By Doug Cameron
Alaska Airlines on Monday said one of its jetliners was forced
to make an emergency landing in Seattle after the pilot heard
banging from beneath the cabin floor after takeoff from a worker
who had been stuck in the cargo hold.
The airline, a unit of Alaska Air Group Inc., said in a
statement that it was investigating the unusual incident, which
forced Flight 448, bound for Los Angeles, to return after 14
minutes in the air. It said the worker appeared to be okay after
the incident, and told authorities he had fallen asleep before
takeoff.
The forward cargo hold of the type of plane involved, a Boeing
Co. 737, is pressurized and temperature controlled. Alaska Airlines
said the worker walked off the aircraft after it landed, and was
taken to local hospital as a precaution.
Alaska Airlines said the worker was employed by Menzies
Aviation, which according to its website is a unit of U.K.-based
John Menzies PLC that employs staff at 149 airports worldwide.
Menzies couldn't immediately be reached for comment. Alaska
Airlines outsourced hundreds of ground-handling jobs to Menzies in
2005.
The airline said the pilot of Flight 448 started hearing banging
immediately after takeoff. "The captain immediately returned to
Seattle, declaring an emergency for priority landing," the airline
said in a statement.
Write to Doug Cameron at doug.cameron@wsj.com
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