Rodent trouble forced the cancellation of an Alaska Airlines’ flight after a rat hitched a ride aboard a jet at Oakland International Airport.
The rat was spotted entering the cabin of Alaska Flight 915 forcing first a delay and then after unsuccessful attempts to catch the critter, it was cancelled.
"A rat was spotted jumping from the jet way to inside the aircraft. Most of the 110 passengers were rebooked on another flight to Portland later this evening, with some guests leaving on flights (on Wednesday)," the airline said.
"The plane is currently out of service. It will be returned to operations once it’s certified rodent-free by a professional exterminator. The aircraft will also be thoroughly inspected to ensure no damage has been done."
On the rare occasions rats are spotted on aircraft it often leads to cancellation, even if they are caught quickly.
There is always the fear that a rodent could nibble through cables, causing system problems later in-flight.
