Well, here’s a story that those of us with arachnophobia won’t appreciate (thanks to Klaus for flagging this)…
Continue reading: Eek: Tarantula Bites Iberia Pilot Mid-Flight, Manages To Escape
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Never heard of anyone being allergic to spiders but I suppose if some people are allergic to cats it's possible. As to the venom, tarantula venom, while toxic, is pretty mild compared to a scorpion or brown recluse.
Despite the hype my understanding is they rarely bite and only if threatened and then it’s equivalent to a wasp or hornet sting unless of course you have an allergy, I wonder what the pilot did to Pi*s it off!
Many years ago my father needed to kill a tarantula for an exhibit. That meant that the tarantula's appearance had to remain unchanged (i.e. no squishing it). Pesticides did not work. Ultimately, he more or less drowned it in gasoline.
BTW, the tarantula had already survived over two weeks confined without food or water inside of a heavy-duty paper bag in the truck of a car during a southwest USA summer (long story). Tarantulas are tough.
Crouching Pilot, Hidden Spider
Arachnids on an Airliner
Tarantulas Taking Off
Daddy Longlegs goes Long Haul
Spinner Spinner Airline Dinner
Black Widow’s Window Seat
8 Legs over Tokyo
Brown Recluse on the Loose
Gladicosa in the Galley
Call me, Hollywood - y’all know these movies are ripe for the picking!
“the passengers had reportedly been told that the flight was delayed due to a technical fault, rather than the real reason…”
Could have just told them there was a bug in the cockpit systems.
Spanish media reports that there is a suspicion the tarantula entered the plane on Tuesday during a stopover in Casablanca, Morocco. After that, the plane, with the tarantula onboard, made the following trips until it was discovered on Friday: return to Madrid and from Madrid and return to Brussels, Asturias, A Coruña, Zurich, Santiago, Toulouse and Dusseldorf.
Same reports told about how bothered the passengers on the Vigo flight were, permanently checking if the tarantula wasn’t under their seat. On a flight that landed around midnight, four hours late.
Come on people. You all on the plane could have become Spiderman. Wasted opportunity!
He had on dark glasses and a small sombrero when he boarded. Fooled everyone. Though there was a tense moment when his cover could have been blownbwhen he took out his phone to scan his boarding pass since his samsung s25 Ultra was much bigger than him.
Many years ago our flight FRA - ORD operated by United was delayed for hours. They did not disclose the real reason for the delay: centipede was spotted by passenger during/after boarding. When we finally learned the truth after a long delay, we along with a number of passengers refused to be on that plane after their announcement to take off soon even though the centipede was not caught.
The question not answered:
Did the spider get the miles for the flight? The amount of flights taken, as of media reports would get the spider to some status with Iberia.
On the way back from DUS?
As there are no tarantulas in Germany, the tarantula boarded most likely at an earlier stop.
A proper aircraft fumigation to exterminate unwanted critters is typically not a three hour event.
To be thoroughly done, the airplane would have to be pulled out of service for a a longer (e.g overnight) period and then sealed for the fumigation canisters that are placed in the cabin (or holds) to be most effective. I suspect the passenger flew on a substitute aircraft.
That the offending critter was not found is not that unusual considering all the nooks and crannies in the aircraft cabin.
B.
Don't be silly. (S)He attacked a member of the cabin crew. (S)He's banned for life!