Passengers Panic at Rat Sighting on Plane... Airline Says "First Experience, Frustrating and Unpleasant"

Return Flight Canceled... Hotel Provided for Passengers
KLM: "It Was Frustrating and Unpleasant for Us Too"

A large rat found inside a KLM aircraft bound for Aruba from the Netherlands on the 10th. Screenshot from SNS

A video showing passengers screaming after spotting a large rat roaming inside an airplane has gone viral. The airline reportedly offered compensation, such as hotel accommodations, to passengers who were scheduled to board, in addition to conducting special disinfection procedures.

According to local media outlets such as De Telegraaf on December 11 (local time), the incident occurred on December 10 aboard a KLM aircraft, a Dutch airline, flying from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Aruba.

Shortly after takeoff, while the plane was flying over the sea, a passenger began to scream. According to a video filmed by a witness, a large rat was climbing along the ceiling curtain rail, leaving passengers in shock. Some appeared to be crying out of fear, while others could be heard laughing in disbelief.

According to KLM, because the rat was discovered during normal flight, it was difficult to return to the departure airport. The plane was scheduled to return to Amsterdam immediately after arriving in Aruba, but the airline canceled the flight to conduct special disinfection. As a result, 250 passengers who were supposed to travel from Aruba to Amsterdam via Bonaire were stranded.

A KLM spokesperson stated, "The passengers remained calm, and the crew closely monitored the situation. The rat did not come near any food." The spokesperson added, "We have never experienced anything like this before, so it was a frustrating and unpleasant situation for us as well."