Passengers left stunned as unexpected stowaways cause chaos on Delta flight—find out what happened next
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It’s not every day you board a flight expecting a routine journey, only to find yourself sharing the cabin with a couple of feathered stowaways! But that’s exactly what happened to passengers on a recent Delta flight, turning an ordinary trip into a scene straight out of a slapstick comedy.
The drama unfolded at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, where a pair of pigeons decided to try their luck at air travel. As passengers settled into their seats, ready for takeoff, a murmur rippled through the cabin: ‘There’s a pigeon on the plane.’ At first, it sounded like a joke—after all, we’ve all heard of snakes on a plane, but pigeons?
But this was no tall tale. Passenger Tom Caw captured the chaos on video, showing the dimly lit cabin suddenly erupting into a flurry of activity. One brave man stood in the aisle, jacket raised like a matador, as a pigeon strutted down the centre of the plane. Passengers ducked, shrieked, and tried to avoid the unexpected guest, who eventually came to a halt and was gently escorted off the aircraft by baggage handlers. The crowd applauded, and one curious young girl even asked if she could pet the bird—clearly, not everyone was ruffled by the surprise!
Just as everyone thought the excitement was over and the plane prepared for takeoff, the unthinkable happened: a second pigeon made its entrance. This time, the bird swooped through the cabin, causing another round of commotion. The pilot, who had already admitted over the intercom that he had ‘no experience with this situation’, had to radio the control tower—only to be told this was a first for them, too. The pilot, with a wry sense of humour, replied that it was actually his second pigeon incident in half an hour!
Once again, the baggage handlers came to the rescue, safely removing the second pigeon. Both birds were unharmed, though perhaps a little disappointed that the flight to Madison, Wisconsin, was too short for Delta’s snack service. As Tom Caw quipped, ‘My guess is the pigeons were tired of flying and wanted snacks. They didn’t know this flight to MSN is too short for Delta to offer beverage/snack service.’
The whole ordeal delayed the flight by nearly an hour, with 119 passengers and five crew members arriving at their destination 56 minutes late. Delta Airlines later apologised for the delay, thanking both staff and passengers for their patience and quick thinking in safely removing the birds.
While this incident was certainly unusual, it’s not the first time animals have caused a stir on commercial flights. Just last month, a United Airlines flight had to make an emergency landing after a rabbit was sucked into an engine, resulting in a dramatic fireball and a lot of shaken passengers. Thankfully, in both cases, everyone (including the animals) made it out safely.
So, how do pigeons end up on a plane in the first place? Airports are bustling hubs with plenty of nooks and crannies for birds to explore. Open doors during boarding, food scraps, and the general hustle and bustle can attract curious critters. While airport staff do their best to keep wildlife out of the terminals and off the planes, sometimes nature finds a way.
For those of us who remember the days when flying was a glamorous affair, complete with silver service and the occasional celebrity sighting, it’s a reminder that air travel is always full of surprises—though perhaps not always the kind we expect!
You can watch the video below:
Credit: @wkow27 / Instagram
Have you ever had a strange or unexpected encounter while travelling? Maybe a cheeky seagull at the beach, a possum in your caravan, or even a wayward wallaby on the road? We’d love to hear your stories! Share your most memorable animal encounters in the comments below—let’s see if anyone can top two pigeons on a plane!
The drama unfolded at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, where a pair of pigeons decided to try their luck at air travel. As passengers settled into their seats, ready for takeoff, a murmur rippled through the cabin: ‘There’s a pigeon on the plane.’ At first, it sounded like a joke—after all, we’ve all heard of snakes on a plane, but pigeons?
But this was no tall tale. Passenger Tom Caw captured the chaos on video, showing the dimly lit cabin suddenly erupting into a flurry of activity. One brave man stood in the aisle, jacket raised like a matador, as a pigeon strutted down the centre of the plane. Passengers ducked, shrieked, and tried to avoid the unexpected guest, who eventually came to a halt and was gently escorted off the aircraft by baggage handlers. The crowd applauded, and one curious young girl even asked if she could pet the bird—clearly, not everyone was ruffled by the surprise!
Just as everyone thought the excitement was over and the plane prepared for takeoff, the unthinkable happened: a second pigeon made its entrance. This time, the bird swooped through the cabin, causing another round of commotion. The pilot, who had already admitted over the intercom that he had ‘no experience with this situation’, had to radio the control tower—only to be told this was a first for them, too. The pilot, with a wry sense of humour, replied that it was actually his second pigeon incident in half an hour!
Passengers were scrambling as they tried to catch the pigeons inside the cabin. Credit: @wkow27 / Instagram
Once again, the baggage handlers came to the rescue, safely removing the second pigeon. Both birds were unharmed, though perhaps a little disappointed that the flight to Madison, Wisconsin, was too short for Delta’s snack service. As Tom Caw quipped, ‘My guess is the pigeons were tired of flying and wanted snacks. They didn’t know this flight to MSN is too short for Delta to offer beverage/snack service.’
The whole ordeal delayed the flight by nearly an hour, with 119 passengers and five crew members arriving at their destination 56 minutes late. Delta Airlines later apologised for the delay, thanking both staff and passengers for their patience and quick thinking in safely removing the birds.
While this incident was certainly unusual, it’s not the first time animals have caused a stir on commercial flights. Just last month, a United Airlines flight had to make an emergency landing after a rabbit was sucked into an engine, resulting in a dramatic fireball and a lot of shaken passengers. Thankfully, in both cases, everyone (including the animals) made it out safely.
So, how do pigeons end up on a plane in the first place? Airports are bustling hubs with plenty of nooks and crannies for birds to explore. Open doors during boarding, food scraps, and the general hustle and bustle can attract curious critters. While airport staff do their best to keep wildlife out of the terminals and off the planes, sometimes nature finds a way.
For those of us who remember the days when flying was a glamorous affair, complete with silver service and the occasional celebrity sighting, it’s a reminder that air travel is always full of surprises—though perhaps not always the kind we expect!
You can watch the video below:
Credit: @wkow27 / Instagram
Have you ever had a strange or unexpected encounter while travelling? Maybe a cheeky seagull at the beach, a possum in your caravan, or even a wayward wallaby on the road? We’d love to hear your stories! Share your most memorable animal encounters in the comments below—let’s see if anyone can top two pigeons on a plane!
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