Official announcements or press releases from Air New Zealand

Mittens the Cat Takes Three Unintended Flights Covering 4,500 Miles After Being Left in Air New Zealand Cargo Hold

Jan 22, 2025, 11:23 AM

Mittens, an 8-year-old Maine Coon cat, became an accidental frequent flyer after being mistakenly left in the cargo hold of an Air New Zealand plane. The incident occurred when Mittens was traveling with her owner, Margo Neas, from Christchurch, New Zealand to Melbourne, Australia. After arriving in Melbourne, Neas waited three hours for Mittens, only to learn that the cat had been overlooked and the plane had returned to New Zealand with Mittens still on board. Over the next 24 hours, Mittens made three trips between the two countries, covering approximately 4,500 miles in total. The Air New Zealand pilot, upon learning of the extra passenger, turned on the heating in the cargo hold to keep Mittens comfortable. Eventually, a pet moving company arranged for Mittens to return to Melbourne, where she was reunited with Neas. Mittens lost weight during the ordeal but was otherwise unharmed. Air New Zealand has apologized and will reimburse all costs associated with Mittens' travel.