Baggage Handler On Alaska Airlines Flight ‘Knowingly Violated’ Policy With Nap

April 15, 2015
Ramp worker employed with handling company Menzies Aviation for 18 months.

A contract worker who fell asleep Monday in the cargo hold of a departing Alaska Airlines jetliner “knowingly violated” the policies and procedures of his employer, Menzies Aviation, the company said Tuesday.

Menzies, a global provider of airline handling, said the worker “hid in the hold of an aircraft to take a nap,” forcing the plane the turn around and make an emergency landing. The matter remains under internal investigation, the company added.

Alaska Airlines outsourced its Seattle ramp workers to Menzies in 2005 as a cost-cutting move. The transition was rocky at first, with misplaced luggage, late flights and an incident in which a damaged plane had to make an emergency landing. But the companies have said those problems were fixed.

More details here.