Worker on Alaska Airlines Flight ‘Knowingly Violated’ Policy With Nap

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. The worker, whose name wasn’t released and whose current job status is unknown, had been employed by the firm for 18 months as a baggage handler at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, according to Menzies, a unit of John Menzies PLC of the U.K. “Fortunately, the area of the aircraft in which the employee concealed himself was both pressurized and climate-controlled and therefor he was not harmed,” the company said.   According to Alaska Airlines, the employee was just ending his 9 and ½-hour shift on Monday when he fell asleep on the Boeing Co. 737, which took off a few minutes later for Los Angeles with 170 passengers and six crew members on board. The ramp worker’s team mates had noticed he was missing but thought he had finished his shift and gone home. The man awoke and 14 minutes into the flight began banging on the cabin floor from beneath it. The captain declared an emergency and immediately returned to Seattle. The airline, a unit of Alaska Air Group Inc., said the worker appeared to be OK and was taken to a hospital as a precaution. He passed a drug test and was later discharged. The airline, which also is investigating the matter, on Tuesday referred all further inquiries to Menzies. -By SUSAN CAREY Read more at The Wall Street Journal  What personal injury victims need to know: If you have been injured due to the negligence of someone else, you need information on your rights and of how the insurance claim process works. Typically an insurance company tries to rush you into a decision to settle a claim, to reduce their payout. If you have been seriously injured through no fault of your own, it is crucial to get help from an experienced personal injury attorney who will talk with you about your options and help you find a way forward. Go here to learn more.  

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