Mice join the mile high club!

Aircraft over haulers in Kansas City, USA say an American Airlines Boeing 767 that came in for servicing in April was infested with mice.

An employee at the overhaul base at Kansas City International Airport is alleged to have blown the whistle when the problem was found. "We had to take the chairs off and that's when everybody saw mice running around on the floor and one ran down one of the mechanic's arm," the employee said.

Workers found nests in air vents and dead mice in emergency oxygen masks and all other signs of a full-blown rodent infestation.  The mice had eaten insulation and chewed through wires, he alleged.

"If they shorted themselves and caused a fire, it would go through that cabin so fast, we could have lost some lives," he later commented.

Exterminators estimate that there could be anywhere from 900 to 1,000 mice on the aircraft. American Airlines have issued an official written statement acknowledging the problem and saying that number was closer to 17.

The Federal Aviation Administration says all insulation and oxygen masks on the plane have been replaced, the cargo bins have been removed and replaced and the wiring has been inspected. Meanwhile, the plane is reportedly back in service, complete with a new, mice-free cabin and ventilation system.

Source: Pest Control News UK