Absurdly Driven looks at the world of business with a skeptical eye and a firmly rooted tongue in cheek.
It’s hard to know whether these things happen predominantly on United flights, or whether the airline’s lagging brand reputation makes such stories emerge more readily.
Yesterday, ululations were emitted in horror after a woman told the story of a dog that died on a United Airlines flight, after a Flight Attendant had insisted it had to go into an overhead bin.
It seems, though, that this wasn’t the only canine snafu this week.
Here’s the story of Irgo, a 10-year-old German shepherd.
His family — of humans, rather than dogs — is moving from Oregon to Wichita, Kansas.
KCTV-TV reports that Irgo was flown separately in a kennel and the Swindle family were supposed to pick him up in Kansas City airport on Tuesday.
When they got there, they discovered that Irgo was no longer a German shepherd, but a Great Dane.
Or, rather, that this wasn’t Irgo at all. Which might, you’d think, have irked them a little.
Especially when they discovered where Irgo was.
Japan.
At least, that’s how it seems.
“I just want to know where my dog is. The fact that we don’t have any idea is the most frustrating part. He could be in Kansas City and we have no idea because the paperwork is all messed up. They have our paperwork here saying that this is the correct dog, but we know it’s not. It’s just horrible,” Kara Swindle told KCTV.
All indications are, however, that Irgo and the Great Dane were simply mixed up by mistake and send their separate ways.
Of course, if Irgo is now in a foreign country, there may be quarantine restrictions and all sorts of other nonsense to endure.
I contacted United to ask what might have happened, and will update, should I hear.
The airline did, though, put the family up in a local hotel.
Perhaps there were other mix-ups with other dogs on other airlines yesterday.
Yet United has become something of a symbol for how airlines are viewed in general.
It must make the airline’s PR people barking mad.