Delta Flight Disrupted by Pigeon Flying Inside Cabin in Viral Video
Pigeon causes delay on Delta flight at Minneapolis Airport, passengers capture unexpected cabin chaos.
Passengers aboard a Delta Air Lines flight in Minneapolis were met with an unexpected delay Saturday evening when not one, but two pigeons found their way onto the aircraft. The incident, which unfolded on Delta Flight 2348 destined for Madison, Wisconsin, resulted in an hour-long hold as crew and ground staff worked to remove the birds from the plane.
According to passengers, the ordeal began even before takeoff. “When I boarded Delta Flight 2348 at MSP tonight, I overheard another passenger tell a flight attendant there was a pigeon on the plane. The pilot got on the mic and confirmed a pigeon was on the plane, and said he had no experience with this situation," recounted Tom Caw, a traveler who documented the event on Instagram. Ground crew members were called in and successfully escorted the first pigeon off the aircraft, earning a round of applause from those onboard.
However, just as things seemed to be settling down, a second pigeon made a dramatic appearance, flying through the cabin as the plane began to taxi toward the runway. Video captured by passengers shows the bird fluttering overhead while a man attempted to catch it using his coat, prompting shrieks from some travelers.
The surprise interlude forced the plane to return to the gate, where handlers once again boarded to safely capture and remove the bird. “The pilot said when he radioed the control tower about us coming back due to a pigeon, the guy said that was a first for him. Pilot told him it was the second time for him -- the first being half an hour earlier,” Caw said.
Some passengers managed to find humor in the situation. “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,” Caw joked in his post.
Delta Air Lines addressed the incident in a statement, thanking their staff and customers for handling the unusual circumstances. "Delta appreciates the careful actions of our people and our customers to safely remove two birds from the aircraft prior to departure and we apologize to our customers for the delay in their travel," the airline stated.
The Airbus A220 involved was carrying 119 passengers and five crew members, according to a Delta spokesperson. After both pigeons were removed, the flight departed without further incident, arriving in Madison later than scheduled.
Additional reporting by Bonny Chu.
