Flight delayed after woman brings 'emotional support squirrel' on plane
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Police escorted a woman off a plane Tuesday after she brought an unexpected furry friend on a Frontier Airlines flight from Orlando to Cleveland – a squirrel.
The woman informed Frontier Airlines she was taking an "emotional support animal" on the flight from Florida when she made her reservation, according to the Associated Press. However, she did not say the animal was a squirrel. The airline said they called Orlando police after they asked the woman to leave the plane with the animal and she refused.
"Rodents, including squirrels, are not allowed on Frontier flights. The passenger was advised of the policy and was asked to deplane," said Jonathan Freed, director of corporate communications at Frontier Airlines. "When she refused to deplane, Orlando Police were called and everyone was deplaned so police could deal with the passenger. Police eventually escorted the passenger off the aircraft and returned her to the main terminal."
The incident delayed the flight by approximately two hours, according to the AP.
After Delta Airlines cracked down on support animals on planes, we explain guidelines on when you can travel with one. Robert Lindeman
This incident comes after multiple airlines have tightened restrictions on emotional support animals during flights. Delta Air Lines announced in January that customers must provide 48 hours advance notice and submit three forms to bring an animal on board. United Airlines, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines have all adopted their own policies on support animals in the last year, citing a sharp increase in the number of "comfort" pets on flights. In the past, flyers could present documentation at the airport.
Delta Air Lines also banned "pit bull-type dogs" as either comfort or service animals on flights after several workers were bitten this year, according to the airline.
Julia Papesch, a 22-year-old graduate student at Florida State University, tweeted a video of the woman being wheeled off of the flight.
In an interview with USA TODAY, Papesch said she initially thought the plane was experiencing mechanical problems.
"We all got on the plane, and then we were sitting there for a while. All of a sudden someone came over the intercom and said that we all had to deplane. I thought something was wrong with the engine," Papesch said. "I kept hearing things about a squirrel, so I was asking people around me and someone said we did have to deplane because of a squirrel."
Papesch added that, though some passengers were frustrated with the delay, most had a sense of humor about the situation.
"I think everyone was really confused," Papesch said. "For the most part, people found it funny."
Many were also puzzled by the incident on social media.
"I have heard it all now. "Emotional support" squirrels? SMH"
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Where do these whackjobs come from? A squirrel, another had a peacock. Last year, my lady friend's daughter's roommate at college got caught with a cat in the on-campus apartment.....so she filed for a 'Emotional Support Animal' permit, received it and kept the cat, but after graduation, she and her boyfriend toured Europe for the summer and she left the cat with friends.
People need to re-learn limits......
Lol saw an article about this yesterday, gave me a chuckle. Still doesn't beat the support ostrich I read about a few months ago
Sounds like the only real squirrel here was the passenger!
Daniel the duck is an emotional support animal for 37-year-old Carla Fitzgerald from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Daniel provides comfort for Fitzgerald, who has post-traumatic stress disorder.
...if it walks like a duck...
I still don't get it. What did these people do before the advent of 'emotional support animals'?
They Drank
A lot, especially on long flights.
I didn't know a flight was even required.
Time to "Just say NO".
What and deny this lady her emotional support ? NO WAY !
This person needs her support squirrel, live animals cant travel on planes the simple solution would have been to kill the squirrel and allow her to take it abroad.
Man some people just aren't very logically minded are they ?
.
lol
,
+ sarc
Your so mean.
"Take a Picture (with you), It lasts longer" !
Just trying to be helpful.
lol
"Take a Picture (with you), It lasts longer" !
I used to have a "comfort hamster" LOL I'll bet I could smuggle that aboard.
Problem again... solved.
Like I used to tell mom , "Mom , I think there really is more than one way to do it."
Sadly, this type of stuff in now common-place.
This is what we have "evolved" to.
A nation of wimps, without a backbone, some of us feeling that no matter what, EVERYONE must somehow be accommodated for whatever ails them, and the rest of us be damned.
It isn't really surprising though.
After all, we had people bawling like babies over an ELECTION, FFS. And then we had the famous "Scream at the Sky" day.
Our ancestors must be so freaking proud of us today.
The Founders would be horrified about what has happened to the country they carefully crafted.
The Founders would be horrified about what has happened to the country they carefully crafted.
On so many levels !
She should have to pay all the passengers she inconvenienced and all extra costs this foolishness caused