A 76-year-old woman is making headlines because she’s stuck in Puerto Rico after Frontier Airlines wouldn’t let her fly back to New York with her “emotional support” parrot.
Maria Fraterrigo, 76, was attempting to return to New York City after a trip to San Juan, bringing her emotional support parrot along in an airline-approved bird cage. However, despite the bird being allowed on her outbound Frontier flight from JFK, it was not permitted on her return flight.
According to CBS News New York, “the airline allowed her to fly [to] the island with her pet parrot Plucky out of John F. Kennedy International Airport, but she says she’s now being told she can’t return home with it.”
Fraterrigo claims the gate agents in Puerto Rico told her that allowing the bird on her flight from JFK had been a mistake. She says the agent told her, “No, no, that was their mistake, not ours. If you want to get on the flight, get rid of the bird.” Fraterrigo says she’s been traumatized and just wants to go home. “That’s it. I just want to go home.”
This incident reminded me of a story we ran in February, where a Ryanair passenger flew from England to Ireland with an oversized water bottle, but on the return trip, the gate agents insisted she pay $62 for it. While it’s not the same situation—no animals involved—it’s a reminder that gate agents aren’t always on the same page. The same can be said for TSA officers.
Unfortunately, just because she got through the first time doesn’t mean it’ll happen again. If I were in this situation, I would try to see if another airline would accept the parrot (unlikely) or request an exception or special consideration. If that didn’t work, I’d take to social media to stir up public pressure. I’d also contact animal advocacy groups to try to gain their support.
According to Frontier Airlines’ official pet policy, only small household birds are permitted in the cabin. Specifically, domesticated dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, and small household birds may be carried on flights within the United States. However, large birds such as parrots, macaws, cockatoos, and birds of prey are not accepted.
If I really needed to get home, I’d look into transporting the pet in the cargo hold—assuming the airline allows it.
I know some people might think it’s ridiculous to have an emotional support parrot, but I’ve seen much stranger things, like miniature horses, peacocks and snakes. Heck, my eight-year-old son would try to bring a dinosaur on a plane if he could … and given the recent headlines about de-extinction, that time may not be far off.
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