'Massive' rat spotted running through airplane forces cancellation of vacation flight

Some holiday travelers experienced an uninvited guest aboard a flight headed for a sunny destination.

Passengers traveling from Amsterdam to the Caribbean spotted a rat running through their cabin.

The KLM flight was headed for Aruba, where it was then supposed to continue to the island of Bonaire.

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Passengers waiting to board their flight to Bonaire were notified that the flight had been grounded - with the ride ultimately canceled. 

A KLM spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that this was a "very exceptional incident." 

"The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew are always our top priority," the spokesperson said.

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"That is why we canceled the flight from Aruba [to] Bonaire," the spokesperson added, "so that the aircraft could be thoroughly cleaned before being put back into service."

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In a video shared on social media, people called the rat "massive."

 It was seen scurrying across the overhead curtain track in the cabin.

Rats can pose a serious risk to public health by spreading diseases.

Threats include bacterial and viral diseases such as monkeypox, leptospirosis and salmonellosis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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The rodents can also cause rat-bite fever (RBF), which can produce flu-like symptoms such as fever, vomiting, muscle pain and possible rashes.

"RBF can spread to people through scratches, bites, or contact with a rodent's saliva or pee," the CDC notes.

Back in 2023, a rat and an otter were smuggled into a passenger's suitcase on a flight from Bangkok to Taiwan, as Fox News Digital reported at the time. 

An employee caught the rat - and was bitten on the hand.