Rat boards Portland-bound flight in Oakland, flight canceled

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Alaska Airlines is calling in an exterminator after the company says a rat boarded one of its planes at Oakland International Airport and forced it to cancel the Portland-bound flight.

The airline says passengers were boarding the flight Tuesday when the rat jumped from the jet way onto the plane.

Passengers already on board came off, and the plane was taken out of service. Most of the 110 passengers scheduled to take the flight were rebooked on a later flight to Portland.

Alaska Airlines says it will resume using the plane when a professional exterminator certifies it is rodent-free. The aircraft also will be inspected for any damage.