When you hear the phrase “snakes on a plane,” you probably think of the comedy film with Samuel L. Jackson. Not something that could actually happen in real life.
An airline passenger successfully traveled from Dusseldorf, Germany to Moscow with a small bag containing 20 snakes. He wasn’t discovered with the reptiles until he landed in Russia. He, unfortunately, lacked the correct documentation for his potential pets, including veterinary records, so they were placed in quarantine. Apparently, snakes on a plane aren’t illegal, as long as you submit the right forms. The Environmental Protection Agency in Moscow took over the investigation of the snakes, according to German newspaper RP Online.
The snakes were purchased at a market in Germany and are apparently not venomous. This isn’t the first time Germany’s airports have caused trouble recently. Just last month, Berlin’s Schönefeld airport was shut down due to some suspicious toys found in a passenger’s luggage.
While neither of these occurrences were dangerous, what does this say about the quality of airport security in Europe? If an entire airport can get shut down because of some errant toys or 20 snakes can get through without documentation, are people doing their job correctly?
What do you think? Should we be worried about snakes on a plane or is air travel just as safe as it’s always been?