An escaped tarantula in the cargo hold of a Delta plane delayed a flight from Baltimore to Atlanta Wednesday night, an airline spokesman said.
Flight 1525 was supposed to take off from Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport at 7 p.m. and arrive at Hartsfield-Jackson International just after 9 p.m.
But when Delta baggage handlers on the ground noticed the baboon tarantula out of its carrier container, the captain ordered the plane grounded in Baltimore overnight to be searched for any additional arachnids, Delta spokesman Brian Kruse said.
“They were able to capture it, and they contacted the handler” to verify it was the only spider in the cage, Kruse said.
The captain told the waiting passengers the eight-legged reason for the delay, and passengers were let off the plane and put on another flight, which departed about three hours later, Kruse said.
Kruse noted that the spider was confined to the cargo hold and never entered the cabin. Nevertheless, the plane stayed at BWI, where it was searched and determined to be all-clear.
“Safety and security are our top priority,” he said.
The Baltimore Sun