Catfight sparks emergency landing

An airliner made an emergency landing after an “agitated” passenger – a cat - got into the cockpit and attacked the co-pilot.

The plane, flying from Brussels to Vienna, had been in the air for about 20 minutes when a passenger’s pet escaped from its cage, “although it is not yet clear how”, according to a statement by the airline SN Brussels.

“Once free, the animal wandered around the cabin and slipped into the cockpit when meals were being delivered to the two-man flight crew,” it said.

“At this stage the animal became agitated and nervous and scratched the co-pilot’s arm,” it added.

The pilot decided to return to Brussels as a precaution, and the 58 passengers left Brussels two hours later on another flight.

The cat had been checked in at Oslo in an internationally approved “flight transport bag”, but the airline said it may end up changing its procedures for pets in the cabin once it concludes its investigation.

“At no time throughout the incident was the passengers’ safety affected in any way,” it said.