A pilot suffered an allergic reaction mid-flight after being bitten by a tarantula while flying an Iberia Airbus A320 from Germany to Spain, prompting medical intervention and later forcing a three-hour delay for fumigation.
The unexpected incident took place on a routine Iberia flight, where a tarantula, believed to have entered the aircraft via luggage from an earlier flight between Madrid and Casablanca, Morocco, bit the pilot, Canarian Weekly reported.
The pilot turned out to be allergic to spider venom, making the situation potentially life-threatening. Though such occurrences are rare, similar cases of arachnids appearing in passenger aircraft from Africa have been reported before.
After being bitten, the pilot was quickly treated with Urbasón, a corticosteroid used to counter allergic reactions, which was available in the aircraft's first aid kit.
Fortunately, the plane landed safely in Madrid, and passengers disembarked without incident. However, Iberia's next scheduled flight from Madrid to Vigo was delayed as airport teams launched a full-scale fumigation to locate and eliminate the spider.
Initially, passengers were told the delay was due to maintenance issues, but the real reason soon emerged, heightening concerns among travelers.
The fumigation process caused a three-hour delay, and while no confirmed tarantula sightings were reported afterward, passengers on the Vigo flight remained uneasy.
Iberia later confirmed that the pilot was in good health and had not suffered any lasting effects from the bite, though the exact species of the spider remains unverified.
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