Mittens, an eight-year-old Maine Coon, traveled inadvertently across the Tasman Sea, highlighting a mishap in the pet travel process and the subsequent emotional reunion with her owner.
Cat's Unbelievable Journey: Forgot on Plane, Flown 3 Times in 24 Hours
Cat's Unbelievable Journey: Forgot on Plane, Flown 3 Times in 24 Hours
An incredible tale of a cat named Mittens who made three flights in 24 hours after being accidentally left behind on a plane.
Mittens, an eight-year-old Maine Coon, experienced a whirlwind adventure when she was mistakenly forgotten on an Air New Zealand flight from Christchurch to Melbourne on January 12. Her journey began when she was scheduled for transport but her cage remained in the aircraft's cargo hold. After her owner, Margo Neas, anxiously waited at Melbourne Airport for three hours with no sign of her pet, ground staff ultimately informed her that Mittens was aboard the return flight back to New Zealand.
During this unexpected flight, the crew ensured Mittens' safety by turning on the heating in the cargo hold to protect her from the chill, which can drop to around 7 degrees Celsius. Despite losing some weight during her travel, Mittens was reported to be in good health. After her unintended adventure to New Zealand, the airline facilitated her return to Melbourne, allowing her to reunite with Ms. Neas.
Reflecting on the incident, Ms. Neas expressed her astonishment at how the mix-up occurred. "They said: 'Look, we have located your cat - but it's actually on the return flight to Christchurch...,'" she recounted to NBC. The airline has launched an investigation into how this mishap happened, with reports suggesting that a stowed wheelchair may have obstructed the view of the baggage handler who overlooked Mittens' cage.
Air New Zealand has issued a formal apology to Ms. Neas for the distress caused and agreed to reimburse her for all travel expenses. They clarified that passengers cannot book pets directly for international flights; instead, they must go through approved carriers.
After the reunion, an emotional Ms. Neas detailed the heartwarming moment when Mittens jumped into her arms. "She basically just ran into my arms and just snuggled up in here and just did the biggest cuddles of all time," she said. She added that the incident put a damper on their start in Melbourne as they had just relocated, leaving them feeling incomplete without Mittens.
Typically, the flight duration between Christchurch and Melbourne is under four hours, but for Mittens, this adventure turned into an unexpected 24-hour ordeal across three flights.
