American Airlines Flight AA-954, which offers nonstop service from Argentina to New York, had to return to its departure airport after noises were heard from the cargo hold.
The aircraft landed safely, and the flight was subsequently canceled.
According to The Aviation Herald, American Airlines Flight AA-954 passengers got a Halloween surprise after the aircraft, which was heading from Ezeiza International Airport (EZE) in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York, had to return to EZE after passengers heard unusual noises coming from the cargo hold.
According to data from Flight Aware, the Boeing 777-300ER (registered N717AN) departed from the gate three minutes ahead of time and took off at 21:17 local time.
The aircraft was at its en route altitude of 32,000 ft and had traveled roughly 400 NM in its one hour of flight time since departure when the pilots decided to turn around and head back to EZE, citing safety concerns.
The aircraft landed safely on runway 11 roughly two hours and 15 minutes after departure. The aircraft stopped on a parallel taxiway, and armed police forces entered the cargo hold. The police presence was required as a stowaway was possible onboard.
According to the View From The Wing, passengers thought a person was locked inside the cargo hold and using a blunt object to create noise and gain attention to be rescued.
However, the airline said in a statement that this was not the case:
"Reports of a person in cargo are not accurate. Flight 954 returned to Buenos Aires due to a reported noise in the cargo hold, but after a thorough search, it was determined there was no issue. Our customers will be re-departing later today, and we apologize for the inconvenience."
American Airlines postponed the flight to the next day. However, it was later canceled. The aircraft is to be grounded for inspection and maintenance but is expected to fly to JFK in 24 hours.
My has contacted American Airlines to provide a statement on the matter.
A Stowaway is someone who secretly boards an aircraft without permission and without paying for transportation. Many have tried to hitch a ride aboard an aircraft in the cargo compartment or the wheel bay.
However, survival is slim due to the following dangers:
- Hypoxia: Cargo compartments are not pressurized. Therefore, the lack of air pressure at high altitudes (+10,000 ft) prevents oxygen exchange in the lungs. This can lead to hypoxia, loss of consciousness, and eventually death.
- Hypothermia: The aircraft's cargo hold is not controlled, so temperatures can drop well below freezing. Constant exposure to low temperatures can result in hypothermia, which causes the body not to be able to regulate its internal temperature, resulting in death.
- Decompression Sickness: As altitude increases, the pressure reduces. This causes the nitrogen dissolved in the blood and body to expand and return to its gaseous form. It can expand in the joints, lungs, and brain and prevent blood flow.
Another risk of stowing away in the wheel bay is that the person could be crushed to death when the landing gear is retracted.
