Ye dil maange no ‘mor’? United Airlines ‘grounds’ peacock for not meeting guidelines

Peacocks are prettiest of all fowls. Their beautiful feathers can mesmerise anyone. But when it comes to flying, they might face trouble in the US. 

The United Airlines hit the headlines once again. Thankfully, this time the airline staff didn’t hurt anyone physically.

A woman and her emotional support peacock were denied flight at the Newark Liberty International Airport, last week.

The incident came to light after a lifestyle and travel show reported about it. 

‘Although the bird DID have it's own seat, it was denied boarding (sic),’ The Jet Set said while posting the pictures on its Facebook page. 

However, the Unite Airlines maintained that the peacock ‘did not meet guidelines for a number of reasons, including its weight and size.’

“We know that some customers require an emotional support animal to assist them through their journey,” the statement added. 

“In order to ensure we provide the best service to everyone onboard our flights, consistent with government rules we currently require these customers to provide documentation from a medical professional and at least 48 hours advance notice,” the airline said. 

This comes week after another US airline issued specific guidelines regarding emotional support animals. 

From March 1st, the airline has asked all passengers with service animals to submit paperwork two full days before flying. 

‘Customers have attempted to fly with comfort turkeys, gliding possums known as sugar gliders, snakes, spiders and more,’ Delta’s statement read. ‘Ignoring the true intent of existing rules governing the transport of service and support animals can be a disservice to customers who have real and documented needs,’ it added.