JOHANNESBURG. Calm has returned to O.R.Tambo International Airport following the weekend’s  of a shock departure South African Airways flight to London - on time, with all its engines attached, and only minimal luggage stolen.

A spokesman for the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) said that staff was receiving counselling after the shock take-off of the SAA Boeing 747, but that many employees were still “confused and angry”.

According to ACSA, those heaviest hit by the freak departure were the baggage handlers. Many of them are feeling deeply hurt that the plane got away before they had time to carry out the traditional pre- flight baggage integrity sweep”, said a spokesperson. ” Many of our staff depend on this sweep to put bling on their family’s table.”

She added that while the sweep was not officially encouraged, since it involved cutting open baggage with industrial angle-grinders and searching for valuables, there was nothing ACSA could do to stop it.

“Asking us to stop baggage theft would be like asking us to introduce minimum employment standard in our hiring process,” she said.

ACSA currently requires all job-applicants to have a pulse, and to be able to write their name, or indeed any name, on an application form.