Sydney  - Qantas Airways Ltd took a Boeing 737 out of service after four pythons slithered out of their cage in the cargo hold during a flight from Alice Springs to Melbourne, Australia's largest carrier said Thursday.

Two flights had to be cancelled while staff searched in vain for the missing snakes.

The plane was fumigated and returned to service the following day, the spokeswoman said.

The snakes were part of a consignment of Stimson's pythons, which are not venomous.