Air Canada flight canceled after screams, banging heard inside aircraft

Air Canada passengers were left horrified when they heard terrified screaming and banging coming from inside the aircraft just before takeoff — after a baggage handler got stuck in the cargo hold.

Flight AC1502 was taxiing along the runway at Toronto’s Pearson Airport ahead of its scheduled two-hour flight to Moncton, New Brunswick, when a man started yelling for help.

“We had already started taxiing when a baggage crew member was under the aircraft in the cargo and could be heard yelling for help and banging underneath us,” passenger and travel blogger Stephanie Cure wrote on Instagram.

“Some of the people that were sitting towards the back of the plane heard the person screaming and banging, trying to get their attention,” fellow passenger Gabrielle Caron told CBC.

She added that the flight attendants were “running back and forth,” while a ground crew was “gathering around the plane, so we know something’s happening.”

Cure shared a video from inside the plane as the pilot addressed the bizarre situation during the Dec. 13 flight.

“I’ve never had that in my life. First time, hopefully the first and last. But that’s the reason we had to taxi — get that person out of the airplane. The good news is that the person is perfectly fine and safe,” the pilot said in the video.

The plane taxied back to the runway and the baggage handler was freed from the aircraft. The flight was later canceled, CTV news reported.

“On flight AC1502 on December 13, 2025, the aircraft cargo doors were inadvertently closed while a member of the ground crew was inside,” an Air Canada spokesperson told The Post.

“Upon discovery, the aircraft returned to the gate. There were no injuries, but as this presented a potential safety issue, we have reinforced our procedures with our ground crews,” the spokesperson added.