Southwest Passenger Says She Was Forced To Leave Pet Fish At Denver Airport
A San Diego area college student is accusing Southwest Airlines of forcing her to leave her pet fish at Denver International Airport.
Last Wednesday, University of Colorado sophomore Lanice Powless was getting ready to fly home for the holidays with Cassie, a pink male beta fish she has owned since her freshman year.
"I've taken him everywhere with me," she told San Diego station KGTV.
Although the Transportation Security Administration website says live fish are allowed on planes as carry-on luggage, Southwest employees have told Powless only small cats and dogs that fit in under-seat carrier are allowed.
This surprised her, she said, because she has taken numerous trips on Southwest with Cassie.
"I have traveled with it. I had it in my container too. Maybe they just did not make a big deal out of it, "Powless told the station.
KGTV
After a gate agent refused to hold the fish at the counter for 30 minutes, a friend could pick it up, Powless was forced to ask random passengers on other airlines that allowed fish if they could care for Cassie, according to Fox News
"
" [Airport staffers] "We did not allow us to converse at all because they were thinking we were to be able to take care of Cassie, she was unable to get that person's name or other contact info. going to do some, like, secret exchange throughout the airport, "Powless told KGTV. "Selv efter at jeg ikke længere var i besiddelse med fiskene, de fortsatte med at have sikkerhed omkring os og følge os gennem lufthavnen og escorted onto our plane, as if, like, we brought something bad to the airport."
A Southwest Representative Customs USA Today, While Fish are not allowed on flights, employees " offered to re-book the Customer for a later flight to allow them to make arrangements for their pet but the Customer refused that option.
"Everyone's laughing at me," she told KGTV . "Yes, it's a fish. Jeg vet. But dang, it was my pet.
In August, Southwest Airlines announced that it was limiting passengers to one emotional support animal per person – and only dogs and cats are allowed.
