Stowaway Snake Causes Two-Hour Delay on Virgin Australia Flight

MELBOURNE, Australia — A routine domestic flight operated by Virgin Australia experienced an unexpected two-hour delay on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, when a stowaway snake was discovered in the plane's cargo hold just as passengers were boarding. The incident occurred at Melbourne Airport, where the flight VA337 was scheduled to depart for Brisbane.

The snake, identified as a harmless green tree snake measuring approximately 60 centimeters (2 feet) in length, was found by Mark Pelley, a professional snake catcher known as 'The Snake Hunter.' Pelley, who was called to the scene, initially mistook the snake for a venomous species due to the low visibility in the cargo hold. 'It wasn’t until after I caught the snake that I realized that it wasn’t venomous. Until that point, it looked very dangerous to me,' he stated.

According to Pelley, the snake was positioned behind a panel, making it difficult to capture. He warned airline staff that if he could not secure the snake quickly, they would need to evacuate the aircraft. 'I said to them if I don’t get this in one shot, it’s going to sneak through the panels and you’re going to have to evacuate the plane because at that stage I did not know what kind of snake it was,' he recounted. Fortunately, Pelley successfully captured the snake on his first attempt, averting a potentially more complicated situation that could have involved dismantling parts of the Boeing 737 to locate the reptile.

The flight was subsequently delayed for approximately two hours as Pelley navigated security protocols before reaching the aircraft. The airline confirmed the delay but did not specify the total number of passengers affected.

The incident raises questions regarding wildlife management and transport safety in Australia, a country known for its diverse and often dangerous fauna. According to the Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, many of the world’s most venomous snakes are indigenous to Australia, prompting strict regulations on animal transport.

Pelley suggested that the snake likely hitched a ride in a passenger's luggage during the flight from Brisbane to Melbourne. Given that it is a protected species, the snake cannot be returned to the wild. Instead, it has been handed over to a Melbourne veterinarian who will find a suitable home with a licensed snake keeper.

This incident underscores the importance of wildlife awareness in aviation, especially in a country where encounters with native species are common. It also highlights the need for comprehensive safety measures when dealing with unexpected wildlife in airports and aircraft.

As air travel resumes its pre-pandemic pace, incidents like this serve as reminders of the intersection between human activity and the natural world, raising awareness about the precautions necessary for both passenger safety and wildlife protection.