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A woman who boarded her Frontier plane with an emotionally supported squirrel (not this one) was escorted from the plane on Tuesday.
Robert F. Bukaty / AP
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Robert F. Bukaty / AP
A woman who boarded her Frontier plane with an emotionally supported squirrel (not this one) was escorted from the plane on Tuesday.
Robert F. Bukaty / AP
Jokes about flying squirrels, nuts served in planes and bushy-tailed passengers, squirrels and planes do not really mix. At least not Tuesday at the Orlando International Airport, where an unidentified passenger had not received the memo.
She boarded her Frontier Airlines flight bound for Cleveland in a cage containing the fur occupant. She did her due diligence in noting that she would bring an animal with emotional support, Frontier said in a statement. She even had the animal cleaned by the TSA X-ray machine. She simply failed to warn the airline that her companion was a squirrel.
Once on board, the woman learned that squirrels are rodents – and rodents are not welcome. (Then have no idea, proud owners of hamsters, rats and mice).
The woman refused to take the plane, Frontier said, and the Orlando police intervened.
"Everyone was disembarked so the police could take care of the passenger," Frontier said.
A spokesman for the Orlando Police Department said the woman had come down from the plane upon arrival of police officers. No further action has been taken.
Recorded video on the terminal shows the woman leaving, accompanied by police while she grabbed the cage of her squirrel.
"Yes, here's the crazy woman," she cries, while the other passengers laugh. She then raises her fist, tense middle finger, and shouts: "Shut up," passersby clapping and holding their phones to record the incident.
Someone can be heard yelling "Squirrel whore" when she goes out.
Federal rules state that a "wide variety of assistance animals is allowed in the cabin part of the aircraft", but airlines have leeway to define their own policies .
And the airlines say they have been forced to do it.
Earlier this month, Frontier announced that a new policy will come into force on November 1, which will include limiting emotional support animals to cats and dogs. Miniature horses are also allowed as assistance animals. (Note: Squirrels were not allowed, even with the old policy.)
Other airlines have also taken action, including United, Delta and American Airlines, which tightened their rules earlier this year, including requiring behavioral training for animals.
According to Delta, "carries around 700 service or support animals every day, nearly 250,000 a year." Customers have been trying to fly with comfortable turkeys, gliding gliders called sugar gliders, snakes , spiders, etc. "
During a high profile incident in January, a woman attempted (and failed) to provide emotional support to the peacock aboard her United flight.
David Schaper of NPR reports that exotic animals are set apart. Affective support animals can deal with very real problems because some passengers "suffering from severe anxiety, phobias, PTSD or other disabilities can not travel without them".
Schaper, however, cites United that he found a 75% increase over the previous year in the number of guests accompanied by emotional support animals. "The airline has also experienced a significant increase in the number of incidents on board involving these animals, including bites, aggression, urination, defecation, allergic reactions, conflicts and injuries. other disturbances, "he said.
Back in Orlando, passengers were allowed to come back after the withdrawal of the woman and the squirrel. According to Cleveland News 5, the flight was delayed by two hours, but some passengers seemed rather amused than aggravated by the incident and were eager to see it escape on social media.
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