EasyJet passengers held up by flamingo at Mallorca airport

The birds have usually left Mallorca by April

Passengers arriving into holiday hotspot Palma spied something unexpected out of the window: a stray flamingo strutting on the tarmac.

An easyJet flight had just landed in Mallorca and was taxiing to the gate when it found the pink bird in its path.

The flamingo was ambling along, unperturbed by the fact it was being followed by an 83,000kg aircraft.

Ground staff beeped their horns to try to dislodge the bird, to no avail.

They contacted pilots, according to The Sun, but the bird kept walking calmly just metres from the aircraft. It then flew off, before settling a few metres away.

Spanish air traffic control tweeted that a flamingo had welcomed passengers into Palma, and that the bird was “very elegant, walking on the tarmac”.

Flamingos are typically seen on the Spanish holiday island during the winter. They arrive in late summer and have usually left by springtime.