Earlier today, pilots aboard an American Airlines flight traveling from Tokyo to Dallas heard unusual noises coming from the wires above the cockpit. According to John Hotard, AA’s spokesman, “You do not want a varmint up in the wiring areas and what-have-you on an airplane. You don’t want anything up there.” Unsure what kind of varmint might be up in the what-have-you, the pilots decided to stop in Honolulu to investigate.
The varmint turned out to be an eastern gray squirrel. Neither AA nor the Agriculture Department can explain how the squirrel accessed the plane, though I’m suspicious it might have something to do with TSA’s less than watchful eye.
In the end, the human passengers were provided hotel rooms and rebooked on other flights. The squirrel enjoyed a far less pleasant Hawaii visit, however. Fearing it may have been carrying rabies, authorities had the rodent killed.
[Photo: Terry Lea]