Scorpion Falls From Overhead Bin, Stings Passenger on United Flight

[n2doc]

After spending two weeks on vacation in Mexico, Richard and Linda Bell were on a United Airlines flight home from Houston to Calgary on Sunday. They thought their adventure was over — until a scorpion fell from the overhead compartment and on to Richard.

They didn’t immediately recognize the honey-colored, 1.5-inch animal until a passenger sitting next to them pointed out that it was probably a scorpion.

Richard took the scorpion from his hair and dropped it onto his tray. When he picked it up again, the animal stung him. Bell told Global News Canada that it “felt like a wasp sting.”

Another passenger took the scorpion, stomped it on the ground and then threw the remains in the toilet.

more
http://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/scorpion-bites-passenger-on-plane

[Orrex]

1. They entered into an agreement when they accepted the ticket

And that agreement clearly indemnifies United for unexpected scorpion discharges.

[jberryhill]

8. One might assume that a scorpion in the overhead bin was in someones carrion luggage

[2naSalit]

12. ...

I see what you did there...

[snooper2]

2. "when he picked it up again"

LOL

[jberryhill]

5. That line does kind of jump out, don't it?

[KittyWampus]

7. "Where can I find an electrical socket to stick this fork into?"

[JHan]

9. lol lol lol

[cwydro]

18. Lol!

[hlthe2b]

3. The victim was the scorpion, who'd already been (poorly) re-accomodated...

[jberryhill]

4. Did he pay the extra fee for in-flight entertainment?

[samnsara]

6. i had a scorpion next to my seat..

.....cant remember which airline it was....

[forgotmylogin]

10. First they asked the scorpion to voluntarily give up its seat...

When it would not it became unruly and was summarily "volunteered" per standard United policy.

(Gosh, what a nightmare. Probably not specifically United's fault as it probably was in someone's luggage. I guess scorpions don't show up on Xrays.)

[2naSalit]

14. Those critters

are like something from outer space. I think they are capable of true suspended animation as I have witnessed the revival of a scorpion thought long dead, in a jar for months w/o oxygen, when the jar was opened that sucker sprung to life with claws up and tail ready to strike. We swirled it around several times before opening the jar, it was in the "spider skeleton" position with no sign of life.

In the SW deserts they are the same color as the sand so they are hard to see, especially the little ones.

[forgotmylogin]

16. I believe it.

And in desert areas, people are encouraged to shake out their shoes and boots before wearing them since scorpions like to hide in dark burrows. I have a twitter friend from AZ who told me little scorpions show up indoors as commonly as house spiders.

Which is why I'm not surprised one survived in someone's dirty laundry and fell out in the overhead bin. It could have been there for weeks.

I guess the little ones pose probably no more danger than a bee sting, except scorpions are less common and more feared since they aren't everywhere.

[2naSalit]

17. I've lived in the

SW several times, once I spent a whole summer in the Anza-Borrego Desert where I learned a lot about the desert first hand. I witnessed all kinds of things at some 200+ ft below sea level, aside from the hard to survive heat. It's a phenomenal environment teeming with life, you just can't see it at 50-80mph. The three absolute necessities, I found, were: shade, water, moving air. The features found in such a place are worthy of profound contemplation on all levels, you just have to have the time to go there for that. Most who go to the deserts go to play in their off-road vehicles, they miss a lot of the sensitivities of the environment, it's not a durable wasteland but that's what it's perceived value is.

[yardwork]

20. I spent a day at Anza-Borrego once. One of the most memorable days of my life.

I didn't want to leave.

[2naSalit]

21. There are some things about it

that would have that effect on a person. It is beautiful. But it's pretty unforgiving as far as ease of survival goes, I don't care how fancy your cave is. Extreme environment. You can't expect to keep anything that melts in the summer. In the winter it gets a bone-deep chill even though it rarely gets to serious cold temperatures at night.

[underpants]

11. I'm tired of these M______________g scorpions on this M___________g plane!!!

[2naSalit]

13. LOL!!

[ananda]

15. I would have done the same thing.

Scorpion stings hurt like hell, I remember.

[MineralMan]

19. Hmm...a scorpion on an airline tray?

Pick it up? No, I don't think so. It will sting you, without a doubt. Instead, grab an empty beverage glass or coffee cup and put it upside down over the little invertebrate. Then, use the stiff safety instruction card located in the seat back pocket in front of you. Slide it carefully under the upside down cup until it covers the entire opening.

Carefully hold the cup and the card and turn the cup right side up, leaving the card in place over the opening. Take a crumpled napkin or two in one hand, remove the card, and stuff the paper into the cup. The scorpion will not be able to climb out of the cup while you are doing that. They can't climb a thing like that. Push the service call button overhead to summon a flight attendant. When he or she arrives, explain that the cup you're holding has a scorpion trapped in it under the wadded paper. The flight attendant will take the item from you and dispose of it in a trash receptacle for you, after bagging it to prevent escape by the creature.

On the other hand, I'm surprised the man wasn't stung when he removed the creature from his hair. Scorpions are quick to sting if molested.

First aid for scorpion stings on airliners: Apply an ice cube to the sting area. If available put the ice cube in a plastic bag to minimize dripping. Most scorpions found in desert areas of Mexico and the southwest are not particularly dangerous, but the sting can be painful. The ice will help to ease the pain.

[2naSalit]

22. Also...

try putting a blob of wet baking soda on top of the affected area for a couple hours.