Passengers awaiting an early morning flight at New York‘s LaGuardia airport had been stunned by the sudden arrival of an surprising additional flyer: a raccoon who fell by way of a terminal ceiling and proceeded to trigger mayhem at a departure gate.
Video of the animal’s abrupt look at a Spirit Airways gate contained in the airport’s Marine air terminal, and nearly comical efforts to seize it in a large clear trash can, was posted to social media by an observer.
The raccoon is seen at first clinging to what seems to be electrical wiring dangling beneath a ceiling tile, then scampering behind a check-in desk. Anxious employees try and chase it, whereas different persons are seen operating away at pace.
Accompanying audio captured the chaos of the second: a barking canine, individuals screaming and an alarm siren blaring.
can’t make this up 😭😭 https://t.co/HbkNatHCJr pic.twitter.com/Wh8kBHHwRT
— Ahmad Anonimis 🏔️ (@AhmadAnonimis) November 4, 2024
“That is each probably the most LaGuardia factor and probably the most Spirit Airways factor to occur. Excellent,” one other X consumer, recognized as Kaitlynn Lwoso, posted.
The raccoon fell by way of the ceiling shortly after 8am Monday on the tiny, six-gate terminal used solely by the low cost airways Spirit and Frontier, in response to the Gothamist, which first reported the incident.
A spokesperson for the Port Authority instructed the outlet that an investigation was beneath means into how the raccoon bought there, whereas Spirit mentioned in an announcement that it had engaged a “skilled wildlife management firm” to attempt to keep away from any comparable future incidents.
The airport, the Gothamist mentioned, was repeatedly slated on the flip of the century for its “run-down passenger amenities and leaky ceilings”. In 2014, the then vice-president, Joe Biden, addressing damaged infrastructure within the US, known as LaGuardia “like a 3rd world nation”.
Authorities launched into upgrades and refurbishment within the decade since, however the Marine air terminal, also referred to as Terminal A, was not included within the renovation. It’s listed within the nationwide register of historic locations.
As uncommon because the LaGuardia raccoon’s look was, it was removed from unprecedented. In July 2023, a raccoon “ran rampant” by way of a baggage corridor at Philadelphia worldwide airport after rising from a baggage chute, ABC6 Information reported.
No person was injured in both incident, and neither raccoon was captured.
This article by Richard Luscombe was first revealed by The Guardian on 6 November 2024. Lead Picture: A fellow New York raccoon in 2021. {Photograph}: Peter Foley/EPA.
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