Bees Delay Flight By 3 Hours

Flight Delayed Due to Swarm of Bees

A recent US Airways flight was delayed for three hours due to a swarm of bees. Set to depart from the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the US Airways flight was then held at the gate when crew members were confronted by a swarm of bees that had taken over the aircraft’s tug; an important piece of airplane equipment which is used to tow the aircraft away from the gate.

Beekeeper, Jimmy Odom was called in to the scene to capture and remove the bees, and by 4:06pm, approximately three hours after its scheduled 1:15pm departure time, US Airways Flight 2690 was finally able to lift off. According to Odom, the bees were in search of finding a new location to form their hive. Odom described the bees as simply peacefully in search of a new home.

Already delayed due to a mechanical error, passengers then had to further wait on board while airline crews called in the professional beekeeper. The airline crew notified the 79 onboard passengers of the delay and explained that the issue was due to bees. Passengers were asked if anyone onboard was allergic to bees, however, no bees managed to make their way onto the flight.

On The Web:

Bees Delay US Airways Express Flight From NC
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/bees-delay-us-airways-express-flight-nc-19763459

Bees delay US Airways flight by nearly 3 hours
http://www.usatoday.com/story/todayinthesky/2013/07/24/bees-delay-us-airways-flight-by-nearly-3-hours/2584293/

Bees, beasts and a blaze plague airport
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/07/24/4187106/bee-swarm-grounds-us-airways-plane.html