Passengers Eventually Flown To Their Destination On A Different Plane

Remember that campy movie "Snakes on a Plane" a while back? Well, here's a real-life accounting of another creepy-crawly critter getting loose in the cargo hold of an aircraft.

The aircraft was to have operated as Delta Flight 1525 from Atlanta to BWI in Baltimore. But the flight was delayed by three hours when a baggage handler noticed that a baboon tarantula had escaped from its container in the cargo hold.

USA Today reports that Delta spokesman Morgan Durrant said in a statement to Atlanta television station WSB that the spider was never in the passenger cabin, and it was recaptured without incident. The arachnid's handler was located, and he confirmed that it was the only baboon tarantula in the shipping container.

But out of an abundance of caution the pilots of the flight opted to not fly that airplane until they could be sure. The passengers were transferred to another airplane, and that one departed Atlanta for BWI ... about three hours late. It was not reported if the tarantula and its handler were on board.

A baboon tarantula is native to Africa, and according to Wikipedia, the spider is extremely defensive and is known to bite before striking a defensive posture. While its bite is not particularly dangerous, it is said to be very painful. The female spider and can grow as large as 6 inches across.

FMI: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pterinochilus_murinus