Mittens, a Maine Coon kitty, has been returned to her owners after making three trans-Tasman flights due to an airline mistake.
The eight-year-old cat was stowed in the cargo hold of an Air New Zealand flight bound for Melbourne from Christchurch last Monday.
Owner Margo Neas said she expectantly waited for Mittens to reappear from the plane at Melbourne Airport.
However, after three hours of waiting, Ms Neas had seen not hide nor hair of the feline.
Then ground staff told Ms Neas the plane was already en route for New Zealand again – with Mittens still in the hold.
‘I said, “How can this happen? How can this happen? Oh my God”,’ Ms Neas told Associated Press.
Staff managed to reach the pilot during the flight to inform him of the furry stowaway.
He turned on the heating system in the belly of the plane to help keep the cat warm.
Margot Neas sent her cat on a one-way flight to Australia, by the time Mittens arrived she’d crossed the Tasman thrice
Ms Neas’ son carried the worn out cat from Melbourne Airport after more than 21 hours of flight time
Luggage handlers hadn’t seen Mittens’ cage, because a wheelchair was stowed in front of it.
‘It was not a great start to our new life in Melbourne because we didn’t have the family, we weren’t complete,’ Ms Neas said.
But the pet moving company Ms Neas had employed to arrange the kitty’s travels met the cat in Christchurch and returned her to the plane for a third trip over the ditch.
Ms Neas said her cat had lost a little weight but otherwise was unharmed by the back-to-back flights.
The cat arrived escorted on a VIP forklift through Melbourne Airport after MoveMyPet staff greeted her at the gate.
A typically standoffish house pet, Mittens was beside herself to be reunited with her family.
‘She basically just ran into my arms and just snuggled up in here and just did the biggest cuddles of all time. It was just such a relief,’ Ms Neas said.
Air New Zealand told Ms Neas they would reimburse the costs associated with Mittens’ jetsetting and apologised for any distress caused.
Ms Neas said Mittens is a typically standoffish cat, but wanted nothing more than some cuddles after her voyages
Air New Zealand’s general manager of customer care, Alisha Armstrong, told Kiwi outlet Stuff the company had been in touch with Ms Neas.
‘We apologise for the distress this experience has caused,’ she said.
‘We’ll work closely with our ground handler in Melbourne to ensure this doesn’t happen again.’
Ms Neas assured the public that Mittens would receive royal treatment following the exhausting ordeal.
She said the family is just relieved to have her home safe and sound.
