The Margin must confess to having a little sympathy with the veteran pilot who left a loaded plane standing at an airport gate for 90 minutes to search for food because he did not like the inflight meal. The discerning gourmet has been fired by his employers Northwest Airlines.

Captain Floyd Dean of Reno, Nevada walked off the plane at Las Vegas airport, telling the crew of the Boeing 757 he was leaving to find something else to eat, according to airline officials.

However, he was unable to find anything he liked in the departure lounge - a not uncommon experience, one must agree. He then pilot took a taxi (they are obviously easier to find in Las Vegas than in Dublin) to buy food outside the airport before returning to the plane and 150 frustrated passengers waiting to fly to Detroit.

One passenger said the plane was loaded and waiting to leave the gate when the crew announced the pilot had left because he "could not get a decent meal" at the airport.