Dubai-bound Air India Express flight plagued by bees

Dubai // Port engine, check. Starboard engine, check. Beehive, check.

Beehive? Yes, that's what ground staff at Mangalore airport in India found during their pre-departure check on an Air India Express flight bound for Dubai at the weekend.

The aircraft had been parked unattended on the airport apron for only 14 hours, but that was long enough for the industrious insects to build a home near the tip of one of the wings.

Staff delayed the departure of Flight IX383 for 45 minutes while the hive was removed and the bees dispersed.

"They could not open the door to the flight as there were many honeybees, so they had to delay the flight to disperse them," an airline spokeswoman said.

wissa@thenational.ae