An airport worker's nap ended up not on a very sweet note. This worker's shift started at 5am and he fell asleep in the cargo hold of an Alaska flight bound for Los Angeles.

When he woke up, the plane had just taken off Monday afternoon. He started banging for help, which could be heard by the pilots as well as by the first-class passengers aboard Flight 448. After listening to the noises, the captain returned to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and declared an emergency landing.

The plane was in the air for 14 minutes. After the plane landed, a ramp worker was taken out of the front cargo hold, which as per the airline is pressurized and temperature controlled. The worker shared that he had fallen asleep.

The worker was employed by the Alaska contractor Menzies Aviation. As soon as he came out of the plane, medics checked him at the airport and he was found to be unhurt, said airport spokesman Perry Cooper.

On Monday evening, the airline said that the man was also taken to hospital and examination was conducted there and was later released. Airline spokesman Bryan Zidar said that the worker has also passed a drug test.

The worker's shift started at 5 am and has to end at 2.30pm. He was part of a team having four people who had to load baggage onto the flight, which departed at 2.39 pm. Before the plane took off, the team's head noticed that the man was missing. He called into the cargo for him and even texted on the man's cellphone, but there was no reply.

His co-workers thought that he has finished his work and left for home. The Federal Aviation Administration has been investigating the matter, confirmed spokesman Allen Kenitzer.