Snake coiled around luggage handle triggers panic at Chennai airport
After completing immigration and customs checks, he loaded his luggage onto a trolley and headed outside to meet his family, who had arrived in a car to pick him up.
A non-venomous water snake coiled around luggage handle
CHENNAI: A routine arrival at Chennai International Airport turned chaotic on Sunday when a passenger discovered a three-foot-long snake coiled around the handle of his luggage, triggering alarm among travellers. The incident occurred near the airport's pickup zone, prompting swift action from fire and forest department officials.
The passenger, identified as Sathish (35), a Chennai native working in Saudi Arabia, had arrived on a Gulf Airways flight during the early hours. After completing immigration and customs checks, he loaded his luggage onto a trolley and headed outside to meet his family, who had arrived in a car to pick him up. As Sathish attempted to transfer his luggage into the vehicle near the pickup point, he spotted the snake wrapped around the luggage's handle.
Panicked over this, fellow travellers and family members shouted warnings. Initial speculation among the crowd suggested the snake might be a venomous spectacled cobra, heightening fears. Some attempted to kill the reptile, but security personnel intervened and stopped them. Authorities instead alerted the Tambaram fire department and forest officials.
Firefighters arrived promptly and identified the snake as a non-venomous water snake. Using specialised tools, they safely extracted the reptile from the luggage handle, placed it in a plastic drum, and handed it over to forest department officials for relocation.
Airport officials later stated that the snake likely hitched a ride in the family's car rather than originating from the Chennai airport premises. “The reptile may have been hiding in the vehicle and climbed onto the luggage while it was being loaded. Chennai Airport maintains strict pest control measures, including regular fumigation. Snakes entering terminal areas are highly improbable,” a spokesperson clarified.
The incident, however, has reignited concerns among passengers about recurring pest-related issues at the airport, including stray dogs, monkeys, and mosquitoes. Travellers stressed enhanced safety protocols, such as intensified fumigation drives, to prevent similar occurrences.
While the incident didn’t lead to anything tragic, the anxiety about wildlife encounters in high-traffic transit hubs remains a cause for concern. Chennai Airport, which handles approximately 60,000 passengers daily, assured the public of its commitment to hygiene and safety.
