It has been over a year since this event occurred and I waited patiently to hear of any further developments, but there has been nothing to add since June 2010.
That’s when the little Helms girls caused a plane to be turned around on the runway and returned to the terminal because they had brought a tiny pet turtle on board. They were told they could re-board the plane only if they ditched the turtle. When asked “where?” they were told to just throw it in the garbage.
Yes, AirTrans’ official policy on pets is to trash them, it seems. They’re a real feeling crowd over there.
How could such a security breach have occurred, you ask? Well first they checked the pet in through security, past the AirTrans ticket people, the boarding people and even had one flight attendant tell them to put the small cage under the seat.
Then the flight attendant probably told one of his/her co-workers about the “cute” story and the word got to one of those employees. You know, every place has one, the one who knows every legality in the book and were sworn to the universe’s awareness of the extreme dangers involved with allowing such behavior… imagine, next people will try to carry bombs in their shoes… or their shoebox… or their box turtles…
Anyway, this anal-retentive worker immediately informed the pilot of the breach in national security and the plane was turned back even while taxiing. AirTrans was alerted and all the hard-nosed security people came out of the woodwork to ensure that no turtle would fly. Who knows, it might have been a mutant turtle, even if it was not yet a teenager.
And though the turtle was put in the plastic bin by the girls – how proud the employees must have felt to be able to scare the poop out of three little girls! Must’ve made their day… and the plane could now safely lift off. They had called their father to let them know which bin it had been thrown in. Dad raced to the airport to retrieve it but it had already been rescued by another AirTrans employee. Yes, the one such employee that was not completely heartless.
I would not be surprised if the security personnel, the boarding personnel, and the flight attendant that allowed the miniature terrorists carry forward their turtle plot, were all dismissed along with the employee that rescued the turtle from the garbage can.
PETA is involved in the case so I imagine the ACLU will soon be involved on the side of AirTrans, upholding the rights of human corporations against the reptilian revolution so obviously making headway.
So, you are warned! Be vigilant! Even of this shell game.
Tags: AirTrans, constant vigilance, deadly turtles, humor, reptilian conspiracy, shell game
