May 24 is a day marked on my calendar as a full-on flight fiasco date. Delta’s flight DL2348 from Minneapolis-St. Paul riding to Madison was ready to take off when the pilot’s final flight checks revealed a pigeon as a bonus passenger. You will be shocked to learn that there wasn’t only one pigeon.
And Just Like That, We Are Delayed
Guessing there wasn’t much waiting to board, rest assured everyone will find their fingers crossed in hopes that there is still time for a pretakeoff drink.
Delta is known for its impeccable services, so we can only image the devastation when fingers inch off of the overhead compartments and grants the flight attendants literal gatekeeping control.
Groundhog Day at the Airport Gate
A couple more loops, and the passengers within the aircraft were probably wondering if and when they would leave the ground. The flight is now submitted as having taken off at and mark time: 1121 PM and landing in Madison just past midnight. The A220-300 operated by this flight suffered a minor incident in which a bird got into the cabin, but all 119 passengers and five crew managed to arrive safely.
In this case, the A220-300 sent for the flight came with a supple frame of 0 hours and 0 minutes, with 130 seats onboard (12 business, 118 economy). It was part of the smaller batch of birds pigeon paraded inserviced around bound for SFO in Mid-October 2021.Windows are worth nothing as altercutters remove all obstructive views during the boarding p, giving it an opportunity to cascade in thrall of unpositioned over 24 hours before this debacle of falcon festivities set foot.
Internet Gold
As foresighted this crowing caper was destined to go amiss. A joker on the deck filmed the complete riot and placed it on Instagram featuring the passenger plunge inexplicable twirling in the deep end of midair and unyielding screams from other observers. The result was a video that is part National Geographic special, part slapstick.
So… How Did They Even Get In?
While Delta has yet to unveil the whole saga of pigeons boarding the aircraft, one is said to have been captured alive by baggage handlers. Perhaps the birds accessed the plane when it was parked, either through the open cargo doors or jet bridges. Regardless, it made for an astonishingly uneventful layover.
Delta flight got delayed. Not for the weather. Definetly not for any technical issues. Just a certain pair of pigeons who fancied themselves travelers waiting to embark on a great adventure.