LINTHICUM, Md. » A tarantula that escaped in the cargo hold of a passenger flight from Maryland’s BWI airport to Atlanta grounded the plane before it could take off and sent passengers onto another flight.

Brian Kruse, spokesman for Delta Air Lines, tells The Baltimore Sun (http://bsun.md/1YEfXu6) that baggage handlers noticed a baboon tarantula had gotten out of its container on Flight 1525 Wednesday night.

Kruse says the captain grounded the plane so it could be searched for any additional arachnids. Passengers were put on another flight.

Kruse says the spider was confined to the cargo hold and never entered the cabin. No other tarantulas were found.