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 from a worker who had become
stuck after falling asleep in the cargo hold.
The contract worker was part of a four-person team loading bags
on the Los Angeles-bound flight, having started his nine-and-a-half
hour shift at 5 a.m., the airline said in a statement.
Co-workers noticed his absence before takeoff, but didn't
receive an answer after calling into the hold and phoning and
texting their colleague. They believed he had left work for the
day, as his shift ended at 2.30 p.m. The flight took off at 2.39
p.m.
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.
The unit of Alaska Air Group Inc., said it was investigating the
unusual incident, which forced Flight 448 to return after 14
minutes in the air. It said the worker appeared to be OK after the
incident, and told authorities he had fallen asleep before
takeoff.
The forward cargo hold of the type of plane involved, a Boeing
737, is pressurized and temperature-controlled. Alaska Airlines
said the worker was walked off the aircraft after it landed, and
was taken to a hospital as a precaution, and later discharged,
having passed a drug test.
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 world-wide.
Menzies couldn't immediately be reached for comment. Alaska
Airlines outsourced hundreds of ground-handling jobs to Menzies in
2005.
"All ramp employees have security badges," said the airline.
"They undergo full criminal background checks and drug screening
prior to being hired. They are also subjected to random drug tests
throughout their employment."
Write to Doug Cameron at doug.cameron@wsj.com
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