Watch Passengers Discover a Snake on Their Plane

Written by Sarah Psaradelis
Updated: October 23, 2023
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What’s more frightening on a plane than finding an unsuspecting visitor on board with you? This was true for an Aeromexico flight that led to the pilot having to make an emergency landing after a snake was found on the plane.

Check Out This Video Below to See the Uninvited Passenger!

In a scenario reminiscent of Snakes on a Plane, this reptile made its presence known during a flight

A short video clip posted on the news showed a medium-sized snake hanging from the overhead mid-flight. Once the people on board became aware of this snake and alerted the pilot, the plane had to stop for an emergency landing so that animal control could take the stowaway to safety. In the video, you can see the snake trying to get down from the top of the overboard, but it quickly loses its grip and falls to the bottom.

Black Rat Snake, Animal Mouth, Animal Tongue, Animal Wildlife, Animals In The Wild

It’s not known what kind of snake was onboard but once people became aware of it and alerted the pilot, the plane had to stop for an emergency landing so animal control could take the stowaway to safety.

©iStock.com/RCKeller

No one is sure how the snake got onto the plane, but all the passengers on board seemed to have remained calm. From the voices in the background, you can hear one of the passengers tell another to grab the snake, however, that would not have been a good idea in case the snake was venomous.

Due to the lighting in the video, it is unclear what type of snake was onboard that plane, but regardless of the species, it was better for the plane to land rather than for passengers to have to deal with an angry snake roaming around.

How Did a Snake Get Onboard?

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Snakes can sneak onto a plane by way of landing gear or wriggle their way out of cargo

©Matt Jeppson/Shutterstock.com

It might not be something we worry about when we get onto a plane, but a snake is not an uncommon stowaway on planes, and this is not the first incident of passengers finding a snake onboard. Snakes can enter a plane by slithering through the landing gear or even on cargo. No one on this plane recognized the snake, so it is unlikely it was someone’s lost pet that escaped cargo.

Snakes will take shelter in anything they think will offer them protection from the elements outside, such as hot or cold weather. The possibility of having a snake on a plane is high enough that some airlines even clear the planes for any snakes that could be lurking around. There is also the issue of planes transporting invasive snakes, making the invasive species a problem for other countries.

Some snakes that can make their way to planes might be venomous, which puts the passengers at risk. This makes it necessary for the pilot to land the plane and allow experts to remove the snake from the plane instead of risking both the snake and the people onboard lives.

Other Amazing Animal Videos You Might Like

With two ravenous hatchlings, this eagle mother has her claws full trying to keep them fed and safe. She soars over the ocean in time to snatch a sea snake right out of the water. It is a dangerous undertaking that puts the raptor at risk of those venomous fangs. Yet the eagle holds onto the wriggling creature with a vice-like grip, somehow managing to keep from getting bitten. The result? Fresh sea snake for dinner and filled bellies all around.

Watch this eagle bring a fresh dinner home to her offspring

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Mark_Kostich/Shutterstock.com


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About the Author

Sarah is a writer at A-Z Animals primarily covering aquatic pets, rodents, arachnids, and reptiles. Sarah has over 3 years of experience in writing and researching various animal topics. She is currently working towards furthering her studies in the animal field. A resident of South Africa, Sarah enjoys writing alongside her pets and almost always has her rats perched on her shoulders.

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