Over 130 hamsters caused a five-day grounding of a TAP Air Portugal passenger aircraft after escaping from their transport boxes in the cargo hold during a flight from Lisbon to Ponta Delgada.
The hamsters were part of a delivery that also included ferrets and caged birds intended for a pet store in the Azores.
Maintenance staff at Ponta Delgada Airport worked diligently to capture and remove the remaining hamsters from the aircraft, with the last 16 not located until Sunday.
The unusual incident has drawn attention to the challenges and unexpected occurrences in animal transport by airlines, highlighting both humor and the complexities involved.
