A baggage handler working for Piedmont Airlines, a regional subsidiary of American Airlines, unknowingly flew from Kansas City to Chicago after falling asleep in the aircraft’s cargo hold. The incident occurred on October 27, 2018, during the departure of American Airlines flight AA363, a Boeing 737-800, from Kansas City International Airport. The employee was asleep in the forward cargo compartment and was discovered only after the aircraft landed at Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
According to police sources, the worker told authorities after the incident that he had consumed alcohol and therefore fell asleep in the cargo hold. After the approximately one-hour flight, medical checks confirmed that he had no health issues. No charges were filed against him, and he was later sent back to Kansas City.
In a statement, American Airlines said that the employee’s health was their priority and that the incident was being taken seriously. The company also noted that the cargo hold is pressurized and heated, which is why the worker was not harmed.
