A racoon jumps over a fence in almost deserted Central Park in Manhattan on April 16, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by JOHANNES EISELE/AFP via Getty Images)
Stop us if you've heard this one before: a feisty raccoon falls from the ceiling at the Spirit Airlines counter at LaGuardia Airport.
If there wasn't video evidence, this tail might be hard to believe.
The troublesome creature made quite the scene on Monday morning at the airport's Terminal A, where the budget airliner flies out. Gothamist first reported the incident.
A video viewed a few million times on X shows the raccoon dangling by a cord from the ceiling tile next to the Spirit counter. Eventually the animal becomes free and lands on the floor, further shocking passengers and employees alike, sending a couple of them running for safety.
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Multiple screams are heard as the standoff between the raccoon and everyone else continues.
Eventually someone is seen carrying something resembling a trash can in an attempt to trap the animal.
A spokesperson for the Port Authority said the animal appeared around 8 a.m. They said the raccoon was safely released outside (details on how weren't clear) and that no one suffered any injuries.
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A representative for Spirit Airlines confirmed the raccoon's dust-up at Terminal A.
"A raccoon was located and released outside after briefly entering Terminal A at New York-LaGuardia Airport (LGA) on Nov. 4. To ensure a positive experience for our LGA Guests, we immediately notified the facilities team and are addressing the matter with a professional wildlife control company," their statement read.
LaGuardia last made headlines for being among the best airport in the country. Forbes Travel Guide named LaGuardia Airport the top airport in the U.S., a startling turn of events for the airport once blasted a decade ago by the then-vice president as looking like it belonged in a "third-world country."
The renovations, however, didn't include the airport's Terminal A.
