Cheetah gets loose on Delta flight

Big cat escapes from cage in cargo hold, airline summons help from zoo

Top slideshows

EPA	World Heritage Sites From amazing to mysterious, view the natural, cultural, archaeological and architectural wonders of the world.
Lonely Planet Images	Polynesian paradise The Hawaiian Islands are the perfect vacation destination for travelers of all types.
	Caribbean way of life From chic to rustic, expensive to affordable, tourists looking for some sun and sand can find what they're looking for in the Caribbean.

updated 4:27 p.m. ET Oct. 31, 2008

ATLANTA - A Delta baggage worker got a bit of a fright when she opened a jetliner's cargo door and found a cheetah running loose amid the luggage.

Delta spokeswoman Betsy Talton said Friday that two cheetahs were being flown in the cargo area of a passenger flight from Portland, Ore., to Atlanta a day earlier when one escaped from its cage.

Talton said the airline summoned help from an Atlanta zoo. Experts rushed to a closed airport hangar and tranquilized both animals and took them back to the zoo.

Story continues below ↓

advertisement | your ad here

Talton said the airline is now working to get the big cats back to their owners. She declined to identify the owners, citing Delta's privacy rules.

The good news for passengers: The cheetah did not damage any of their luggage.

Don't miss these Travel stories from msnbc.com
Top 10 national park lodges
Traveler's song about United Airlines a hit
Road warriors: Unleash your inner geek
Look before you leap and other useful lessons
French travelers ranked as world’s worst