Meow or never: Woman claims Delta crew told her to silence cat or leave flight

A Delta flight attendant warned a passenger to silence her meowing cat or face removal from the plane.

A Delta attendant reportedly took issue with a passenger's furry friend after the woman claimed she was asked to stop her cat from meowing or get off the plane right then and there. Sharing her experience, the passenger said she was left "in shock."

Cat

Janelle Rupkalvis shared a TikTok video on Feb. 20 detailing her and her partner's experience when they boarded the first-class cabin of the flight.

Delta flyer says crew threatened removal over meowing cat

Janelle Rupkalvis and her partner were traveling on a Delta flight from Seattle to Salt Lake City on February 20, accompanied by their four-year-old cat, Asparagus—affectionately called “Gus.” According to Rupkalvis, they had just settled into their first-class seats when a flight attendant approached them with a startling warning.

“She goes, ‘If your cat doesn’t stop meowing, we’re going to have to ask you to get off the plane,’” Rupkalvis recalled in a TikTok video.

Taken aback, Rupkalvis explained that Gus was simply reacting to the unfamiliar environment. “He’s a cat. He’s not screaming—he’s meowing because there’s a lot of commotion,” she said, emphasising that the situation was stressful for the pet.

Confusion over Delta's pet policy

According to the response she received, passengers are required to keep their pets inside a secure and clean kennel during the flight. The pet must also remain “passive,” a term Rupkalvis noted was distinct from being “silent.”

Delta’s official pet policy states that animals must be housed in a kennel that fits under the seat but does not explicitly mention noise restrictions. Following the viral video, a Delta spokesperson confirmed that the airline was investigating the matter.

Following the incident, Rupkalvis inquired about possible compensation for the stress caused by what she believed was misinformation. Delta responded by offering her and her partner a choice between a $150 travel voucher or 15,000 airline miles each, which they accepted.

Despite the initial frustration, Rupkalvis later acknowledged Delta’s effort to address the situation. “I really appreciated that level of customer service and the effort to acknowledge and address the situation,” she told the New York Post.

The viral story sparked mixed reactions online. Some sympathised with Rupkalvis, arguing that a meowing cat is a reasonable and expected part of traveling with pets. Others felt that passengers shouldn’t be subjected to unwanted noise, with some suggesting that pet owners sedate their animals before flights.

“If a baby can scream on a flight, a cat should be able to meow,” one commenter wrote. On the other hand, another passenger countered, “No one should have to listen to an animal making noise for the entire flight.”