LaGuardia Airport passengers and staff in New York got a big surprise on Monday morning when a lively raccoon made a grand entrance from above, sending the Spirit Airlines gate area into a brief state of chaos.
The furry intruder was first spotted dangling from an open section of ceiling clinging to wires before finally taking the plunge onto the terminal floor. The sight of a wild raccoon dangling above their heads had people scrambling shrieking and dogs barking as shown in videos shared across social media.
After its dramatic drop, the raccoon scurried through the TSA line while Spirit staff members ducked out of its path. In one shot from the footage a brave traveller tried stepping up to the challenge by arming himself with a clear, empty garbage can – or trash panda – hoping to corner the raccoon.
Comments from amused onlookers flooded social media soon after. One user quipped: “This is both the most LaGuardia thing and the most Spirit Airlines thing to happen. Perfect.” Another pointed out the hilarity of it all happening right at Spirit’s desks, adding: “Idk why but it makes it funnier that it’s happening at the Spirit desks.”
Meanwhile, another observer gave props to the wannabe raccoon-wrangler, saying: “I appreciate a man that enjoys being a man and immediately takes charge. The guy with the tube was ready to catch it.”
A Port Authority spokesperson later explained the raccoon sighting occurred around 8am. The animal was eventually captured and released back outside, avoiding the unfortunate fate that befell Fred the raccoon and P’nut the squirrel, two animals recently euthanised by New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation – an incident that sparked public outrage, reports NYP.
(Image: AhmadAnonimis/X)
With raccoons apparently eyeing LaGuardia’s newly-renovated halls, airport staff are now collaborating with wildlife control experts to plug any hidden entry points and prevent future surprise visits. “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 spokesperson said. “Ongoing inspections and follow-up efforts are in place to prevent future incidents.”
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