What was supposed to be a four-hour flight for an 8-year-old cat named Mittens turned into a full-on high-flying adventure — and a bit of a worst nightmare for her owner.
You see, Mittens and her owner Margo Neas were flying from Christchurch, New Zealand, to Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 12, according to the BBC. Margo was up front, Mittens was in the cargo hold with the luggage.
Everything seemed fine as Margo arrived at her destination, but after waiting for three hours, there was still no cat. Upon further investigation by Air New Zealand, it was discovered Mittens was still on the plane, which was now headed back to where they started.
Fortunately, they alerted the warm-hearted pilot, who turned on the heat in the cargo hold, which can get quite cold.
With three flights under her belt, Mittens was finally reunited with Margo and seemed just fine.
Obviously, Margo got both a big apology and a refund from the airline. Apparently a stowed wheelchair likely kept baggage handlers from spotting Mittens.