“Upset in the Skies: Flight Attendant Gives Cat Owner an Ultimatum That Turns Heads!”
Image credits: janelleonajet
I was happy to have this information in case the situation escalated. It didn’t. But before I let the agent go, I asked if there was any compensation that we could get because of the incorrect information that we were told on the plane, and how that caused a really anxiety- and stress-induced situation, because now we’re worried about our cat meowing. He’s a cat. The customer service agent came back and offered us either a $150 voucher per person, or 15,000 miles each for my partner and I.
So we took the miles, so we got 30,000 miles out of the situation. I feel like that compensation is fair. That helps smooth over the situation. We had the information that we needed in case the situation escalated with the flight attendant. But now, believe this. Let me know your opinion on the situation in the comments, because I was shocked.
You can watch the influencer’s full viral video right over here
@janelleonajetI was seriously in shock 😳 what do you think about this travel mishap?♬ original sound – janelle — @janelleonajet
“Delta reached out to let me know that the policy had been miscommunicated to me and that additional training would be implemented to prevent a similar situation from happening”
Image credits: janelleonajet
We asked Rupkalvis about her initial reaction when she was told to silence Gus’ meows. She told Bored Panda that she was in complete shock. “When the flight attendant initially approached us about our cat, Gus (short for Asparagus), I assumed they were going to remind us to keep him in his carrier, which would have been entirely reasonable,” she said.
“We’ve traveled with Gus many times before, so when they said we could potentially be kicked off the flight if we couldn’t get him to quiet down, it really took us by surprise.”
According to Rupkalvis, Delta Air Lines “handled the situation well” after what happened. “As I mentioned in my video, both my partner and I were compensated with 15,000 miles each. I also submitted a formal complaint, hoping to prompt a review of the policy and possibly some retraining,” she said.
“A few days later, Delta reached out to let me know that the policy had been miscommunicated to me and that additional training would be implemented to prevent a similar situation from happening in the future. I really appreciated their follow-through on this.”
With so many of us being pet parents and animal lovers, Bored Panda wanted to hear the advice that Rupkalvis would give other owners who have never traveled with their cats by plane.
“One thing I’ve learned from traveling with Gus is that when he starts meowing, it’s not usually because he’s hungry or thirsty—it’s often because he’s too warm. During the boarding process, the air conditioning isn’t always running, and that can be uncomfortable for pets. We now bring a small portable fan with us to keep him cool, which has made a huge difference,” she shared with us.
“I also recommend bringing familiar items like a blanket or a toy to help your pet feel more at ease in an unfamiliar environment.”
The influencer told us that her cat, Gus, is now nearly 5 years old and is part Siamese, a “naturally vocal and social breed.”
“He’s been on multiple adventures with us, and it’s always fun having him along for the ride.”
Rupkalvis was also kind enough to share a bit about her journey to becoming a travel influencer. Initially, she started out as a budget traveler, “using points and miles to make travel more accessible.”
“Over time, I transitioned to sharing my experiences traveling in business class and staying at luxury hotels,” she said.
“My goal has always been to share realistic travel content—the good, the bad, and everything in between—and to inspire others by showing that this kind of travel is attainable.”
The entire situation was addressed by the company very quickly
Image credits: Delta News Hub / flickr (not the actual photo)
The incident happened on February 19, when Rupkalvis, her partner, and their 4-year-old cat Asparagus were flying from Seattle on a Delta Air Lines flight, in first class.
The influencer shared that she was shocked when the cabin crew demanded that she keep Gus quiet or they’d have to deplane. The cat was meowing a lot because of all the commotion.
Meanwhile, the influencer got in touch with an agent at Delta, double-checking their pet policy, about how pets have to be kept passive, but not necessarily silent.
Delta told People magazine that they were aware of the incident and were investigating the details of the event. “Per Delta’s pet policy, pets must remain inside the kennel with the door secured while in a Delta boarding area, during boarding and deplaning, while in a Delta Sky Club and while on board the aircraft.”
Rupkalvis ended up getting compensated for the anxiety-inducing situation. She and her partner were offered either a $150 voucher or 15,000 miles each. They took the latter.
