Finally, a GOOD story involving Alaska Airlines.
A Seattle zookeeper was transporting six flamingo eggs from Atlanta to the Woodland Park Zoo when the portable incubator that the eggs were traveling in stopped working.
A flight attendant on the plane, Amber May, said she responded to the passenger's page for help, but it was not the typical request she expected. When the zookeeper explained what had happened, May was quick to help by filling rubber gloves with hot water. Other passengers donated scarves and coats to create a makeshift nest for the eggs.
After five hours in the air and many trips to refill the hot water, the plane made it to its destination where the eggs were transported to the zoo. Several weeks later, the six healthy chicks hatched.
May said of the experience,
In my 10 years of flying, the request to help save flamingo eggs was one of the strangest I've ever received. I'm honored to have had the opportunity to help and I'm happy that all six chicks hatched successfully!
Joanna Klass, an animal care manager at Woodland Park Zoo said in a press release,
The flamingo eggs would not have survived in a non-functioning portable incubator for five hours. We're so grateful for the creative thinking that led to the safe transport of our precious eggs. We're also touched by the compassion that other passengers showed to help safeguard the eggs.
To thank the flight attendant for her help in keeping the babies safe and warm during the trip, the Woodland Park Zoo asked her to name one of the baby flamingos. May chose the name Sunny, after her baby grandaughter, and the zoo even invited Sunny to come and meet the flamingo chicks.
Having baby Sunny meet flamingo Sunny was just wonderful. I am excited to see them both grow up.
The only thing cuter than a baby animal is a baby human. Human Sunny looks like she is excited to meet her namesake up close!
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