It’s not a great time to be an investor in United Airlines right now, as it seems that bad luck is following them around everywhere they go. It all started a little over a month ago when it was revealed via Twitter that United employees were asking a trio of young girls to cover up their legs because they were wearing leggings, even refusing to let them fly because of their attire. Though there is a huge controversy over the matter, United made sure to let everyone know that they are allowed to force their dress code on United Pass Travelers. Then it was 69-year-old David Dao that was dragged off a United flight at the Chicago O’Hare airport, bloodied and unconscious, in a viral video that upset the entire world.
Unfortunately, United’s latest victim was a helpless animal that was boarded onto a flight in London and set to head to Chicago (coincidence?) and mysteriously died after he arrived. Simon the Continental Giant rabbit was only 10 months old but already over 3 feet long when he was sent via United Airlines to Brian Bergdale, a farmland investment manager, for the Iowa State Fair. Simon’s father, Darius, currently holds the world record at 4 feet 4 inches, but Simon was expected to outgrow him and set the new record.
Annette Edwards, Simon’s 65-year-old breeder from Stoulton, Worcs, is baffled at his death because she has sent rabbits all over the world and nothing like this has ever happened before.
“Simon had a vet’s check-up three hours before the flight and was fit as a fiddle,” Edwards said. “Something very strange has happened and I want to know what.”
Edwards rents out her bunnies starting at $500, and with this fee along with the $1800 flight, Simon’s new caretaker Bergdale had forked up a pretty penny to take in the huge bunny. According to New York Daily News, they had a large pen and toys ready for Simon’s arrival and his death has been emotionally taxing.
Conflicting reports have emerged about Simon’s cause of death, including whether a necropsy was requested. While United spokesperson Charles Hobart claimed that the “customer didn’t want us to perform a necropsy,” there are other reports that stated that Edwards has been attempting to get her hands on Simon’s body to determine the cause of death. Some sources have claimed that Simon’s body has already been cremated against Edwards’ wishes, but this has not been confirmed.
Early reports stated that Simon was accidentally put in a freezer overnight for approximately 16 hours, and that the next morning when staff went to check on him,
“The rabbit was huddled up facing away from the front of the cage towards the wall. Everyone thought he was just having a nap or something,” said one airline employee.
After this news emerged, United responded by denying that this freezing occurred, stating that Simon was kept in a room that was about 70 degrees Fahrenheit, although they confirmed that he died after the plane had landed and he had been unloaded at O’Hare . He was allegedly unloaded at 10:25 AM and then seen moving around 11 AM, but shortly thereafter was found unresponsive in his kennel.
“We’re still in the mourning process,” Bergdale said of the rabbit’s death. “We’re not quite sure what we’re going to do.”
