A holiday flight operated by KLM was canceled after passengers spotted a rat running through the plane’s cabin, prompting airline authorities to ground the plane and carry out a thorough cleaning.
The incident occurred on a KLM flight from Amsterdam to Aruba, which was supposed to continue on to the Caribbean island of Bonaire. According to several reports, passengers on board spotted rats running through the cabin, sparking concern among passengers and crew, Fox News reported.
Those waiting to board the next Aruba-Bonaire leg were later informed that the flight had been suspended and ultimately canceled due to the incident.
A KLM spokesman confirmed the development as a “very rare incident”. “The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew is always our highest priority,” a Fox News Digital spokesperson said. “Therefore, we have canceled the flight from Aruba to Bonaire so that the aircraft can be thoroughly cleaned before being put back into service.”
Videos shared on social media showed the rodent moving across the upper curtain track inside the plane, with several users describing the rat as “massive”. The footage quickly went viral and sparked widespread reactions online.
Health experts warn that rodents on airplanes pose serious risks to public health. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), rats can spread bacterial and viral diseases such as leptospirosis and salmonellosis, and can also transmit fever after a rat bite. The disease can cause flu-like symptoms, including fever, vomiting, muscle aches and a rash, and can be spread by scratches, bites, or contact with rodent saliva or urine.
Social media users were quick to react to the video, with the user writing: “Jokes aside, I think it’s a serious safety issue to have rats on a plane. A rat can contaminate food, attack people if they feel threatened, and chew through wires that could affect the operation of the plane. Airlines should have a safety and emergency protocol in place for this unpleasant compensation for passengers.”
Another user joked: “No one slept on that flight.”
“I’d have to open the emergency door because that’s one of my biggest fears. I wouldn’t be good on that flight,” wrote a third user.
The incident is not unique. In 2023, authorities intercepted a rat and an otter that were smuggled in a passenger’s suitcase on a flight from Bangkok to Taiwan. During this episode, an airline employee was bitten on the hand while trying to catch a rat.
While airline pest control incidents are rare, aviation experts say even a single sighting is considered serious for safety, hygiene and regulatory reasons.
