Gold Coast Airport staff have been forced to act quickly to avoid a real-life snake on a plane emergency, when a green snake tried to board a flight to Sydney this morning.

Loading

Assistant Minister for Defence Stuart Robert was among the passengers diverted to the rear of the plane after the reptile was discovered during boarding.

"A snake had just slithered up the front steps, so we actually boarded, then, through the back steps," he said.

"But within five minutes they had come along and a couple of airport guys had brought a bag and a couple of snake catching rods and quickly gathered up the little sucker and put him in the bag, and I guess deposited him out where he belongs."

With the snake safely in the bag, Mr Robert tweeted a photo of the drama surrounding the would-be stowaway.

"It was probably enjoying the nice warm steel as part of the front stairs and wasn't quite aware what all the fuss was about really," he said.

"Now it may have just climbed up there I guess when people were happily boarding the aircraft, but you have to admire how good the airline staff are in terms of rapidly diverting plans, sorting out the snake, reslotting the aircraft in terms of when it is going to take off.

"But I dare say the poor little snake didn't make it to Sydney."