Travellers at LaGuardia Airport in New York got quite the wake-up call on Monday morning when a raccoon fell from the ceiling at a gate before they boarded the plane.
Video shared on social media shows the chaotic critter scene at a Spirit Airlines gate where a raccoon can be seen clinging onto a cable that is hanging from the ceiling.
Eventually the critter loses its grip, and confused travellers can be heard screeching as it runs across the floor. The social media user who captured the incident on camera told CNN that the raccoon was running around the gate for about five minutes before crews moved it outside.
“To ensure a positive experience for our LGA Guests, we immediately notified the facilities team and are addressing the matter with a professional wildlife control company,” Spirit Airlines said in a statement shared with CNN.
The incident took place around 8 a.m., according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
“The raccoon was safely located and released outside, with no further sightings report,” the Port Authority said. There were no injuries reported.
“To ensure safety, airport staff is working closely with a professional wildlife control company to monitor the area, identify potential entry points, and implement necessary precautions,” the Port Authority said. “Ongoing inspections and follow-up efforts are in place to prevent further incidents.”
Raccoons on the rampage
Ten years ago, LaGuardia became infamous worldwide for its cramped, aged infrastructure after then Vice President Joe Biden slammed it as like being “in some third-world country.”
The airport, run by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), has since been jazzed up by a $8 billion redevelopment plan that has turned that reputation around. However, that award-winning makeover only covers the new Terminals B and C.
The six-gate Terminal A, also known as the Marine Air Terminal, is the hub’s original terminal – opened back in 1940 – and has been preserved because of its historic status. It’s used only by Spirit Airlines.
LaGuardia’s furry fugitive is not the only raccoon to have caused a stir this year.
In May 2024, a bandit-eyed pitch invader interrupted a soccer game in Chester, Pennsylvania, causing stadium staff to chase it with trash cans.
Raccoons are an invasive species in Germany, with an estimated two million of the cute procyonids at large. A butcher in the northeast of the country, Michael Reiss, told CNN last month that he’d come up with what he believes is an innovative solution to the raccoon problem. He’s been turning them into sausages, “raccoon balls” and other meat products.