UK - Plane delay as pilot loses mobile!

[White Cap]

Plane delay as pilot loses mobile

Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2006/04/11 10:13:22 GMT
© BBC MMVI

Passengers were left waiting four hours for an alternative flight at Doncaster airport after the pilot of their plane lost his mobile phone in the cockpit.

The captain told travellers on the Thomsonfly service to Tenerife that they could not take off until he had found the phone as it was switched on.

After sitting on the runway for an hour they were asked to disembark and wait for a replacement plane and crew.

Thomsonfly apologised but said the delay was necessary for safety reasons.

"All mobile phones are required to be switched off during the flight for safety reasons," a spokesman said.

"This is a very rare occurrence but as safety is always our priority the captain had no choice, but to delay take-off until the phone was found."

The phone, which is thought to have been set to silent, was later found on the aircraft.