Cat escapes on plane, delays Halifax flight for 4 hours

A feline felon named Ripples escaped into the cockpit of a plane in Halifax, delaying its flight to Toronto for four hours. Dana Levenson has exclusive video.

CTV Atlantic: Cat causes chaos on Halifax flight

Travelers and crew on an Air Canada place got some added in-flight entertainment after a cat got loose in the plane's cabin and caused a four-hour delay. Kelland Sundahl reports.

Watch: See all Videos in the Player

A A | Email This Email | Print | Comments (42) Tweet

Ripples the cat escaped from a carry-on crate on the flight from Halifax to Toronto and ended up hiding in a small opening beneath the cockpit on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012.

View Larger Image

CTVNews.ca Staff

Date: Wed. Jan. 25 2012 9:54 PM ET

Samuel L. Jackson just might have the gripping, true life story he needs to get a "Snakes on a Plane" sequel off the ground.

An Air Canada flight from Halifax to Toronto was delayed for four hours Wednesday after a cat named Ripples escaped from a carry-on crate and ended up hiding in a small opening underneath the cockpit.

"One of the passengers had carried a cat on board in a carrier . . . into the cabin of the aircraft," Halifax Stanfield International Airport spokesperson Peter Spurway told CTV Atlantic. "Somehow the cat got loose and it wound up loose in the cabin…and wouldn't you know it, the cat finds its way into the cockpit."

CTV Toronto will air exclusive video of Ripples at 6 p.m. ET tonight.

Ripples' owner, Debbie Harris, was sheepish.

"This is his first trip and his last! He's not flying anymore," she told CTV Toronto at Lester B. Pearson International Airport.

One passenger quipped to CTV: "I don't want to embarrass you lady, but that was messed."

Spurway said the cockpit door is sometimes left open when passengers are boarding the plane and Ripples managed to lodge himself inside a panel in the cockpit.

Harris said some passengers tried to unsuccessfully catch the cat on his way to the cockpit.

Passengers were forced to leave the plane while maintenance workers struggled to secure the terrified cat. The delay cost Air Canada thousands in lost wages and having to rebook some customers.

"They had to bring in their maintenance people to remove panels and disassemble pieces of the cockpit to get down to the cat, which was traumatized I'm sure," Spurway said.

The flight, which was supposed to take off from Halifax at 5:40 a.m. local time, didn't end up getting off the ground until about 10 a.m.

"It's very unusual," Spurway said of the incident. "I've never heard of such a thing. I'm sure it's happened elsewhere, but I think here in Halifax, it's a first for us."

Ripples, a 10-year old Tabby cat, was not injured in the incident.

Comments are now closed for this story

David L
said

I think all pets should be banned from travel. Not because of dislike but because of diseases, pets can come into contact who knows what and no one will know, transfer of diseases can happen. Also I would add how would the owner of the pet like it they were caged up, locked up for hours at a time and in the underbelly of a plane in most cases. That is animal abuse if you ask me.

Scott in Ajax
said

I can appreciate the fact that the flight could not depart due to the cat being stuck in the cockpit. That is an obvious safety issue. However, the 'sheepish' owner should be held accountable for her pet.

In my opinion, it is a privilege to be able to travel with your pet in the cabin of an airliner. With any privileges in life also come responsibilities.

Ms. Harris should be forced to pay Air Canada at least some of the lost revenue since, while in possession of the cat, she should be responsible for not only the animal's well-being, but for secure containment in the cabin at all times. Never mind the regulations, this is common courtesy which should be afforded to fellow passengers.

Dr. MHZ
said

I am allergic to cats only but I would rather the cat be allowed in the cabin because to be put in the hold is HELL for an animal. It is noisy, unpressurized, and causes deafness in animals. We put our little spaniel in the hold going to Florida and she went deaf as a result and was so terrified she ripped her cardboard container to shreds with blood all over the place. So on the way back we gave her a sleeping pill and she sat in her container at our feet and was happy to be with us and we with her. I also think it was her owner's fault and the cage did not open by itself.

Shelley
said

All these humans complaining about a cat on a plane. Do you feel entitled or something? I have no problems with a cat in a carrier in the cabin, but I do have problems with humans who complain and talk incessantly and don't care about anything but themselves. Maybe these kinds of humans should be travelling in the cargo area. Well done Air Canada, you showed some class.

OldOne
said

I'm highly allergic to cats and some dogs. There would be a much longer delay if someone sat down next to me with a useless cat that did not even pay for a ticket. What are the airlines thinking of by allowing these critters on a public for people transportation system.

John ON
said

It's not an issue of whether you like cats or not. Delaying hundreds of people for 4 hours, over a cat, is ludicrous. Not to mention that Air Canada will make up the losses by punishing the rest of us with increased fares.It's a practical issue, no animals in the cabin. Don't get me started with the allergy issue! This is just nuts.

devils advocate
said

Holy SourPusses batman! Some of you really need to take a pill (alergy pill that is) and calm down! It's a pussy cat, not a lion so get over your irrational fears and stop making your personal problems someone else's issue. If you're truly, extremely,dangerously allergic (or just a scaredy cat and don't mind lying) informing the airline at reservation time will ensure that cats aren't in the passenger compartment on your filght! Trust me...so rare is the occurence of kiities in flight to begin with that the chance of one getting on a plane with a dangerously allergic person (sorry temporary sniffles and itchy eyes never killed me and won't kill you so suck it up) is infinitessimal. Sheeesh... you'd think cat's in the cabin are the equivalent of allowing someone to carry a bomb on board the way some of you are carrying on!

LH
said

Dawn in Edmonton, you said exactly what I was thinking. I actually think the perfect solution to many of these sorts of problems is have kid-free flights, pet-free flights etc, that way you have more control over who you fly with. As for the obnoxious people, that one is harder, if only there was a solution.

Lindsay in Calgary
said

To all you wonderful people who hate cats and would either "turf them on the tarmac" or "strangle them with one finger" ...shame on you. Just because you don't personally like them doesn't mean you should wish them harm. I personally don't like any of you, but I wouldn't be tossing you out of a plane or stangling you. Lovely to know our world is full of such amazing people.

Alexis in Victoria
said

Dawn in Edmonton--I'm with you on that one! If people can't control their kids on flights for the sake of courtesy and consideration of other passengers, then why should it be any different for someone travelling with a cat? There are more than enough obnoxious adult passengers as well!

Gorg
said

Meeoooow!!!

Kim in NB
said

I dislike cats so I cant help but think they should have just turfed it out onto the tarmac.

Dilys
said

Animals should not be allowed in the passenger area of the plane period end!Cats and dogs are becoming a serious problem on the ground and in the air. The better hotels now have pet floors. This is just sick sick sick.I DO NOT want to fly with an animal and I certainly don't want to pay to stay in an expensive hotel where animals are allowed.Put them in a kennel and pay someone to look after them.

Dawn in Edmonton
said

Yes, many people are allergic to or not fond of cats. i'd like to point out that I am allergic to screaming children and babies, children who sit behind me and kick the back of my seat for a four hour flight, and obnoxious adults who never cease to amaze me. I haven't found a way to keep them off of the flights, I see no reason to exclude pets. Call the airline and inquire if there are any pets in the cabin and if there are, ask to be switched to an alternative flight.

Nancy
said

Absolutely not.... cats should be with in luggage compartment. I personally travel using airlines and I have a phobia of cats and just the idea of being in a plane with a cat makes me absolutely sick. We should be respected as we are the people who pays for the plane tickets..Once my boyfriend took the plane and someone brought the cat with them on the plane... it would of been impossible for me to be on that flight. plane. knowing there was a cat in the plane...

NM
said

Let's not be catty here... I'm allergic to cats also, but understand that occasionally people need to travel with their pets. There are ways to cater to everyone's needs. For the people whose allergies are so severe that it's life-threatening, anaphylaxis could be triggered just as easily by people who have cat/dog/rabbit hair on their clothing. So, people should probably be forced to strip down if a cat hair is spotted anywhere on them. Gosh, I sincerely hope I'm not on that flight ;)

frank mccart
said

bo animals should not be allowed on planes. we fly a couple of times a year and my wife is terrified of cats and others are aligerica to cats so no animals should be on planes

Lynda
said

That goes to show one example why pets should not be on board.And,for people with allergies it makes for a very distressing flight.

Elizabeth
said

@Chris_MCravis
Wow..a true animal lover!!

Chris_MCravis
said

This is the exact reason Cats are a burden on society as a whole. If Samuel L Jackson were aboard this plane, i am 100% confident, he would of greased himself up, rammed his body under the cockpit and strangled the life out of the cat with 1 finger. The people of the plane would of joyously applauded him, and of course been slightly turned on. With exception to the owner of the cat, who's life has been dramatically improved.

Daniel from Windsor Ont.
said

Well if there's ever "Rats On A Plane", they know who to call for now.....

Becky of Calgary
said

That has to be Houdini my tabby who ran away the day I came back to Calgary from Victoria 3years ago.I never got her back but she was a good hider too.One day I thought I'd sneak into a store with her in her crate but at till she started to crawl out. Hasty eexit....................A happy story,.

suzyqt_canada
said

It worries me that cats are allowed on planes in passager areas and being extremely allergic.. this would cause health issues...and it is running around..when did this happen

andrew
said

I would hope the owner of the cat would be billed the cost of this. The cat got out because the owner let it out!! i have a cat, those cages do not open by mistake!! they should not be in the in the plane anyway, what about those with allergies!!

Pete
said

This story made me laugh. Too often the news is filled with stories of tragedy and loss. This is a welcome change! I'm glad Ripples is ok!

Jody
said

I am not an animal hater but I do have allergies to all animals and can not be in the same room/house or even near them outdoors. I will have an asthma reaction. It's nice the cat was ok but - really? I feel sorry for the people whose flight was delayed. Obviously for personal reasons I dislike seeing animals sharing spaces with people on airplanes and feel that they should be left home unless they are absolutely necessary as service animals. Maybe this incident will cause them to rethink their policy on pets.

greensprout
said

clearly "someone" opened his crate. How unfortunate for all the other passengers and crews to be held up over something so preventable.

no pets
said

No Pets on planes, babies are bad enough

sally
said

If that cat would have been on my flight I wouldn't have been able to fly with it. I am so allergic to cats and dogs that my airway closes.

Dave from Toronto
said

Absolutely stupendous way to delay a flight.

Hooray for Ripples. You go Kitty Kat!!!

magentapyramid
said

Ripples made waves!

Edith Lawrence
said

This is one reason among many, why pets should not be allowed on planes. The top reason is that many people are severely allergic to cats and dogs. These people get very sick when they board a plane that has cats or dogs on it, and can get very sick if they are sitting near where a cat or dog was on the previous flight. Keep your pets at home please.

Yonky
said

What's the cockpit doing open?? That place should be locked up tight all the time!! Was the cat spade or neutured?? Sooo many questions...

Norm_D
said

About time that all animals are not allowed into the cabin (exception being service dogs). I for one have extreme allergies to cats. I would like to travel with the same reasonable expectations on flying comfortably as every other human does. There are sufferers worse that I am. The attacks can be so bad as to force the plane down to the nearest airport for life support in such close quarters. It may be your sweet little flea bag but to sufferers it is nothing short of a "mangy pile of torture". When is the Federal government going to enact the law banning all animals from the cabins? As for this one, I would like to know how it got free, accident or the owner wanted to put it on their lap to pet it and remove it from the "trauma" of being held in a cage.

Lynn
said

Another reason not to allow pets to be carried onto a plane, besides the risk to human passengers of a severe allergic reaction mid-flight. Not a fan of this privilege and unnecessary rule change... I wonder how much money this delay cost Air Canada...

Martin of NS
said

Glad the cat is safe, however I would have been one annoyed passenger!

grumpy ol man
said

Funny story with a happy ending.Do you think Noah had this problem in the Ark!Meowjet!

RVunit
said

good thing they found it before taking off. Could have been a "CATastrophe"

Don
said

Hilarious but a good news story! In this crazy world it's comforting to know that little things take precedence over the big things in the scheme of things.

Dixie from Alberta
said

Reason enough not to have cats in the cabin. Obviously the owner is not a responsible owner to have let the cat escape...which only happens when the carrier is not closed or secured. Imagine if the cat had gotten loose in the airport. Should be put on the list and banned from ever bringing an animal aboard a plane again. Doesn't the airline check animal carryons to see if they are secure....or did this owner deliberately have the carrier open?

JB in Ontario
said

A purrrrrfect outcome!

dwtnmike
said

Well worth the wait. Beautiful cat!!!

Today's Top Stories

Labour Minister Lisa Raitt speaks in the House of Commons in Ottawa on Monday, May 28, 2012. (Adrian Wyld / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Pick your location

Top Stories -

News Sections

News Programs

Features

Browse: