Cat Chaos Grounds Canadian Flight For Hours

A flight was held up for four hours when a cat escaped from its carrycase and ran amok in the cockpit.

Ripples got free when her carrier was accidentally opened by a passenger trying to put luggage in an overhead compartment.

Her dash for freedom on Air Canada Flight 603 from Halifax to Toronto left cabin crew and passengers scouring the plane, while her owner repeatedly called out to her.

"It is hilarious, really. It is so random," passenger Kyle Warkentin told CBC News.

He said a flight attendant announced they were looking for a cat, apologising to passengers.

"Then the engine turned off and the whole power on the plane turned off, and they said they were doing this to calm the cat," Mr Warkentin said.

He added that he could see into the cockpit, and that it looked like it had been taken apart.

"It wasn't just a simple matter of trying to find it under someone's feet. It was actually in within the wires of the plane. So it was pretty bizarre how it got there," he said.

Ripples was eventually found - and once the plane had been checked for any damage to cables, the flight eventually got on its way.

Air Canada allows small pets in the cabin, except on flights to Hawaii. The company stipulates only that the animal must fit and "stay comfortably" in its carrier, which must fit under the seat.