A stowaway tarantula caused havok on a recent flight in Europe. Credit: Rebecca L. Latson / Getty

Flying from Düsseldorf, Germany, to Madrid, Spain, the pilot had a terrifying encounter in the cockpit when he was suddenly and surprisingly bitten by the large spider.

To make matters worse, the pilot suffered from a severe allergy to spiders, the New York Post reports.

The Iberia Airbus A320 was in the air on Friday (February 21) when the pilot suffered an allergic reaction to the unexpected arachnid attack. Crew members immediately administered Urbasón, an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid from the flight’s first aid kit, according to reports from Canarian Weekly.

WebMD reports that allergic reactions to spider bites can result in symptoms such as “rapid swelling of the lips, tongue, throat, or around the eyes”, as well as “difficulty breathing, dizziness, cramping”, and – if left untreated – sometimes death.

The scary incident took place on an Iberia Airbus A320. Credit: Marcos del Mazo/LightRocket via Getty Images (Stock photo)

But despite the alarming situation, the pilot managed to safely land the plane in Madrid, where he received further medical attention.

Iberia Airlines later confirmed he was “doing fine” and did not suffer any lasting effects, Metro reports.

How Did the Tarantula Get Onboard?

Investigators believe the spider snuck onto the aircraft via luggage during an earlier flight between Madrid and Casablanca, Morocco.

Before reaching Madrid on Friday, the plane had also made stops in Brussels, Zurich, and Toulouse, raising concerns about where the tarantula may have been hiding.

After landing, the aircraft had to be fumigated, leading to a roughly three-hour delay for its next scheduled flight to Vigo, Spain. While passengers were initially told the holdup was due to maintenance issues, the real cause soon became public knowledge.

Passengers on Edge

Even after fumigation, some passengers were reportedly visibly uneasy while boarding the flight to Vigo, with many double-checking their seats and belongings for any signs of unwanted eight-legged guests, according to La Voz de Galicia.

Despite the paranoia, the flight to Vigo landed safely around midnight with no further tarantula sightings.

And that, my friends, is why I’m afraid of spiders… and flying.