Airline employee passes out drunk at KCI, lands in Chicago

A hungover airline employee landed safely in Chicago, Ill., from KCI Airport after falling asleep in a cargo hold on Saturday, Oct. 27.

ABC News reported the incident in which a Piedmont Airlines employee, which operates regional American Airlines flights, inadvertently fell asleep in an unused cargo hold. The cargo hold on the Boeing 737-800 is heated and pressurized which kept the unnamed employee alive.

The employee woke up from the one-hour flight which landed at O’Hare Airport in Chicago at 7:09 a.m. The employee was discovered at the gate by an American Airlines employee, who called the police.

American Airlines said the employee has been suspended pending an investigation. The FBI and Chicago Police Department declined to press charges, according to WGN.

“Our top priority is ensuring the well-being of the Piedmont employee,” American Airlines said in a press release. “He did not request any medical attention upon arrival in Chicago, and we are grateful that he did not sustain any injuries.

“The American team is very concerned about this serious situation, and we are reviewing what transpired with our Piedmont and Kansas City colleagues.”