I Think I'll Avoid This Airline

I've had my share of adventures with airline travel (though thankfully, none have occurred in airport restrooms), and although I've watched as mechanics worked on a recalcitrant airliner, I've never seen them do this:

KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Officials at Nepal's state-run airline have sacrificed two goats to appease Akash Bhairab, the Hindu sky god, following technical problems with one of its Boeing 757 aircraft, the carrier said Tuesday.

Nepal Airlines, which has two Boeing aircraft, has had to suspend some services in recent weeks due the problem.

The goats were sacrificed in front of the troublesome aircraft Sunday at Nepal's only international airport in Kathmandu in accordance with Hindu traditions, an official said.

"The snag in the plane has now been fixed and the aircraft has resumed its flights," said Raju K.C., a senior airline official, without explaining what the problem had been.

How can a society be sophisticated enough to operate a technically complex airplane like a 757, but primitive enough to sacrifice a goat to fix a mechanical problem?

Captain: "Ladies and gentlemen, this is Captain Sooleymanipapu. The ground crew has loaded all the luggage and serviced the plane, and we'll be pushing back just as soon as High Priest Manneninnehaha finishes sacrificing the goats. He's just about ....Oooooo, that wasn't pretty! He'll just sprinkle a little goat gore on the nose of the plane and we'll be off."