US Airways Ships Corpse to Pet Store Instead of Fish

Tempe-based US Airways has already come under criticism for requiring flight attendants who complained about safety issues to handle their own defense in a lawsuit filed by a pilot. Now, they've pulled an even stranger stunt, flying a corpse to a pet store in lieu of the fish the business...

By Niki D'Andrea

March 11, 2009

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Tempe-based US Airways has already come under criticism for requiring flight attendants who complained about safety issues to handle their own defense in a lawsuit filed by a pilot. Now, they've pulled an even stranger stunt, flying a corpse to a pet store in lieu of the fish the business was supposed to receive.

Confusing three boxes of fish with a coffin wrapped in cardboard sounds like a total "doh!" moment, but it happened on Tuesday, when the corpse of a 65 year-old San Diego man was delivered to a Pets Plus store in Philadelphia. The store had been expecting some tropical fish instead.

The body was supposed to have been delivered to a laboratory in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The owner of Pets Plus thinks the fish were probably left at the airport and died. A spokesman for U.S. Airways says the airline is "deeply sorry."

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Niki D'Andrea has covered subjects including drug culture, women's basketball, pirate radio stations, Scottsdale staycations, and fine wine. She has worked at both New Times and Phoenix Magazine, and is now a freelancer.

Contact: Niki D'Andrea