A 34-year-old woman was arrested on Monday for illegally bringing a pet sugar glider onto a commercial flight in Shanghai. The incident, which led to a delay of flight MU5599 bound for Jinan, was reported by Shanghai police on their Weibo account on Tuesday.
The pet sugar glider was discovered after it escaped from its owner, causing passengers to malfunction and wait for the flight to clear. A video circulating online showed frustrated passengers at the check-in counter and passengers searching the cabin for the elusive animal, mistakenly identified as a 'hamster' by some.
\"Hamsters are the best at hiding and like to chew on things. The plane could be in trouble if they chew through the wires or block some pipes on the plane,\" a netizen commented following the police statement.
Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport has not released detailed information about the incident. However, Chinese media outlets have raised concerns regarding the airport's security measures. An article by The Beijing News suggested that security detectors at the airport are primarily designed to identify metal objects. If an alarm does not trigger, inspectors might opt not to manually inspect passengers, potentially allowing small pets to be smuggled onboard.
Are pets allowed on commercial flights?
Currently, airlines such as Air China, China Southern Airlines (CSAIR), and China Eastern Airlines permit only guide dogs, special companions, and other animals specified by national laws to enter the cabin. According to China Southern Airlines, prohibited animals include very small animals like mice or ornamental fish, extremely large animals with oversized cages, wild animals, creatures with a repulsive appearance, and offensive animals such as snakes.
For pets that are allowed on board, passengers must consign them at least 24 hours before departure for domestic flights or 48 hours for international flights and obtain prior approval from CSAIR. Additionally, passengers can check in their small animals at the airport 120 minutes before departure and must present an animal quarantine certificate issued by a county or regional quarantine department.
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Woman arrested for sneaking pet sugar glider on flight in Shanghai
cgtn.com
