An Emirates flight travelling from Oman to Dubai was cancelled after a snake was found on the plane.
The airline grounded flight EK0863 from Muscat on Sunday after baggage handlers found a snake, reportedly in the cargo hold.
The serpent was discovered before passengers boarded the aircraft, a spokesperson for the airline said.
“Emirates can confirm that flight EK0863 from Muscat to Dubai on 8 January 2017, was cancelled due to a detection of a snake in the cargo hold prior to passengers boarding,” an airline spokesperson told Gulf News..
“Engineering and cleaning teams are working to clear the aircraft to re-enter service. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.”
Officials have not specified what species of snake was found or whether it posed any danger.
The Huffington Post UK has contacted Emirates for a comment.
It is not the first time a serpent has been found on an aircraft.
Last year a metre-long snake startled passengers when it dropped from an overhead compartment while on a domestic flight in Mexico.