In a new PR issue for embattled United Airlines, the carrier has apologized and promised a full investigation after an 3 foot tall enormous rabbit died suddenly in the cargo hold on its way from England to its new owner, identified as a “celebrity.”
Simon the bunny was healthy beforehand, insists breeder Annette Edwards, a former Playboy bunny and model from England.
Edwards said she has sent the giant rabbits she breeds all over the world and there’s never been a fatality.
Simon was expected to grow into the world’s largest rabbit. He was 10 months old and his father Darius is 4 ft 4 in (1.32) a Guinness Record book holder for being the biggest at this time.
United says it offered its condolences to the passenger and is investigating the death of the rabbit. A company spokeswoman said ‘they were saddened by the news’.
The safety and well-being of all the animals that travel with us is of the utmost importance to United Airlines and our PetSafe team’, she said in a statement
Animal deaths on planes are generally rare, although they still occur from time to time. There were 35 such incidents aboard U.S. airlines in 2015. Most of them – 14 fatalities – occurred on United flights.
(More on this later after a Critterfiles reader crunched some numbers)
Edwards said the airline was examining CCTV images to determine what might have happened to the rabbit. United declined to comment on the matter beyond its statement.
United is already dealing with public relations issues after a passenger Dr. David Dao who would not give up his seat was dragged forcibly from a plane in Chicago.
And n the same day, a Calgary man travelling through Houston was stung by a scorpion that dropped from an overhead bin on his United flight.
