As if United Airlines needed any more bad press: now comes the story of the giant dead bunny.
Apparently the airline, which invites people to “fly the friendly skies,” has managed to tarnish its image even further (if that’s even possible). Last month they forcibly removed a very reluctant passenger, causing him physical injury (while fattening his and his lawyer’s wallet), and this month they managed to incur the wrath of animal rights activists. I don’t know about you, but if I had a choice between facing prison in North Korea or a visit from the animal rights activists, I’d choose the former.
United was transporting a giant bunny rabbit from England to the United States and managed to kill it during the trip. They weren’t even trying to bump the bunny from the flight, either. When they went to the holding area at the airport to check on him and take him through customs, he ended up dead. So in effect, the rabbit died.
When word got around the airport that “the rabbit died,” mass confusion broke out. Just who was the lucky couple, everybody wondered, and why exactly was this being talked about so much?
It turned out it had nothing to do with expecting a bundle of joy and everything to do with another public relations disaster.
This wasn’t just any bunny, either. His father held the Guinness Book of Worlds Records title as largest bunny, and many thought he would easily surpass his father’s record — until he boarded that ill-fated flight to the United States, that is.
Initially there was a rumor that someone had mistakenly put him in a freezer as he was waiting for the next flight. A United Airlines baggage handler had been instructed to take the bunny somewhere where he could “chill out” until the next flight. So he did just that. And you all thought that communications class was in college was a waste of time, didn’t you? See what can happen?
An autopsy is pending, but probably won’t get very far since United had him cremated before it could be carried out. Whoops!
And finally, the owner who was to receive the giant rabbit is hopping mad, demanding to know who the dumb bunny was who killed the poor thing. According to United Airlines, as far as that goes, that’s neither hare nor there.
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