eventually diverted to Kuching International Airport in Sarawak.
Videos and photos of the 2022 accident caused a stir on social networks, showing the reptile slipping through the lights of the plane.