A Ryanair flight preparing for departure from Crete, Greece, on August 16 was significantly delayed after a large griffon vulture landed on the plane's tail fin and refused to leave.
Despite attempts by the pilots to dislodge the bird by activating the tail flaps, the raptor remained on the aircraft, forcing an indefinite postponement of the departure. Firefighters were called to the scene, but the vulture did not move even when prompted by brigade members equipped with a ladder. One responding firefighter described the incident as “unprecedented,” noting that the bird appeared calm and uninjured.
Firefighters eventually managed to calm the bird by covering its head with a fire brigade jacket. The vulture then voluntarily moved from the wing to the runway, where it was safely removed by the fire brigade, allowing the flight to proceed.
Mixed in with attempts to coax the bird away was the concern that the large bird posed an aviation safety risk. Griffon vultures are imposing birds with wingspans reaching up to nine feet and are common throughout Europe. Crete is home to a significant population of these carrion-eaters, which play a role in the island's ecosystem.
This is not the first instance of a vulture interfering with air travel. In 2024, a Brazilian pilot encountered a vulture that crashed through his cockpit window during a flight.