Virgin Australia locates missing cat at Brisbane airport

Virgin Australia locates missing cat at Brisbane airport

A Brisbane couple was “absolutely heartbroken” after their cat was lost in transit at their local airport, but thanks to Virgin Australia, they’re in for a joyful reunion.

Cookie, the beloved “fur baby” of Jessica and Jack Thomas, was on a Virgin Australia flight from Brisbane to Cairns along with the couple’s dog Rambo, but only his blanket and cage arrived at the airport.

ABC Brisbane posted to Facebook that it was believed Cookie escaped at Brisbane Airport and asked those living nearby to keep an eye out for him.

“We are now being told that Cookie escaped from his cage (no word on how) on the tarmac while in Brisbane,” Jessica Thomas wrote on Facebook, according to the Cairns Post.

“I am absolutely heartbroken and just want my fur baby home.”

The couple had booked Cookie and Rambo’s transit ticket through animal transport company JetPets who use Virgin Australia aircraft to transport people’s pets.

“We have been told that Cookie left the warehouse in a crate. Virgin has told us they are doing everything they can,” Thomas said.

Travel Weekly understands that Cookie’s cage door was not correctly fastened and not all the required cable ties were in place. The airline is still investigating how this could have happened, and additional operational team members have been searching the area around the airport.

Cookie has since been located in a non-operational area of the airport.

“We are pleased to have found Cookie safe and sound after an extensive search and we look forward to reuniting him with his owners,” A Virgin Australia spokesperson told Travel Weekly.

“We will continue to investigate how this incident occurred and we will review and update our processes accordingly.”

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