Plane delayed in China due to escaped pet possum on board
A small sugar glider, a nighttime creature that looks like a flying squirrel, escaped during a China Eastern Airlines flight on Monday, compelling passengers to leave the plane temporarily.
Passenger Guo, a 34-year-old lady, disobeyed the rules and boarded the aircraft with her pet sugar glider, according to Shanghai Police International Airport Branch's official Weibo post. The sugar glider managed to escape in the cabin and was found by fellow passengers.
Videos posted on social media seemed to show a flight attendant on her knees, seemingly looking for the tiny runaway animal. The passengers were eventually required to leave the plane and wait in the terminal building until the creature was captured. Footage shared by local media showed passengers congregating in front of a counter at the airport bargaining with the airline's staff.
"Let's call the police!" a female passenger suggested. "Yes, get her out and make her apologize to everyone!" the male passenger agreed. "You, the airport should call the police too. How did she get on board with a possum?" the female passenger yelled at the airport staff.
The flight was delayed "due to safety reasons" and Guo, the sugar glider's owner, was held by the police.
"Guo has been placed under administrative detention by the police according to the law for her illegal act of causing a disturbance on public transportation," the statement read.
The plane eventually left over an hour after its scheduled departure time, arriving at Ji'nan's Yaoqiang Airport shortly before midnight, 62 minutes after it was supposed to reach its destination.
Local media reported that China Eastern Airlines had not yet provided any form of reimbursement or apology to the passengers.
The airline has not commented on the incident.
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