Crazed Porcine In Air Rage

Flight diverted after slopped pig goes nuts

JUNE 19--Petunia, a 3-year-old, slops-mad Iowa pig was charged yesterday with causing a disturbance on a United Airlines flight after she scurried squealing up and down the the plane's aisle, allegedly stepping on a passenger's foot, and screaming and squirming when airline personnel tried to restrain her.

The American Airlines flight from Atlanta to Cedar Rapids made an emergency landing in Dallas Tuesday afternoon following Petunia's outburst, which is detailed in an incident report made available by the airline. Passengers claimed to remember that some of the fault was that of a fellow passenger, who allegedly threatened to turn the pig into a pork sandwich.

Unlike another recent incident, no charges were filed. A passenger quoted in the report recalled that Petunia was understandably angered. The passenger "heard and then smelled the pig being slopped." But the pig was then, allegedly, denied the opportunity to complete her meal due to a "no open container" policy recently implemented by the airline, which sparked the tantrum. According to the airline, it was not aware that the passenger was, in fact, a pig, but noted that slops were not typically offered as special meals to passengers.

Pigs have been deemed air-worthy since 2000, when US Airways was found to have acted reasonably when it allowed a pig to fly First Class.

Petunia, who was travelling alone, was last seen heading north aboard an Amtrak train headed for River City, Iowa, having refused to make alternative arrangements with the airline.