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'Massive' rat spotted running through airplane forces cancellation of vacation flight

17 Dec 2025 By foxnews

'Massive' rat spotted running through airplane forces cancellation of vacation flight

Some holiday travelers experienced an uninvited guest aboard a flight headed for a sunny destination.

Passengers traveling from Amsterdam to the Caribbean spotted a rat running through their cabin.

The KLM flight was headed for Aruba, where it was then supposed to continue to the island of Bonaire.

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Passengers waiting to board their flight to Bonaire were notified that the flight had been grounded - with the ride ultimately canceled. 

A KLM spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that this was a "very exceptional incident." 

"The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew are always our top priority," the spokesperson said.

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"That is why we canceled the flight from Aruba [to] Bonaire," the spokesperson added, "so that the aircraft could be thoroughly cleaned before being put back into service."

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In a video shared on social media, people called the rat "massive."

 It was seen scurrying across the overhead curtain track in the cabin.

Rats can pose a serious risk to public health by spreading diseases.

Threats include bacterial and viral diseases such as monkeypox, leptospirosis and salmonellosis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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The rodents can also cause rat-bite fever (RBF), which can produce flu-like symptoms such as fever, vomiting, muscle pain and possible rashes.

"RBF can spread to people through scratches, bites, or contact with a rodent's saliva or pee," the CDC notes.

Back in 2023, a rat and an otter were smuggled into a passenger's suitcase on a flight from Bangkok to Taiwan, as Fox News Digital reported at the time. 

An employee caught the rat - and was bitten on the hand.

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