Rats Found on Arkia Flight Returning From Greece, Airline Blames Catering Firm

An Arkia Airlines crew operating a passenger-free flight returning from Greece made a startling discovery after landing: an adult rat had jumped from a service cart during the flight, and a subsequent search turned up rat pups hidden inside one of the cart's compartments.

The cart in question was a dry equipment trolley stocked with water bottles and cups, not a food cart intended for passengers. Arkia said the cart originated from the dry goods warehouse of TAMAM, the catering and equipment company that services Israeli airlines and dozens of foreign carriers at Ben Gurion Airport. The airline said the cart was immediately taken out of service upon discovery and stressed that at no point did the rodents come into contact with food intended for passengers or crew.

TAMAM rejected the accusations. The company said the cart, which contained only soft drinks, had been inspected and cleared before being loaded onto the aircraft, and that the infestation was only discovered after the plane had already stopped over in Greece. TAMAM called on Arkia to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the incident.

Arkia said the matter is under investigation, and in a formal statement demanded that TAMAM carry out a "comprehensive and thorough examination" of how the incident occurred, saying it expects "full explanations alongside corrective measures to ensure this type of incident does not recur."

While no passengers were aboard and Arkia insists there was no contamination of food or supplies, the presence of rodents on an aircraft is considered a serious safety and sanitation matter. Rats aboard a plane, with no means of exit or containment, could pose health risks and potential hazards to passengers and crew in an active flight scenario.