Long-haul flights can be exhausting, but one couple traveling from Australia to Germany had an unexpected jolt of adrenaline somewhere over the clouds.
As they rummaged through their carry-on, they spotted movement inside the bag. To their shock, a very large, very hairy spider crawled out — a stowaway that had clearly decided to join their 20-hour journey.
Instead of panicking or harming the spider, the couple kept calm. They carefully contained their uninvited guest until the plane touched down in Munich. Once on the ground, they alerted airport staff, who turned the spider over to customs.
A veterinarian later confirmed the surprise traveler was a huntsman spider — a harmless but intimidating species known for its impressive leg span, sometimes stretching up to 7 inches. Though huntsman spiders can look alarming, they aren’t dangerous to humans and are actually quite friendly.
Customs officials are now working to find the spider a safe new home.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time a huntsman has appeared in an unexpected place. Just last year, an Australian woman discovered one in her car while driving home from work — another startling, but ultimately harmless encounter.
The story is a reminder that while spiders may look scary, they play an important role in ecosystems and deserve compassion too.
