This has been one doggone awful week for United Airlines.
On Monday, a French bulldog died in an overhead bin on a United flight after a flight attendant told its owners to put it there.
The next day, passenger Kara Swindle went to collect her family’s German Shepherd, Irgo, at a United cargo facility in Kansas City. Her family, she said, was completing their move from Oregon to Wichita.
But Irgo wasn’t there.
Irgo was in Japan.
Because United accidentally put him on a flight to Tokyo.
In the pup’s place was a Great Dane that United was supposed to have sent to Japan.
Swindle said that she didn’t find out until 2:30 a.m. where Irgo was. That’s when his flight landed in Japan.
“This has just all been a whirlwind,” Swindle told CNN.
She added that Irgo hadn’t eaten or drank anything for the duration of the 16-plus hours flight, and that he missed three days worth of medication for an ear infection. Presumably the medication won’t be available until he gets home.
United released a statement apologizing for the mix-up, explaining that it occurred when the two dogs were being placed on connecting flights in Denver.
“We have notified our customers that their pets have arrived safely and will arrange to return the pets to them as soon as possible. We apologize for this mistake and are following up with the vendor kennel where they were kept overnight to understand what happened,” United’s statement read in part.
On Thursday, United was set to fly Irgo on a private charter from Tokyo to Wichita. Maybe this dog will have its day, after all.