We couldn't make this up if we tried. A woman flying across the country with United Airlines was repeatedly stung by a scorpion on the plane. And somehow, it's not United's first in-flight scorpion sting.
USA Today confirmed with the airline that a female passenger was stung by the arachnid while flying from San Francisco (SFO) to Atlanta (ATL) on Friday. The woman felt a sharp pain and went to the lavatory, where she shook out her pants and saw a scorpion tumble out after stinging her multiple times.
The scorpion scuttled up the aisle before United flight attendants apparently captured it in a used snack box, as shown in photos by TMZ. It's unclear how the scorpion got on the plane in the first place.
“After learning that one of our customers on flight 1554 from San Francisco to Atlanta was stung during flight, our crew responded immediately and consulted with a MedLink physician on the ground who provided medical guidance,” United Airlines spokeswoman Natalie Noonan said.
Medical personnel met the flight in Atlanta, and the passenger was transported to a local hospital.
Believe it or not, this isn't the first scorpion incident in 2019. Other in-flight scorpion stings were reported in Indonesia and Canada earlier this year. And in 2017, another United passenger was stung by a scorpion while flying from Houston-Intercontinental (IAH) to (YYC).
Bottom Line
There are no words.
That jet’s inbound flight to San Francisco originated on Kauaʻi before departing for Atlanta as Flight 1554. The scorpion no doubt boarded in Hawaii…we just don’t know exactly how.
Having lived in the south, I really am not shocked by this. He could’ve easily come in on another passenger or their belongings. Unfortunately they are part of living Down there. As much as I like to hate on United, I feel like this could’ve been any airline.