Mittens, an eight-year-old Maine coon cat, became an unexpected frequent-flyer after being mistakenly left on a plane. The incident occurred on January 13 when Mittens was supposed to travel with her family from Christchurch, New Zealand, to Melbourne, Australia. However, the cat's cage was overlooked in the plane's cargo hold, leading to an unintended round trip between the two countries.

Margo Neas, Mittens' owner, realized something was wrong when the cat did not appear after three hours of waiting in Melbourne. Ground staff informed her that the plane had returned to New Zealand with Mittens still on board. The flight between New Zealand and Australia takes about 7.5 hours each way. During the flight, the Air New Zealand pilot ensured Mittens' comfort by turning on the heating in the cargo hold.

Upon her return to Christchurch, a pet moving company arranged for Mittens to be sent back to Melbourne, completing her journey. Although she lost some weight, Mittens was otherwise unharmed. Neas expressed relief when she was finally reunited with her pet, telling NBC News, "She basically just ran into my arms and just snuggled up in here and just did the biggest cuddles of all time."

Air New Zealand has apologized for the oversight and will reimburse all costs associated with Mittens' travel. The airline is working with ground handlers in Melbourne to prevent similar incidents in the future. Since the ordeal, Mittens has become unusually affectionate, enjoying the extra attention from her relieved family.

Michael DelGiorno