A Maine Coon named Mittens became an accident frequent flyer after the cat’s cage was left in the hold of a plane and she traveled between Australia and New Zealand three times in one day.
Eight-year-old Mittens was booked into the hold of a plane on January 13 as her family flew overhead, heading from Christchurch, New Zealand, to their new home in Melbourne, Australia.
Owner Margo Neas told the Associated Press that when they landed on Australian soil, she I waited three hours to have her cat unloaded from the cargo area of the flight, but the mittens never appeared.
In this photo provided by Margo Neas, her cat, Mittens, plays with a Donald Trump toy in Melbourne, Australia, on January 7, 2019.
Margo Neas via AP
The ground crew finally showed up and delivered some distressing news: Mittens was on his way back to his home country, still in the cargo hold, making the 7.5-hour journey again.
“I said, how can this happen? How can this happen? Oh my God,” Neas told the New Zealand Herald, adding that he was told Mittens’ crate was covered by a stored wheelchairthat is to say the Air New Zealand the baggage handlers had not been able to see her.
When Mittens returned to New Zealand, the pet moving company Neas had used to book the original trip helped the feline get back on a flight to Melbourne. The pilot was alerted to the presence of the now jet-setting cat and the heater in the cargo hold was turned on to keep Mittens comfortable during his third flight in 24 hours.
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“Basically, she just ran into my arms and I snuggled up here and gave the biggest hugs ever,” Neas told the Associated Press of the cat’s return.
“It was such a relief,” she added.
In this photo provided by Margo Neas, her son Jackson Brow holds their cat, Mittens, in a carrier at Melbourne Airport on January 14, 2025.
Margo Neas via AP
Air New Zealand reimbursed Neas for all of Mittens’ travel expenses and apologized to him.
“He acknowledged my concerns and mentioned that if it was his pet, he would feel the same” Neas told the New Zealand Herald.
“While they engage third parties to manage cargo removal, ultimately Air NZ is responsible and must give the same care and priority to all passengers, whether human or furry.”
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