Paris, France. Passengers on Cyprus Airways flight CY381 from Paris to Larnaca on Monday questioned the decision to keep an unaccompanied teddy bear on board after it was brought onto the aircraft and not claimed by any passenger.
Teddy bear brought on board and stored
A passenger said the small bear was carried onto the plane by a member of ground staff, who asked passengers whether anyone had left it at the gate. When no one claimed it, the passenger said the cabin crew chief placed it in an overhead locker instead of taking it back to the gate.
Passenger complaint and captain announcement
The passenger said they complained to the head of the cabin crew, arguing that keeping an item left at the departure gate on board did not appear to be good safety practice. According to the passenger, the captain was informed and later announced that he had contacted ground staff, who said the teddy bear had been checked through security and was safe to remain on the aircraft.
The passenger said the captain assured passengers it was safe to fly without removing the item.
Further concerns and exchange with cabin crew
The passenger said they doubted the teddy bear’s security status could have been verified in a few minutes amid what they described as chaotic conditions at Charles de Gaulle airport, where the army had blocked most airport areas for unknown reasons.
The passenger said they raised the issue again with a crew member and were told that if they felt unsafe they could disembark. The passenger said they responded that this was “ridiculous,” and added that the crew member threatened to call the captain to arrange for the passenger to be removed from the plane, though the passenger said no such option was provided as the aircraft was taxiing for takeoff.
Was this experience in line with airline safety regulations, considering there was no way to verify how the teddy made it to the gate or whether it was safe to have it on board?
