Weekly Weird: Snakes on a Plane!

This week, two pilots had mid-air panics that weren’t funny at the time (but kind of are now) and one very naked passenger made it extra easy for the TSA to search her.

If I was in the cockpit and out of nowhere a snake started crawling up my leg, I would probably crash the plane. Luckily, pilot Braden Blennerhassett kept a much cooler head, and landed the plane safely despite having a snake for a co-pilot. The International Business Times reports that on a domestic Australian cargo flight, a snake popped up out of the instrument panel. Rather than waiting for Samuel L. Jackson to come rescue him, Blennerhassett turned back to Darwin for an emergency landing, and managed to put the plane down safely despite having the snake crawling down his leg. The plane was inspected, and a stowaway snake and frog were found onboard.

Maybe this passenger was just trying to save some time going through the body scanner at airport security? USA Today reports that a female passenger lit up a cigarette at her gate at the Denver Airport, and when she was told to put it out, she stripped down. The flyer was taken to the hospital for a medical evaluation.

This story makes us wonder if pilots make prank calls over the radio all the time. MSNBC reports that a United Express flight from Peoria, Illinois, had a fire in the instrument panel, so the pilot radioed in to request an emergency landing and to be met by fire trucks on the runway. The air traffic controller listening in allegedly thought that it was all a joke, replying back, “Did you hear that? I know that’s BS. I know it is.” Only after the plane landed and evacuation underway did the controller send out firetrucks. Comforting!

Did you see anything weird during your travels this week? Leave a comment below!

(Photo: Shutterstock/p|s)