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Monumental "mixup" - US Airways delivers casket instead of tropical fish

by Scott Carmichael (RSS feed) on Mar 11th 2009 at 11:30AM

Sooner or later every passenger on an airline will run into some kind of issue with their luggage. But a recent blunder by US Airways makes everything I've ever endured look like a walk in the park.

When Northeast Philadelphia pet store owner Mark Arabia received a shipment of tropical fish, he knew something was wrong - instead of 3 boxes containing his shipment, the driver had been given a casket, containing the remains of 65 year old Jon Kenoyer.

Due to what US Airways called "an unfortunate mixup", the casket was released to a driver, who loaded the box into his car, thinking he was transporting fish.

I'm sorry, but this is not a mixup - it is a blunder of epic proportions. I can understand an airline being sloppy with our personal baggage (and they are), but to actually release the remains of a deceased family member to the wrong driver is just a really sad case of incompetence.

US Airways picked up the coffin later that day, but the fish have still not been delivered, and have probably died by now due to a depleted oxygen supply.

All in all a disgraceful situation, and one that should make people think twice about sending a deceased relative with US Airways.

Check out these other stories from the airport checkpoint!

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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)

John Mar 15th 2009 5:07PM

"Mixups" like this will hopefully ensure that shipping companies seek to get things right, especially when the goof finds it way on the news. Now THAT'S embarrasing.

Forddgarye Mar 15th 2009 5:04PM

In 1996 I returned from Mexico to New York leaving behind a friend, who suddenly died 4 days later. Since there was no family, his cremated remains were sent home from Mexico on Continental Airlines. When we went to Newark Airport to pick them up from the arriving flight from Mexico, they were lost. When I went to the office to pick them up, the clerk looked at me and started laughing hysterically saying they'd lost my friend. I immediately dived over the counter with every intention of seriously injuring this jerk but was pulled back by a friend (6"4" - 225 pounds). The idiot couldn't understand why I had become so irrate. The ashes were located few hours later. We filed a complaint with Continental, but it was never even acknowledged - and no one even apologized for this gross insult and indignity. I never recommend Continental to anyone.

reader-writer Mar 15th 2009 5:07PM

This sounds like a real fish story to me. I bet we're being punked.

jbjg24m Mar 15th 2009 6:19PM

THIS IS OLD NEWS ! ALREADY READ ABOUT IT LAST WEEK HERE ON AOL!!

Mark Mar 15th 2009 6:46PM

This is in fact a true story. The decedent was supposed to be shipped from here in the San Diego area to a reseach facility in Allentown, PA. As stated there was a mix up.

What's worth mentioning is the response of the family. They were just incredible people who understood that mistakes happen. When interviewed here locally on TV they held no animosity whatsoever and actually hoped that the mix-up publicity might give more people an idea to donate a deceased loved one to these research labs (correctly delivered I assume) so that perhaps illnesses and diseases could somehow be understood.

The family even smiled at the fact that the dead man was a retired POSTAL worker. He also dispised flying and the widow said this was probably his way of getting a little revenge for shipping him via airline.

A totally nice and truly decent family.

William Mar 15th 2009 6:51PM

I have worked for U.S.Airways for 26 years, When I started
at least 30% of the ramp workers were college grads.now we are lucky if they speak english.The airlines have cut pay and benefits to the point that nobody wants to work for us...
Good help isnt hard to find but you do have to pay for it.
The airlines dont want to pay for it so you the traveler
gets screwed...P.S. Philly always has been a black hole
where luggage disappeares never to be seen again.

Beth Mar 15th 2009 7:45PM

Years ago, my mother flew on US Airways through Philadelphia, and her bag was "misplaced." Subsequently the airline discovered it only to find that it had been pilfered by baggage personnel. I would NEVER fly US Airways -- ESPECIALLY through Philadelphia!

Linda Mar 15th 2009 8:00PM

It's the combination - U.S. Air and Philly. I used to be a "Gold" status preferred on U.S. Air, but no more. Their service and crews have really gotten bad. But Philly...that's like falling into a black hole. I have never connected through Philly and ended up with luggage. In 10 years of flying. And one flight left without any checked luggage on board because no one could find where it had been stacked. We waited for nearly two hours before the pilot gave up and left without it.