This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-50398672
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Aeroflot: 'Fat cat smuggler' falls foul of Russian airline | Aeroflot: 'Fat cat smuggler' falls foul of Russian airline |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Russian carrier Aeroflot has stripped a passenger of his air miles for breaching its rules by sneaking his overweight cat aboard a flight. | |
| Mikhail Galin, 34, took his cat Viktor on board flight SU1702, from Moscow to Vladivostok, Aeroflot said. | Mikhail Galin, 34, took his cat Viktor on board flight SU1702, from Moscow to Vladivostok, Aeroflot said. |
| Under Aeroflot's rules, pets weighing more than 8kg (17lb) must be placed in the luggage hold. | Under Aeroflot's rules, pets weighing more than 8kg (17lb) must be placed in the luggage hold. |
| Because Viktor was too heavy for the passenger cabin, Mr Galin devised a cunning plan. | Because Viktor was too heavy for the passenger cabin, Mr Galin devised a cunning plan. |
| He swapped Viktor for a smaller cat during check-in to get around the weight restrictions. | He swapped Viktor for a smaller cat during check-in to get around the weight restrictions. |
| The airline said because Mr Galin had broken the rules it had "taken the decision to take this passenger out of its frequent flyer programme". | The airline said because Mr Galin had broken the rules it had "taken the decision to take this passenger out of its frequent flyer programme". |
| "All of the miles collected during his time in the programme will be annulled," the airline said. | "All of the miles collected during his time in the programme will be annulled," the airline said. |
| How did he smuggle the cat on board? | How did he smuggle the cat on board? |
| Mr Galin revealed how he had sneaked Viktor on board the flight earlier this month in a Facebook post that vent viral. | Mr Galin revealed how he had sneaked Viktor on board the flight earlier this month in a Facebook post that vent viral. |
| In the post, Mr Galin said he had had Viktor with him on a flight from the Latvian capital Riga to Russia's far eastern city of Vladivostok, which included a stopover in Moscow. | In the post, Mr Galin said he had had Viktor with him on a flight from the Latvian capital Riga to Russia's far eastern city of Vladivostok, which included a stopover in Moscow. |
| But when he tried to board the second leg of the flight in the Russian capital, Aeroflot staff would not allow him to take Viktor into the passenger cabin. | But when he tried to board the second leg of the flight in the Russian capital, Aeroflot staff would not allow him to take Viktor into the passenger cabin. |
| "The weigh-in showed that the animal had fattened up to 10 kilograms, a level not allowed for the cabin," Mr Galin wrote. | "The weigh-in showed that the animal had fattened up to 10 kilograms, a level not allowed for the cabin," Mr Galin wrote. |
| Unwilling to place the cat in the luggage hold, Mr Galin delayed his flight and took the "strategic decision to find a similar cat of a lower weight" in Moscow. | Unwilling to place the cat in the luggage hold, Mr Galin delayed his flight and took the "strategic decision to find a similar cat of a lower weight" in Moscow. |
| A day later Mr Galin returned to the airport with the smaller "cat double", which passed the weight limit test at the check-in desk. | A day later Mr Galin returned to the airport with the smaller "cat double", which passed the weight limit test at the check-in desk. |
| Mr Galin then gave the smaller cat back to its owners at the airport before boarding the plane to Vladivostok with Viktor. | Mr Galin then gave the smaller cat back to its owners at the airport before boarding the plane to Vladivostok with Viktor. |
| His mistake, it seems, was posting on Facebook about the "operation to replace the fat cat Viktor". A picture on his public profile shows Viktor sat on the plane next to a glass of sparkling wine. | His mistake, it seems, was posting on Facebook about the "operation to replace the fat cat Viktor". A picture on his public profile shows Viktor sat on the plane next to a glass of sparkling wine. |
| The post drew the attention of Aeroflot, prompting it to launch an investigation that confirmed the cat swap on CCTV. | The post drew the attention of Aeroflot, prompting it to launch an investigation that confirmed the cat swap on CCTV. |
| In another post, Mr Galin appeared to accept his punishment with good humour. He shared a picture of Viktor as a kitten, "when his weight still met the requirements of the air carrier". | In another post, Mr Galin appeared to accept his punishment with good humour. He shared a picture of Viktor as a kitten, "when his weight still met the requirements of the air carrier". |
| You may also be interested in: | You may also be interested in: |