On Tuesday evening, an Oregon-bound Alaska Airlines flight from Oakland International Airport was canceled when a rat was spotted boarding the plane. The crew spotted it when it jumped from the jetway onto the plane when the door was opened. It was later spotted in the cockpit and then it disappeared.
The flight was delayed for quite some time while staff members looked for the rodent and passengers Tweeted about the experience:
chose Oakland airport to evade @KarlTheFog at SFO but now delayed because a rat hijacked our plane departure time: unknown #truestory
— gingamc (@gingamc) January 2, 2018
@AlaskaAir I’ve heard it all. Our flight to Portland is delayed because when they opened the door on arrival a rat jumped into the plane. There are 4 people trying to locate it. I am naming the rat Mark Davis the Raider Rat after another rat who wants to leave Oakland. #Raiders
— Matt Gough (@surrealMatGough) January 2, 2018
plane still hasn’t moved, man is yelling at woman at ticket counter. 2 hours after original departure, and theoretically should be in Portland, the mood has turned hostile. the jokes have stopped. it’s getting real.
— gingamc (@gingamc) January 2, 2018
When the rodent could not be located, the flight was canceled, the passengers were rebooked on other Alaska Airlines’ flights and the plane was put out of commission until a professional exterminator could be called and the plane inspected for rodent damage.
To read more on this story, go to airlines-flight-out-of-oakland-canceled-due-to-rodent/”>The Mercury News.