Forget snakes, crocodiles and rats on planes - the latest animal to cause mid-air chaos is truly from the dark side.

Shocked passengers ducked and dived as what was believed to be a bat raced through the cabin of a Delta jet on the weekend, swooping extremely close to their heads at times.

A snoozing passenger was woken by the commotion and filmed the creature as it flapped around the plane, which was bound for Georgia, US.

The unidentified man told of waking up to screams and watching as the striken bat looked for a way out.

I woke up to a small scream and then I saw the bat fly over my head, the passenger told CNN.

I grabbed my phone to get some video as my friends would never believe this. It went up and down the aisle about four to five times before being trapped in the back lavatory.

After the bat flew into the lavatory a passenger sitting close by closed the door on it, an action met with cheers of relief from those on board.

A spokesperson for Delta Connections partner Atlantic Southeast Airlines confirmed the flight returned to Madison, US, after a flying animal was reported in the cabin but said he could not determine if it was a bat or a bird.

There are reports the jet was searched and a maintenance worker coaxed the bat out of the plane and back into the open air.