Alas, my friend, a pig was granted access to a FIRST CLASS SEAT in 2005, twenty years ago.
Pigs broke the ANIMAL BOARDING BARRIER 20 years ago!!!!!!!
The agency upholds an airline's boarding a disabled woman's rowdy "service animal."
US Airways acted reasonably when it allowed a 300-pound pig with a pink bow in her tail to fly first class from Philadelphia to Seattle, the Federal Aviation Administration found.
Maria Tirotta Andrews brought Charlotte, her Vietnamese potbellied pig, on the flight Oct. 17, telling the airline it was a "therapeutic companion pet." Andrews said her heart condition was so severe she needed the pig to relieve stress.
"US Airways and its personnel acted in a reasonable and thoughtful manner, based on a legitimate request to transport a qualified individual with a disability and her service animal," said FAA spokesman Jim Peters.
Under federal rules, airlines must permit a service animal, usually Seeing Eye dogs, to accompany passengers to their seats.
The airline, embarrassed, filed an incident report with the FAA based on passenger complaints. As the Boeing 757 landed with 200 passengers, the pig awoke, tried to barge into the cockpit and stormed into the galley, refusing to leave until a passenger tossed food at her, according to an airline report.
Witnesses reported that she squealed wildly and left steamy droppings on the airport carpet and inside an airport shuttle van.
Andrews denies that Charlotte behaved badly during the six-hour flight.
"My pig did not run around the plane's aisles. My pig did not run around anywhere," Andrews said.
FAA investigators spoke with ground personnel in Philadelphia who helped Charlotte on the airplane, as well as crew members, passengers and the captain of US Airways Flight 107.
"The FAA's conclusion: The pig qualifies as a service animal," said spokesman Peters.
That means the pig could fly again.
But not on US Airways, said airline spokesman David Castelveter.
"We have stated in the past this situation will never happen again. And it never will," vowed Castelveter, declining to comment further.
According to a US Airways internal memo, Andrews reported the pig weighed 13 pounds when she made a reservation. Andrews does not dispute that.
"When they saw it in Philadelphia, they said it was okay to load it on the airplane," Andrews said.
The airline allowed the pig into first class for free.
