It wasn’t quite Snakes on a Plane, but if this serpent had its way, it could well have been.
The 6ft long black rat snake caused panic after it was seen slithering under the seats at the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport in Tacloban, Philippines, on September 9 at 6:30pm.
Dozens of fliers in the packed departure lounge ran for cover fearing that the reptile was about to bite them.
Onlooker Leon Anover said he was catching a plane with his wife that evening when he noticed people panicking at the sight of the reptile.
The father-of-two said: ”I couldn’t believe there was a snake in the airport. It’s not what anybody would expect. A lot of people were frightened. It was quite exciting and but also funny.”
The Philippines rat snake, a non-venomous predator which feeds on rodents and birds, slithered through the airport lounge for around five minutes before it was caught.
Footage shows one member of airport security staff using a long pole to pin the snake down before another stuffs it into a plastic bag.
The snake was then released back into the wild in bushes near the airport.
A spokesman for the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport said that nobody was injured by the snake.
They added: ”The snake was also not harmed and it’s now safe. We don’t know how it got past security!
”There was a bit of commotion but it settled down and no planes were affected. There was no danger to any passengers.”
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