'Bee-lieve it or not': Swarm on wing prompts three-hour delay of Atlanta-bound Delta flight

An Atlanta-bound Delta Airlines (DAL) flight had to wait three hours to depart George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) after a swarm of bees was discovered on the aircraft’s wing, per reports from Houston-based media outlets. 

“At least it’s not snakes on a plane, just bees near a wing,” a passenger identified as Robert Earl Glenn II quipped in a social media post, referencing a 2006 action flick, Houston NBC affiliate KPRC reported.

Citing the Atlanta-based legacy carrier, KPRC reported that DAL Flight 1682 to the city’s Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) was confirmed to have been delayed. 

Aviation company FlightAware, which tracks flights around the world, showed on its website the flight departed IAH at nearly 5 p.m., some four hours and 29 minutes past its intended departure time, and arrived at ATL at close to 8 p.m. Eastern. 

Per KPRC, the airline delayed the flight out of concern for the bees’ welfare.

Houston ABC affiliate KTRK reported that ground crews attempted to remove the bees any way they could, including using another vehicle to blow exhaust to get the swarm to scatter. 

Eventually, the pilot tried to push back from the gate at Terminal A and the bees left, the station reported. 

Per KTRK, the cause as to why the bees gathered at the wing was unknown.

“Bee-lieve it or not, Delta flight1682 from Houston-Bush to Atlanta took a delay this afternoon after a friendly group of bees evidently wanted to talk shop with the winglet of our airplanes, no doubt to share the latest about flying conditions at the airport,” DAL said in a statement obtained by KPRC. “We are told this kind of swarming is rare but not unheard of occurrence and can occur on virtually any outdoor structure in climates/environments where bees are found in nature.” 

The Eye of the Flyer website reported that no people or bees were harmed during the ordeal.