Spirit Airlines Passengers Freak Out When They See Rat on Plane, on Video

11:39 AM PT -- Spirit Airlines tells TMZ ... "We are aware of the video and are taking steps to address this matter."

Someone might want to release snakes on this Spirit Airlines flight ... 'cause they might catch the rat scurrying around the jet and freaking out passengers!

Check out this clip taken on a Spirit flight from Dallas to Los Angeles, which appears to show a rat running above an overhead bin during the approximately 3-hour flight.

The rat's feet can be seen through the opaque glass with light illuminating its snout ... lording over the airplane populace while a group of people film it.

Passengers can be heard calling the rambunctious rodent a "super rat" during the clip ... which ends when the rat darts away out of the light.

It's unclear what flight this was exactly ... but, this incident reportedly took place last week. Sounds like the plane didn't have to stop and call an exterminator, either.

Obviously, the "Snakes on a Plane" jokes popped up online almost immediately ... though Samuel L. Jackson wasn't onboard to rid the flight of the pest, as far as we know.

Maybe this rat just wanted a chance to hit big in Hollywood like Mickey Mouse ... though he may not enjoy the rat race in the City of Angels!

We've reached out to Spirit for more info on their stowaway ... so far, no word back.