What started as a routine flight from Minneapolis to Madison, Wisconsin, turned into an unusual tale for Delta Airlines passengers on Saturday when two pigeons managed to sneak aboard the aircraft, causing two separate delays.
According to the airline, the birds entered the plane before takeoff. Passenger Tom Caw told local media that the flight had to return to the gate twice to deal with the unexpected stowaways. The first pigeon was caught by ground crew; the second was captured by a fellow passenger using his jacket as an improvised net, as seen in a video recorded during the incident.
“The pilot said that when he informed air traffic control they were returning because of a pigeon, the operator told him it was the first time they’d heard something like that,” Caw recalled. “The pilot replied, ‘Well, it’s the second time for me—the first was half an hour ago.’”
Delta confirmed the flight was delayed by 56 minutes due to the feathered intruders. “We appreciate the careful actions of our staff and customers in safely removing two birds from the aircraft before departure, and we apologize to our passengers for the delay,” the airline said in a statement.
But the pigeons weren’t the only animals causing disruptions for Delta over the Memorial Day weekend. On Monday night, a flight from Detroit to Los Angeles was diverted to Minneapolis after a dog in the cabin fell ill.
Fortunately, a veterinarian on board provided care for the dog before the crew made the decision to land. A medical team was waiting at the gate to assist. The incident caused a two-and-a-half-hour delay.
“The safety of our customers and crew is Delta’s top priority,” a spokesperson said. “That’s why Delta Flight 694 was diverted to MSP to ensure a pet in the cabin received appropriate medical attention.”
