Snake on a plane delays flight after causing a panic

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A Virgin Australia aircraft had to wait for two additional hours before takeoff due to finding a snake within the plane’s freight compartment. This unexpected discovery caused some alarm and almost necessitated an emergency evacuation.

On the 2nd of July, while passengers were embarking on Flight VA337 from Melbourne to Brisbane, an unexpected event unfolded. The crew noticed a reptile hidden behind a panel in the dimly lit cargo area and summoned snake catcher Mark Pelley to handle the situation.

It transpired that the snake was actually a non-venomous two-foot long green tree snake, yet Pelley had initially been worried it might be poisonous.

He noted that it wasn’t until he had captured the snake that he discovered it was harmless. Prior to that moment, the snake appeared quite menacing to him,” he reportedly stated, as per AP.

Snake scare delays flight by two hours

In Australia, which is home to many of the world’s deadliest snakes, Pelley advised the crew that we might have to abandon the plane if a snake slithered inside it.

He stated that if he didn’t catch it with a single attempt, it might slip between the aircraft’s panels. This would necessitate an evacuation since, at that point, he wasn’t certain about the type of snake.

Fortunately, I managed to snag it on my initial attempt and secured it. Had I missed it during the first attempt, the engineers and I would likely still be disassembling a Boeing 737 in search of a serpent as we speak.

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According to Pelley, it took him a 30-minute drive to get to the airport, and then he encountered delays due to security checks before finally boarding the plane.

The flight was delayed around two hours while the snake was removed.

Since the green tree snake is indigenous to Brisbane, Pelley suspects that it might have tagged along in someone’s suitcase during their flight to Melbourne. Upon the return journey, it could have slipped out before takeoff.

Because of the quarantine restrictions, the snake can’t be set free in its natural habitat. Currently, it is under the care of a vet in Melbourne, and they plan to transfer it to a licensed snake caretaker.

On another occasion, a flight was disrupted by a snake, similar to the incident that occurred with AirAsia passengers in 2024. During that flight, an uninvited reptile passenger boarded the plane, causing quite a stir. Footage of this unexpected fellow traveler onboard became widely shared online.

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2025-07-02 18:48