Maria Fraterrigo, a grandmother from the Bronx, had her travel plans thrown into disarray when Frontier Airlines prohibited her from bringing her emotional support animal, an African gray parrot named Plucky, on her flight from San Juan to Kennedy International Airport. Despite being allowed on the outbound flight in January, an airline agent informed her that parrots were prohibited on Frontier flights.
Fraterrigo, who lost her husband in 2019 and had been comforted by Plucky, found herself in a four-day limbo until Frontier relented and rebooked her and her parrot on another flight. The incident shed light on the confusion surrounding what types of animals are permitted on commercial flights as well as the recent tightening of regulations for service animals.
Frontier acknowledged that the situation had caused hardship for Fraterrigo and offered an apology for any confusion regarding their policies. Despite their stance that parrots do not qualify as emotional support animals, Fraterrigo was eventually allowed to bring Plucky on the return flight.
Various news outlets reported on Fraterrigo’s ordeal and New York’s congressional delegation advocated for her to be rebooked with her parrot. The incident highlighted the emotional bond between Fraterrigo and Plucky, with the bird being the grandmother’s sole source of comfort since her husband’s passing.
In the end, Frontier allowed Plucky on the flight after requesting proof of purchase and veterinary documentation, and Fraterrigo was able to return home with her beloved companion by her side.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image of the presented article.
