04/07/2011
By Katrina McLachlan
A Qantas plane was grounded for more than a day after crew members discovered rats in a medical supplies compartment during a check before take-off, a spokeswoman has said.
A further inspection was conducted on Tuesday afternoon, which determined that there were no more rats or any damage. The plane has since returned to service.
The rodents, which were found in a cabinet with a defibrillator, were discovered before any passengers had boarded the flight, which was travelling from Sydney to Brisbane.
Following the find, they were transferred to another plane.
The incident was described as "very unusual" by a Qantas spokeswoman.
But the Australian Broadcasting Corp radio was told by Scott Connolly, from the Transportation Workers Union, that there were concerns among members about hygiene and sanitation levels on Qantas flights.
The spokeswoman denied that was the case. "This is a very irregular occurrence," she said.
Qantas, Australia's national carrier, has experienced a series of troubles in recent months, including an engine explosion and forced landings.
Earlier this week, a Qantas flight from Dallas, Texas, to Australia made an unscheduled stop on a Pacific island after pilots feared they might run out of fuel because of strong headwinds.
The Qantas spokeswoman said the airline was committed to the route - which is new and one of the world's longest for Boeing 747 jets.
