Some alarming noises under the feet of some Air Canada Rouge passengers spiraled into a 24-hour delay in them getting to Moncton, New Brunswick, just before Christmas. According to Simple Flying, passengers heard thumping and screaming as the A319 pushed back from the gate at Toronto Pearson Airport on Dec. 13. Sure enough, a baggage handler crawled out of the baggage hold about two hours later after the plane had come to a stop on a taxiway and authorities presumably made sure it was nothing more sinister than that. But it wasn’t quite as simple as closing the door and having ATC find them a departure slot at Canada’s busiest airport.
The ramp delay caused the crew to go over its duty hour limit so a new crew had to be found. They got in their seats a couple of hours later and something broke on the airplane. A replacement airplane was sent and arrived at the gate, but for unknown reasons the flight was canceled just before 2 a.m. after a 12-hour ordeal. They finally got on their way the next afternoon. Just how the baggage handler got left in the baggage hold without someone, including him or her, noticing has not been released.
Maintenance shops have tool count checks before releasing aircraft. Maybe Rouge needs pre-pushback ramp crew roll calls.
100% guaranteed the ramper was taking a nap in the baggage hold when they closed it up. Common practice among those avoiding work on the ramp.
Or it might be common practice for those who constantly work overtime because there’s not enough baggage handlers?
maybe
wait did he go flying with them? confused .
is this baggage comp. press. ?