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Giant Rabbit Dies On United Airlines Flight

rynner2

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United Airlines in fresh PR nightmare after rabbit set to be world’s biggest dies on UK flight
Chris Graham
26 April 2017 • 7:20am

United Airlines is battling another PR nightmare after a rabbit destined to be the world’s biggest died on a flight from Britain to the US.

The airline, which recently triggered a worldwide backlash after a passenger was forcibly removed from one of its flights, could now face legal action after the death of a valuable rabbit in the cargo section of a Boeing 767 from Heathrow to Chicago’s O'Hare International Airport.

Measuring three-feet, Simon was expected to outgrow his father Darius, whose length of 4ft 4in made him the world's biggest bunny.
The 10-month-old continental giant rabbit was reportedly being sent to his new celebrity owner, whose identity hasn’t been revealed.

“Simon had a vet’s check-up three hours before the flight and was fit as a fiddle,” breeder Annette Edwards, of Stoulton, Worcs, told The Sun.
“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.”

The animal was found dead when it arrived at O’Hare, the airport where passenger Dr David Dao was dragged off a United flight earlier this month.

"We were saddened to hear this news,” a United Airlines spokeswoman said, according to the Mirror.
"The safety and wellbeing 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."

Ms Edwards, a former glamour model whose rabbits are said to be hired out at £500 a time, and the new owner in the US are considering legal action, the Sun reported.

Darius, the Guinness World Record holder for world’s biggest rabbit, weighs three-and-a-half stone and costs his owner about £2,400 per year in food alone.
His mother Alice held the record before him and Simon was expected to continue the family tradition.

The most recent figures from the US Department of Transportation - dating from 2015 but released this February - show 35 animal deaths occurred during transit across 17 carriers in the States.
United accounted for 14 animal deaths in that period with a further nine reported injured among the nearly 100,000 animals carried by the company.
...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...fresh-pr-nightmare-rabbit-set-worlds-biggest/
 
You couldn't make it up...as if their PR could get any worse lol...bunny-killers!
 
United Airlines to offer up to $10,000 for forfeiting seat

United Airlines says it will offer up to $10,000 (£7,800) to passengers who give up seats on overbooked flights.
The change comes as part of a review following an inquiry set up after a man was dragged screaming from a fully booked plane early this month.
Dr David Dao lost two front teeth and suffered a broken nose when he was removed from the Chicago to Louisville flight to make room for crew members.
The incident caused outrage and widespread condemnation of the airline.
Shocking footage was shared and watched by millions of people online.

The latest incident to hit United Airlines's reputation came on Wednesday when it announced an investigation into 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.

Law enforcement officials dragged Dr Dao off the flight forcibly after the 69-year-old Vietnamese-American physician had refused to leave, saying he needed to go home to see his patients.
His lawyer later said that Dr Dao found the experience "more horrifying and harrowing than what he experienced when leaving Vietnam".
The ordeal led to demonstrations at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and turned into a public relations disaster for United Airlines.

etc...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39729265
 
United Airlines apologises again after flying passenger 3,000 miles in the wrong direction
Natalie Paris, Travel writer
8 May 2017 • 10:08am

United Airlines has been forced to apologise for another public relations gaffe, after flying one of its passengers 4,800km in the wrong direction.
A last-minute change to a departure gate saw Lucie Bahetoukilae, who does not speak English, board a flight to San Francisco when she was supposed to be going to Newark.
The mistake occurred on April 24, when Ms Bahetoukilae got on the wrong plane in Paris after United failed to notify her that her flight was leaving from a different gate.

Once on the plane, according to reports, Ms Bahetoukilae went to sit down but noticed that someone else was in her seat.
When she handed her boarding pass to the flight attendant, the incorrect destination went unnoticed and she was directed to another seat.

Ms Bahetoukilae said United Airlines did not email her about the gate change and did not make an announcement in French at the airport.

After landing in San Francisco, she had to wait for 11 hours before she could be rerouted home again.
United has apologised to Ms Bahetoukilae and said it is working with its team to ensure that a similar thing doesn’t happen again.

Ms Bahetoukilae’s niece, Diane Miantsoko, told ABC7: "This is not about money, this is about United getting serious with their employees."

etc...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/united-latest-pr-gaffe-sends-passenger-wrong-flight/
 
Going back to the dead rabbit fiasco that opened this thread ...

I've been wondering why the rabbit died. It appears we may never know.

At first there were reports the bunny had been mistakenly placed in a freezer or similar cold space after it was unloaded (alive) from the airliner. For example:

http://metro.co.uk/2017/04/29/giant...lines-after-being-put-in-the-freezer-6604933/

Later, United denied the freezer story, but revealed they'd already cremated the bunny's remains ...

http://nypost.com/2017/04/30/breeder-says-united-cremated-giant-bunny-without-her-permission/

... so I guess we'll never know anything (other than the fact United is inept when it comes to customer relations).
 
It refused to give up it's cage to a company rabbit and died after being tasered in the
struggle to get it off the plane.

:eek:
That's as likely an explanation as one that United would come up with.
 
It refused to give up it's cage to a company rabbit and died after being tasered in the
struggle to get it off the plane.

:eek:

Giant Rabbits getting revenge on United CEO.

C_Q21IZXkAEKMW_.jpg
 
I was looking forward to Samuel L Jackson yelling 'I'm gonna get these bunny-funning rabbits off this motherpuppy plane'. Unfortunately the boss fight with the Megabunny is now ruined.
 
United strike again.

Woman says she was given cup to pee in on United flight

(KSNV NEWS3LV)
— They say when you've got to go, you've to go! Unless of course, you're on an airplane and the 'fasten seatbelt' sign is on.

A United Airlines passenger says when she tried to go to the bathroom, a flight attendant ordered her back to her seat.

Nicole Harper was headed from Houston to Kansas City.

The nurse and mother of two says she's lived with an overactive bladder her entire life.

Harper says when she told the flight attendant that she either needed to go to the restroom or she needed a cup, she was given a cup.

She has filed a complaint with United Airlines and the Department of Transportation.

United Airlines says they have reached out to Harper.

http://wjla.com/news/offbeat/woman-...al&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
 
Now that might be a good defense for the airline. She admits to a "overactive bladder," why not wear diapers or pads for any journey.
 
United in the spotlight again after 'wrestling antique violin off classical musician'
Hugh Morris
7 June 2017 • 11:18am

A United Airlines supervisor attempted to wrestle a 17th century violin from a classical musician after the airline said the priceless instrument must be checked as hold luggage.

This is the account of Yennifer Correia, who was en route to St Louis from Houston to play in the summer season at the Missouri Symphony Orchestra when the incident took place.
At the check-in desk Ms Correia was told her violin would have to be placed in the hold for the flight, but the musician said she would do anything to keep it with her in the cabin. In the US it is a legal requirement for airlines to accept musicians’ instruments as carry-on luggage.

At this point, the violinist asked to speak to a supervisor, who told her there were “no options”, according to Ms Correia’s lawyer, Philip MacNaughton, who said this is when the United staff member became “belligerent”.

“Without provocation, the supervisor for the Chicago-based carrier then lunged for Ms Correia’s case and, incredibly, tried to wrestle it away from the musician,” said Mr MacNaughton.
“Ms Correia screamed for help. The United supervisor threatened to ‘call security’ and Ms Correia responded, ‘Please do’, at which point the United supervisor ran away.” :twisted:

Ms Correia told local broadcaster KPRC: “I started screaming ‘Help, help, help can somebody record what’s happening because this lady’s trying to take my personal suitcase from me’.
“She proceeded to throw herself on top of my suitcase. So she could take the rest of the sticker from my suitcase. At this point, we’re both struggling… pulling the suitcase and I’m trying to get her not to take the sticker from me.”

MacNaughton described the incident as an attack on the violinist, who has a masters degree in violin from Rice University in Houston, and claimed it left her concerned over possible damage to her hand. Ms Correia has been to see a hand specialist “because the stakes are high”, MacNaughton said.

The lawyer has asked anyone with video footage of the incident to come forward.

United said in a statement: “We’re disappointed anytime a customer has an experience that does not live up to his or her expectation. We are reaching out to Ms Correia to gain a better understanding of what occurred and to offer assistance.”
...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/united-accused-of-wrestling-musician-for-her-antique-violin/
 
Why are people still flying with United?
 
United Airlines to offer up to $10,000 for forfeiting seat

United Airlines says it will offer up to $10,000 (£7,800) to passengers who give up seats on overbooked flights.
The change comes as part of a review following an inquiry set up after a man was dragged screaming from a fully booked plane early this month.
Dr David Dao lost two front teeth and suffered a broken nose when he was removed from the Chicago to Louisville flight to make room for crew members.
The incident caused outrage and widespread condemnation of the airline.
Shocking footage was shared and watched by millions of people online.

The latest incident to hit United Airlines's reputation came on Wednesday when it announced an investigation into 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.

Law enforcement officials dragged Dr Dao off the flight forcibly after the 69-year-old Vietnamese-American physician had refused to leave, saying he needed to go home to see his patients.
His lawyer later said that Dr Dao found the experience "more horrifying and harrowing than what he experienced when leaving Vietnam".
The ordeal led to demonstrations at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and turned into a public relations disaster for United Airlines.

etc...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39729265

Now the policeman who assaulted Dr Dao is suing.

A former Chicago aviation security officer who was fired after dragging a man off a flight last year has filed a lawsuit against the airline and city.

James Long is suing Chicago's Department of Aviation (CDA), its commissioner and the city, alleging he was not trained on how to use force.

He was sacked after removing David Dao from the plane last April to make room for United Airlines employees.

Video footage of the incident sparked international outcry on social media.

The ordeal led to demonstrations at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and turned into a public relations disaster for United Airlines.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-43734466
 
United take proactive precautions.

Following several high-profile pet deaths and mishaps, United Airlines has revealed a more stringent pet transportation policy.

The U.S. carrier said Tuesday that it will only accept dogs and cats ― and no other type of animal ― in its cargo holds beginning June 18. Dozens of snub-nosed and strong-jawed dog and cat breeds will also be banned from flying in the airline’s PetSafe program, which applies to animals traveling in the cargo compartment.

The banned breeds — which include mastiffs, Pekingese, shih-tzus, several bulldog breeds, as well as Burmese and Persian cats — were singled out because of “higher adverse health risks,” United said, adding that it had worked closely with the animal welfare group American Humane to improve its pet travel program. Snub-nosed, or brachycephalic, dog and cat breeds are known to be more vulnerable to flying-related health problems.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entr...cid=newsltushpmgnews__TheMorningEmail__050318
 
Now they have scorpions!

A woman has been stung by a scorpion while travelling on a United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Atlanta.

The woman says she felt a stinging sensation on her leg during the flight on Thursday morning. When she went to the toilet, the scorpion fell out of her trousers and scuttled away. The passenger was treated by paramedics before being taken to hospital, the airline told the BBC. She has not been named and her condition is not known.

"After learning that one of our customers on flight 1554 from San Francisco to Atlanta was stung during flight, our crew responded immediately and consulted with a MedLink physician on the ground who provided medical guidance," the airline said in a statement.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50701544
 
The nurse and mother of two says she's lived with an overactive bladder her entire life.

Harper says when she told the flight attendant that she either needed to go to the restroom or she needed a cup, she was given a cup.

She has filed a complaint with United Airlines and the Department of Transportation.

Can't see the problem here. She asked for the restroom or a cup and was given a cup.
 
Can't see the problem here. She asked for the restroom or a cup and was given a cup.
Yes, I read that bit with a bit of a raised eyebrow, too. Unless the slightly oddly-worded sentence in the original article was intended to mean something else...
 
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