Airport Staff Chase Escaped Monkey Through Baggage Claim at San Antonio Arrivals Hall

Staff at San Antonio International Airport got a little more than they bargained for on Monday when a monkey escaped from its crate and led officials on a chase through the baggage area.

The animal was being transported from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, landing in San Antonio International on an American Airlines flight before breaking out of its cage in the baggage area of Terminal B, CNN reported.

"A monkey that was en route to a local animal sanctuary and refuge in the San Antonio-area inadvertently became free of his cage," the airline told Fox25 in a statement.

"American Airlines, the San Antonio Aviation Department and officials from the San Antonio Zoo all worked in conjunction to ensure his safety and wellbeing as he continues his journey to his new home," the statement added.

The monkey had been on its way to an animal sanctuary when it made its bid for freedom, and has since completed its journey to the aptly-named Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary in La Salle County.

Unusually, it is not the first time the city of San Antonio has fallen victim to some monkey business, with a group of baboons escaping from a research facility in the city last month, News 4 San Antonio reported.

Four of the animals carried out a daring escape from the Texas Biomed property using a barrel to climb over one of the walls before fleeing the scene.

However, the animals were rounded up and captured within half an hour of escaping the research facility, with attending veterinarian Dr. John Bernal highlighting the work of a skilled team in bringing the animals back.

"The capture team was phenomenal," Dr. Bernal told news 4. "They do a great job. They do what they're trained for. They moved very swiftly."