Rat on flight: Unwelcome passenger grounds plane

Fasten your seatbelts — and maybe your snacks.

A KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight got an unexpected dose of wildlife when a rat turned up mid-journey, earning its place in aviation folklore as the latest “rat on a plane.”

The uninvited guest was spotted aboard a KLM flight travelling from Amsterdam to Aruba on December 10, startling passengers as it emerged from the overhead bins and scurried behind a cabin curtain.

Footage shared by Dutch outlet De Telegraaf shows the rodent making a brief but memorable appearance, instantly becoming the most talked-about passenger onboard.

KLM confirmed the incident, calling it “a very exceptional” situation.

The airline said it remains unclear how the rat managed to sneak past security and onto the aircraft.

Stowaway

Crew members monitored the furry stowaway throughout the remainder of the flight until the plane landed safely in Aruba.

However, the rat’s holiday plans didn’t end there.

KLM cancelled the return flight from Aruba to Amsterdam via Bonaire so the aircraft could undergo a thorough cleaning and inspection.

“The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew are always our top priority,” the airline said, adding that the plane was returned to service only after meeting hygiene and safety standards.

While unusual, this isn’t aviation’s first brush with rodents at 35,000 feet.

Rat leaps from foodbox

In September 2024, a mouse triggered chaos on a Scandinavian Airlines flight from Oslo to Malaga after reportedly leaping from a passenger’s food box.

The plane was forced to divert to Copenhagen, proving that even the smallest passengers can cause big disruptions.

How did the rat board the flight?

That remains a mystery — but one thing is clear: even in the age of high-tech aviation, surprises can still come from the overhead bin.