Man found in luggage compartment of E190

[Greg McDonald]

A Jetblue Airways Embraer ERJ-190, flight B6-1004 from New York JFK,NY to Boston,MA (USA), had reached the parking position at Boston, the luggage was to be unloaded, when the luggage handlers discovered a man in the cargo compartment and called police.

The police reported, that the man (21) identified himself as a Jetblue employee working as luggage handler at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport, who had involuntarily been locked into the compartment. According to the man's testimony the man was working in the luggage compartment, when he realized the airplane was no longer on the ground and phoned his company.

Boston Airport reported, that the man was found asleep in the cargo compartment. The workers called police, who took the man into custody, but released him after he was identified. The man refused medical treatment and was sent back to New York - this time not in the cargo compartment.

Jetblue officially confirmed the incident, but refused further comment stating that an investigation is underway. A Jetblue official however hinted, that the man fell asleep before takeoff while working in the cargo compartment. It is being investigated whether the employee was accidentally locked in by co-workers. The cargo compartment is pressurized.

The airplane's maximum cruise altitude was 17000 feet MSL during the 37 minutes flight.