Moments of tension and confusion were experienced aboard an Air Canada flight when passengers heard a ground worker shouting and banging from the cargo hold as the plane taxied to the runway for takeoff.

Flight AC1502, bound for A plane bound for Moncton, New Brunswick, was taxiing at Toronto Pearson Airport on December 13 when it was discovered that a baggage handler had been accidentally trapped in the cargo hold after the doors closed “inadvertently,” the airline told the National Post. Passengers recount alarming scenes. Stephanie Cure, a travel blogger who was on board the plane, recounted the episode in an Instagram post. “We had already started taxiing when a baggage crew member was under the plane in the cargo hold and could be heard yelling for help and banging on the ground beneath us,” she wrote. Cure said she had never experienced anything like it and that the crew announced over the PA system that they needed to return to the door to get someone trapped in the hold. According to him, the worker was “perfectly fine.”

The plane returned to the gate

Air Canada confirmed that the plane returned to the gate, where it was verified that the employee had not suffered any injuries. However, the incident caused delays, and according to Cure, the flight never arrived in Moncton that day, with the delay attributed to circumstances beyond the airline's control.

Another passenger, Gabrielle Caron, told CBC that screams could also be heard from the back of the plane and that the staff's behavior made it clear that something serious was happening.

“We saw the flight attendants running around and the crew gathering around the plane,” she recounted. “We knew something wasn't right.”

Experts downplay physical risk

Despite the impact of the episode, Aviation expert John Gradek told CBC that the worker would not have been in immediate danger, as there was no risk of asphyxiation or hypothermia during the time he remained in the cargo hold. However,he noted that investigators will likely analyze whether the employee was alert and in adequate condition at the time of the incident. Criticism and Calls for Enhanced Security: The case sparked strong criticism on social media, where users questioned ground safety protocols. Some suggested that all ramp personnel should carry radios, while others called for panic buttons in the cargo hold and visible interlocking systems to prevent accidental door closures. Air Canada reported that, following the incident, it strengthened its procedures with ground crews to prevent similar situations.

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