Flush you hamster down the loo, that's what an American ultra-low-cost airline told one of its passengers, even after she'd called the airline twice to make sure her 'emotional support' fluffy hamster could fly.
Belen Aldecosea was flying home from college to South Florida and had twice called Spirit Airlines to make sure she could take her beloved pet hamster 'Pebbles' home with her. The airline twice assured her that it would be ok and little Pebbles could fly!
However, after arriving at Baltimore airport, Spirit went back on its word and refused to allow the tiny critter on the flight. There was little Belen could do, her college friends were hours away on campus, it is then that Spirit told the distraught student to flush the pet down the airport toilet.
Aldecosea had to return home for a medical issue and was so upset and worried about the situation, she tried to hire a car but was unsuccessful, a bus trip would have taken days and the unthinkable seemed to be the only option.
“She was scared. I was scared. It was horrifying trying to put her in the toilet,” Aldecosea told local media “I was emotional. I was crying. I sat there for a good 10 minutes crying in the stall.” Pebbles had met a watery end.
The 21 year-old, from Miami Beach, is now considering taking legal action against Spirit over the conflicting instructions which concluded with them pressuring her into making such an anguished decision with a pet certified by her doctor as an emotional support animal.
Rather than issuing an apology or even conducting an investigation, the budget airline Spirit called her a liar. “To be clear, at no point did any of our agents suggest this guest (or any other for that matter) should flush or otherwise injure an animal,” Derek Dombrowski, spokesperson for Spirit asserts.Following complaints, Spirit listed to a recording of a call and confirmed that its reservations staff had given the wrong information “Our reservation representative, unfortunately, did misinform the guest that a hamster was permitted to fly as an emotional support animal on Spirit Airlines,” Dombrowski advised.
Whilst Spirit hasn't apologised they have offered Ms Aldecosea a free flight voucher to a different destination, which the student has declined.
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