Pilot allergic to spiders bitten during flight to Spain by stowaway tarantula

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A pilot who suffered a suspected tarantula bite while flying from Germany to Spain managed to complete the fight and touch down safely.

The Iberia Airlines flight was en route to Barajas Airport in Madrid from Dusseldorf Airport in Germany on Feb. 21 when the pilot was bitten.

It is believed the tarantula, as described by the plane’s flight crew, made its way to the cockpit and bit the pilot, who also was allergic to spiders, according to reports from passengers.

Once the plane touched down in Madrid, the captain was treated with “an anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive corticosteroid from the aircraft’s first-aid kit,” Spanish news outlet La Voz de Galicia reported.

The pilot sustained no further injuries or reactions to the bite and was able to continue with his scheduled flights.

While the flight landed in Madrid on time, travellers on the next flight — to Vigo, Spain — were delayed three hours so the plane could be fumigated.

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It is suspected the spider — which has not been confirmed as a tarantula, though crew members insisted it was — boarded the plane during a layover in Casablanca, Morocco.

If that was the case, the spider could have earned quite a few stamps on its passport as the plane left Casablanca and went on three Spanish locations — Asturias, A Coruna and Santiago — as well as Brussels,  Zurich and Toulouse, France.

The airline said the captain was doing well and confirmed the plane was disinfected before continuing the rest of its schedule.

Iberia Airlines did not respond to The Toronto Sun’s request for comment.