 |
| United Airlines is in trouble again, this time over the death of a giant rabbit it was transporting |
A three-foot giant rabbit has died on a United Airlines flight from London, prompting a review at the Chicago-based airline which faced a global backlash this month over its treatment of a passenger who was dragged from his seat.
The 10-month old rabbit named Simon, who was tipped to become one of the worldโs largest rabbits, was travelling to OโHare in Chicago from Britain after a celebrity owner purchased him.
He was healthy before the flight, according to the rabbitโs breeder.
โSimon had a vetโs check-up three hours before the flight and was fit as a fiddle,โ breeder Annette Edwards told The Sun newspaper. โSomething very strange has happened and I want to know what.โ
The Continental Giant breed rabbit died in the cargo section of a Boeing 767 after leaving Heathrow, she said.
โIโve sent rabbits all around the world and nothing like this has happened before,โ Edwards, a former Playboy model, was quoted as saying. โThe client who bought Simon is very famous. Heโs upset.โ
United said it was saddened by the news of Simonโs death.
โWe were saddened to hear this news,โ said United spokesman Kevin Johnston in an emailed response. โWe have been in contact with our customer and have offered assistance. We are reviewing this matter.โ
โThe safety and wellbeing of all the animals that travel with us is of the utmost importance to United Airlines and our PetSafe team,โ the United spokesman said.
Earlier this month, a United passenger, Dr David Dao, was dragged from his seat off a parked plane at OโHare International Airport bound for Louisville, Kentucky, to make room for crew members.
Video recorded by other passengers showed Dao, a 69-year-old doctor, being dragged down the aisle with blood on his face after refusing to give up his seat on a flight from Chicago to Louisville, Kentucky on April 9.
