Mayhem at New York airport after raccoon falls through ceiling: ‘The most LaGuardia thing’

Unexpected appearance sparks rush to catch it in a trash can as it hides at check-in and dangles from wires

Passengers awaiting an early morning flight at New York’s LaGuardia airport were surprised by the sudden arrival of an unexpected extra flyer: a raccoon who fell through a terminal ceiling and proceeded to cause mayhem at a departure gate.

Video of the animal’s abrupt appearance at a Spirit Airlines gate inside the airport’s Marine air terminal, and almost comical efforts to capture it in a giant transparent trash can, was posted to social media by an observer.