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Mouse Delays British Airlines Flight Bound for San Francisco

Despite the inconvenience, some passengers saw the funny side on Twitter. One even questioned whether the rodent had failed to obtain a visa.
Image: British Airways jets at London's Heathrow Airport
British Airways jets at London's Heathrow Airport.ANDY RAIN / EPA, file
/ Source: Reuters

Passengers on a San Francisco-bound British Airways flight were delayed after a mouse was spotted on board before takeoff.

Travelers were subsequently removed from the aircraft at London's Heathrow Airport and forced to wait for four hours as a replacement jetliner was found, NBC Bay Area reported.

Despite the inconvenience, some passengers saw the funny side on Twitter. One even questioned whether the rodent had failed to obtain a visa.

“On this occasion there was one very small customer who we had to send back to the gate," a British Airways spokesman told NBC News. "We are sorry for the delay.”

Mice have been known to chew through aircraft wiring, with potentially dangerous results, according to Reuters.