Eek! Mouse in pantry halts Nepal flight to Bangkok

[AsahinaKimi]

KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) -- Airline officials say flight attendants spotted a mouse in the pantry of a Boeing 757, prompting Nepal Airlines to cancel a Bangkok-bound flight, evacuate passengers and tow the jet to a hangar to hunt for the rodent.

Airline spokesman Raju K.C. says the mouse is believed to have boarded the plane at the Katmandu airport Monday through a food catering truck.

He says the animal darted out of the pantry toward the back of the plane, where it remained unnoticed by the few passengers who had boarded. The cabin crew unsuccessfully hunted the mouse and then decided to cancel the flight and perform a more thorough search.

The airline spokesman says the plane will not be used again until the mouse is found.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/odd/news/20110906p2g00m0dm053000c.html

[marmar]

1. How dare the mouse board without paying baggage fees, four-legged creature fees....

cheese cleanup fees, rodent removal fees etc.

[hlthe2b]

2. Mice eat electrical wiring...

Maybe an overreaction or maybe NOT. :shrug:

[MineralMan]

6. Yes they do. However, that behavior wasn't really a concern during

this flight. Mice gnaw on things, but this mouse was confined to the cabin of the plane. Not much wiring there. This was an extreme over-reaction to a small, harmless rodent loose in the plane.

[hlthe2b]

7. Wow... you seem to read between the lines far more than I

I read the article... Nowhere does it state that they know where the mouse had been or even how long he had been on the plane. My uncle, the electrical mechanic for one of the airlines, will certainly be interested to learn that wiring does not extend the length of the plane. One thing is for sure, mice can find a way into nearly anywhere if given the opportunity and time.

The article is sparse in terms of information provide. I think you are overly assuming, though in all likelihood the mouse posed no danger. Nonetheless, we are left wondering why they took the action that they did--for appearances or for a real concern?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

12. Exactly.No airline would let an aircraft go into service

with a mouse on board, and not because it might scare the passengers. If there is one mouse there are almost certainly more, and they can (and do) get into the wiring, not to mention the galleys. The normal practice is to take the aircraft out of service and inspect it for any evidence of mice. It doesn't fly again until they are sure the mice are gone.

[amborin]

3. is that the actual photo? looks like a rat to me...either way...

[Tesha]

8. That's a mouse in the photo but probably not *THE* mouse. (NT)

[Glimmer of Hope]

9. This is a rat:

[MineralMan]

4. How silly. My mother would have reacted differently...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1887427

[taterguy]

5. I've had it with these motherfucking mice on this motherfucking plane

Five years ago that would have been the first reply posted.

[jberryhill]

10. They should just get some snakes to hunt the mouse

[Nailzberg]

11. Same problem grounded an SAS plane a few weeks ago

Might be time for the airports to hire a few cats.