Scorpions on a Plane! Passenger Stung on United Airlines Flight, Twitter Stings Back

United Airlines is not having a good week.

Still feeling the sting of the public backlash for its “drag and drop” nightmare, the airline now has another potential PR disaster to handle.

Richard and Linda Bell were on a United Airlines flight home from Houston to Calgary on Sunday when a scorpion fell from an overhead bin and stung Richard.

United confirmed the incident to CNBC today. Airline spokesman Charles Hobart (gosh, I’d hate to be that guy this week) told the news outlet that the airline crew immediately consulted with a physician on the ground who provided guidance throughout the incident. The company said the man’s injuries were non-life threatening.

“Medical personnel met the aircraft after it arrived in Calgary,” Hobart said.

How the scorpion made its way onto the flight is not known, but it probably hitched a ride inside someone’s luggage. United Airlines is investigating the incident.

Sure, this kind of incident could happen on any airline (and this is not the first time it has happened on a flight), but it doesn’t seem like the public, still upset about United’s treatment of Dr. David Dao, is going to go easy on the company…

@TravelLeisure pic.twitter.com/gf6PHjKAF6

— El B (@mrsdemples) April 13, 2017

“And as the passenger asked ‘Why?’, the scorpion replied: ‘You knew this was a United flight when you boarded.’” https://t.co/LqnPDLrEXe

— Nate E-K (@NEwertKrocker) April 13, 2017

@TravelLeisure ?We’ll drop you, sting you
& charge you a fare,
Just beat it!
But you wanna fly now
Just BEAT IIIIT, BEAT IIIIIT?
-New #United Song

— Rob (@RobCabrera) April 13, 2017

@TravelLeisure dear .@united , there are easier ways to file for bankruptcy

— Shunster (@kpeetee) April 13, 2017

@TravelLeisure I would not fly with an airline that’s clearly operating under a curse. Maybe after an exorcism on the whole airline…maybe.

— p-salz (@patliny) April 13, 2017

@TravelLeisure It’s United’s newest method for encouraging passengers to vacate seats when they overbook.

— Suburban Pub Crawler (@Sub_Pub_Crawler) April 13, 2017

@TravelLeisure @_cingraham The scorpion was made employee of the year by @united

— SpockYoda (@DarthTargaryen1) April 13, 2017

@TravelLeisure This must be part of post-Fight Club #United‘s new bump policy. Open your overhead luggage bin, if you get stung by a scorpion, you’re it.

— ⚠️Warning: Not Kimmy (@EasyBakedOven) April 13, 2017

@TravelLeisure United is so busy ejecting paying customers it’s missing the scorpions in the overhead…

— Bob Toomey (@bob_toomey) April 13, 2017

@TravelLeisure This is just sound business practice! Scorpions are way cheaper than hotel vouchers and overbooking payouts. The hospital covers everything!

— GenerationReduX (@GenerationReduX) April 13, 2017

@TravelLeisure Next, of course, will be snakes. pic.twitter.com/iNxRfQerss

— Jeffrey Morgan (@digdawg) April 13, 2017

@TravelLeisure Hi, Mr. Jackson? It’s United. Are you busy right now? We have a job opening that may interest you. pic.twitter.com/jSap3Wvuo8

— Matt Tex Eckerle (@MattTexEckerle) April 13, 2017

@TravelLeisure Legally, United reserves the right to drop live scorpions on your face. Should have read the fine print.

— WJ Bentley (@youdictategood) April 13, 2017

@TravelLeisure @cmclymer I think I’d rather “re-accommodated” than stung by that! ☝??

— BonnieRaeChalfin (@bchalfin825) April 13, 2017

@TravelLeisure @cmclymer Wait a minute. Are we sure this isn’t the Onion?

— wordlass (@wordlass1) April 13, 2017

@TravelLeisure is united just hell? like the devil decided to buy an airline? this is too comical

— Moomoof (@moomoof) April 13, 2017

@TravelLeisure United: “We’ve decided scorpions are the more cost effective option for removing passengers from flights.”

— Joe Resistance (@INFINITEAB1LITY) April 13, 2017

@TravelLeisure It’s probably their improved disembarkment procedure. Classic, paralyse your customer first before dragging him of!

— Bob Russell (@AGTCnews) April 13, 2017

@TIME United: Who wants to give up their seat on the plane.
*No one responds*
United: There is a scorpion loose on the plane. How bout naw?

— Thomas Biernat (@thomasbiernat) April 13, 2017

Hello and welcome to @united.
Our flight is overbooked. Oh, and there may be a scorpion on the loose. pic.twitter.com/gu0nhs5Aiy

— Sven Henrich (@NorthmanTrader) April 13, 2017

Is it possible the CEO of United has been cursed by some kind of gypsy or warlock?… https://t.co/YnyGIQelCy

— Ken Webster Jr (@ProducerKen) April 13, 2017

Also in scorpion-related news: a few days ago, a couple in Maryland found one of the stinging critters crawling around in a bag of spinach they purchased at a grocery store.