Frontier Airlines Removes Passenger From Flight Over Emotional Support Squirrel

A Frontier Airlines passenger traveling from Orlando to Cleveland, Ohio, was removed from her flight Tuesday evening due to a squirrel.

The airlines confirmed the news to Fox8 saying the woman was escorted off Flight 1612 in Orlando, Florida, because she boarded with the squirrel which was her emotional support animal.

It said the unnamed passenger had informed them she would be bringing an emotional support animal on board, however, did not indicate it would be a squirrel. She had to be removed as “rodents, including squirrels are not allowed” on Frontier flights and only dogs and cats are accepted as emotional support animals.

Orlando police were called after the woman refused to get off the plane. All the passengers were deplaned so they could deal with the woman. She was eventually escorted and taken to the main terminal. The entire fiasco delayed the flight by two hours. Videos circulating on social media show the passengers clapping as the passenger was escorted off the flight.

The incident also led to a lot of amused comments on Twitter.

In a similar incident in January, United Airlines denied boarding to a passenger for showing up with her emotional support peacock at the Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.

In a statement, the airlines said the peacock failed to meet several guidelines, including those on weight and size and that they had explained this to the passenger on three separate occasions before she arrived at the airport. The passenger said she bought the bird its own ticket.

The Jet Set, a travel-focused television show based in Washington, posted videos and photos that showed the bird's arrival at the terminal.

Bobby Laurie, a co-host at the Jet Set, said the passenger had tried on several previous occasions to fly with the peacock but was denied entry. Her ticket was refunded, and the airline even gave her cab fare back to the hotel.

"I really think that the whole emotional-support animal thing is just getting out of hand. Granted, there are the folks out there who truly do need it, but a lot of people are now, I guess, just testing the waters to see what it is you can do and what you can get away with. As a flight attendant myself, I've had someone try to board with a pig and a turkey,” Laurie said.

According to Frontier’s new policy, which will be effective from Nov. 1, 2018, the airline will allow only dogs, cats and miniature horses on board. These animals must be trained to behave properly in a public setting and should be under the control of the handler at all times. In case it shows disruptive behavior such as scratching, excessive whining, barking or urinating, it could be denied boarding.