Alligator strolling across runway stops plane at Orlando International Airport

“Pilots of a Spirit flight departing MCO today had to pause on the taxiway and give right of way to a local resident out for a morning stroll,” officials said.

The pilot announced to passengers that the plane needed to wait for the gator to cross before it could resume the  flight, according to news reports about the incident. The delay didn’t last long and the flight was soon on its way.

The airport put a positive spin on the short delay in its post on Twitter.

“Passengers caught a rare glimpse of an alligator trudging from one pond to the next,” officials said.

Generally, mating season for alligators is May through June, and wildlife officials warned that people are more likely to see them out and about during that time.