Air travel is, no doubt, a convenient and efficient way to get from one place to another, but things don't always go according to plan. Flight delays and cancelations are common occurrences and are usually the result of a safety problem, technical issue, or weather conditions. But sometimes, flight disruptions are caused by downright wild situations.

5 First-class fury

This unbelievable story is about two stubborn passengers on a Qantas Airways flight. If you've ever had the luxury of flying first class, you'd know that most airlines provide complimentary sleepwear to passengers in the most premium classes, especially on overnight or long-haul flights. However, during a flight from Los Angeles to Melbourne, two first-class passengers were dissatisfied with the pajamas offered to them.

They had requested XL-sized pajamas that, unfortunately, were unavailable on this flight. The airline's staff explained that, while they didn't have XL pajamas for first class, they could offer a set from business class instead. However, the passengers refused the offer, allegedly stating that as first class passengers, they expected products for first class. Thankfully, much to the relief of other passengers, the disgruntled pair left the aircraft – but not without causing a 30-minute delay.

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4 Reptiles on the run

Bringing a pet along with you on a trip is not uncommon. That is, if proper documentation is in order and all regulations are complied with. A man who was traveling from Cuba decided to bring his four pet iguanas along with him to Toronto. However, there was a major problem: the iguanas were not officially declared as part of his luggage. The man had secretly stowed them away in his checked baggage on a WestJet flight.

When the flight arrived in Toronto, Canadian customs discovered that only two of the four iguanas were present. The other two had somehow managed to escape and were nowhere to be found. As a precautionary measure, the passengers who, by then already boarded the aircraft for the next flight out to Vancouver, had to be found. During the search, the aircraft's hold was scoured and fumigated to prevent the reptiles from accidentally damaging any systems and potentially endangering the safety of the passengers.

3 A stinky situation

Lavatory waste from an aircraft is disposed of by specialized trucks that passengers rarely encounter. However, this was not the case for the passengers on these two flights, that had an unfortunately close encounter with the service trucks.

In 2019, at John F Kennedy Airport in New York, a truck carrying flight waste collided with a parked aircraft waiting to depart for Denver. The collision occurred around 20:00, and the truck became lodged underneath the JetBlue aircraft. To forcefully remove the vehicle, this flight had to be delayed; meanwhile, passengers were asked to disembark and switch to another aircraft.

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In another similar case during the same year, a Loganair flight preparing to depart Glasgow Airport in Scotland was hit by a lavatory maintenance truck, causing a three-hour delay. As a result, a replacement aircraft was flown in from Aberdeen to continue the passengers' journey.

2 Curfew crisis

Simon Calder, a travel correspondent, experienced a curfew-breaking flight from Dubai to London. Retelling his story to Reader's Digest, Calder explained that, due to Dubai's extreme heat, some freight had to be removed from the aircraft's cargo hold to ensure safe flying conditions given the weather.

Airport workers in Dubai calculated this delay made it impossible for all passengers and baggage to disembark and for new travelers to board the return trip before Heathrow's curfew, starting at 23:30 (till 06:00), during which flights are restricted. The ground crew tried to redirect the plane to Gatwick Airport, but in a poor stroke of misfortune, the flight crew didn't receive the message.

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After taking off, the flight arrived at London Heathrow Airport past the curfew and was forced to divert to Gatwick Airport. And so, the plane took off once again to fly to Gatwick. In yet another tragic twist, another aircraft with technical difficulties blocked the runway, causing a 45-minute delay. Calder sums it up painfully yet comically – an hour late at the correct airport but then three hours late at the wrong airport!

1 Captain Ripples, the cockpit cat

Here's another wacky story of a flight involving pets, also bound for Toronto. A flight from Halifax was delayed for hours due to an unexpected stowaway: a cat named Ripples. The feline – which, unlike the iguanas, was authorized to be on the flight – had been safely secured in a designated pet carrier in the overhead compartment. However, a passenger mistakenly opened the door while attempting to store their own luggage.

The search for the missing cat initially caused a delay of 20 minutes but eventually grew longer as crew members combed the plane, calling out for the cat and even turning off the cockpit lights to coax it out of hiding.

Finally, the search for Ripples led them to look within the wiring of the plane's frame – and lo, and behold, there it was! A spokesperson for Air Canada confirmed that the cat had been found in the cockpit's avionics. Unfortunately, the plane had to be checked for damage before taking off. However, after four hours, the relieved passengers could finally continue their journey.

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Have you ever had your flight canceled or delayed for an unexpected reason? We’d love to hear your stories – let us know in the comments!

Sources: Herald Sun, CBC News, NY Daily News, Shetland News, Reader’s Digest, National Post