United Airlines investigates giant bunny death
This is not Simon. But giant rabbits like this (right) can be valuable.
United Airlines is investigating the death of a giant rabbit which was being transported on one of its planes.
The 90cm-long bunny, called Simon, was found dead in the cargo hold when the flight arrived at Chicago's O'Hare airport from London Heathrow.
Reports in UK media say the continental giant rabbit was being delivered to a new "celebrity" owner.
United, which has had a torrid few weeks of bad publicity, said it was "saddened" by Simon's death.
'Well-being important'
Animals dying on planes is rare but not unheard of.
US Department of Transportation figures show that in 2015, the most recent data available, US airlines reported 35 animal deaths.
Of those, 14 deaths were on United flights, with further nine creatures injured. Across the year, United carried 97,156 animals, meaning there were 2.37 incidents for every 10,000 animals transported during the period.
That was the highest rate seen any US airline, according to the data.
In a statement sent to the BBC, United said: "We were saddened to hear this news. The safety and well-being of all the animals that travel with us is of the utmost importance to United Airlines and our PetSafe team.
"We have been in contact with our customer and have offered assistance. We are reviewing this matter."
The Sun newspaper reported that Simon was the son of the world's largest rabbit - a 1.3m-long continental giant rabbit called Darius.
Owner Annette Edwards told the paper: "Simon had a vet's check-up three hours before the flight and was fit as a fiddle.
"Something very strange has happened and I want to know what. I've sent rabbits all around the world and nothing like this has happened before."
Criticised
United has been in damage control mode this month after passenger Dr David Dao lost two front teeth and suffered a broken nose when he was forcibly removed from an overbooked flight.
The incident caused outrage and widespread condemnation of the airline after footage was shared and watched by millions of people online.
The firm has apologised and reviewed its policies on overbooking planes, .
In late March, United was heavily criticised on social media after two girls were reportedly barred from flying for wearing leggings on a flight from Denver to Minneapolis
United said the girls were travelling on a special pass, for employees and their guests, which has a dress code.
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-39715188
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United Airlines? United Airlines? Of course it was United Airlines!!! Now they are Giant Bunny killers too!
BTW, am I the only one who thinks that it's strange that the BBC felt it was necessary to indicate in the top picture who the Giant Bunny is by adding "(right)" to the caption? As opposed to the human holding it? Did they really think anyone was going to mix them up?
Maybe the man's name was "Bunny", so they felt they had to very clearly differentiate - just PC being applied.
Do you think that maybe the United flght was overbooked with bunnies?
Maybe so! So they violently dragged it down the aisle and into baggage...and forgot to pressurize it! It was probably that same Flight Attendant that was suspended a few weeks ago from American who got a new job with United and he's more upset because now he's handling just the Bunny passengers! The bastard!
That does it, UAL should be banned from flying, period.
Oh no!! This is horrible.
I used to breed bunnies, specifically dutch dwarfs. The owner must be really upset. UAL sucks.
Well, according to the article this is a "Continental Giant Bunny, which can be very expensive and is a special breed, that was supposed to be delivered to an unnamed "celebrity", which could be just about anyone from Oprah to Betty White to George Clooney or whoever.
Now, after finding the Giant Bunny dead on what was probably it first leg of it flight to probably Los Angels and considering all of the late night jokes and crap that United Airline has gone through by shooting itself in the foot lately, can you just imagine having to be the person whose job it is to actually call the CEO and tell him about this?
"Uh sir? This is the Vice-President of the New York Office and I am afraid. Really afraid. That I have some bad news for you. It would seem that a person from England was shipping a special breed of Bunny...what sir? Yes a special breed of BUNNY. B.U.N.N.Y, BUNNY. Like a Rabbit.....yes sir...very special kind. Well sir it was being shipped to (insert name of famous person here) out in Los Angeles and...well....sir....it seems that the bunny...is well...sort of.....um....dead....sir. SIR! SIR! Calm down! No Sir, we did not kill the bunny! Not on purpose anyway! No Sir, we did not drag it down any aisle! I promise you Sir! No Sir, I don't know why the bunny is dead! No Sir, I don't know What we are going to tell (insert name of famous person here) when they find out their special Giant Bunny is dead! SIR? SIR? Are you sure? n autopsy Sir? On a bunny??? Are you sure, Sir? You mean a REAL autopsy? No Sir, I don't know what Doctor Michal Baden's phone number is?"
Of course they could have just sent it to (insert name of famous person here) and tried to convince them that the bunny is not really dead, but is just sleeping like the pet shop keep tried on Monty Python?