They flew to Nashville. Bluebell, their dog, was sent to Saudi Arabia : NPR

Bluebell, seen here in England, was boarded onto the erroneous flight previously this thirty day period, sending her to Saudi Arabia alternatively than Tennessee.

Courtesy of the Miller Family

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Courtesy of the Miller Loved ones

Bluebell, seen listed here in England, was boarded onto the improper flight previously this month, sending her to Saudi Arabia relatively than Tennessee.

Courtesy of the Miller Family

Underneath other instances, the airline’s blend-up could have sparked an amusing anecdote about how, when a couple moved from England to the U.S., their puppy went on its very own worldwide adventure.

But Madison and James Miller say that Bluebell, a black Labrador mix, endured a times-very long ordeal when she was mistakenly loaded on to a flight that took her to Saudi Arabia rather of Tennessee. They also say British Airways and its sister provider, IAG Cargo, haven’t performed adequate to solve the concern.

“We did every little thing ideal relocating Bluebell to The us with us, and it really is been an complete nightmare,” James Miller instructed NPR by means of e-mail.

“We never know if she’ll at any time be the same,” he additional. “It can be breaking our hearts.”

A cautiously prepared shift went off the rails

In November, the Millers paid out the equivalent of about $2,100 to e book Bluebell on a Dec. 1 flight from London’s Heathrow airport to Nashville, Madison Miller’s hometown.

“I arrived in Nashville a working day before Bluebell to put together our property for her,” Madison advised NPR.

James took a immediate flight the up coming day, hoping for an straightforward trip both of those for himself and Bluebell, a rescue doggy that Madison suggests is about 5 decades previous. But when the plane landed in the U.S., Bluebell and her cage were being nowhere to be identified.

Soon after a delay of far more than an hour, the Millers say, airline staff members instructed them their puppy had by some means been place on a jet sure for Riyadh. Worried for Bluebell’s well being, they asked for — and got — a “proof of daily life” image, demonstrating Bluebell peering out from her cage. It would be two extra days in advance of they ended up reunited with her.

Madison and James Miller acquired this picture of their puppy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, immediately after they grew concerned about her nicely-currently being.

Courtesy of Miller Household

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Courtesy of Miller Relatives

The airline apologizes for the blend-up

When arrived at for comment, an IAG Cargo spokesperson confirmed the combine-up, telling NPR, “We are pretty sorry for the modern error that transpired through Bluebell’s excursion to Nashville.”

The corporation regularly transports pets, the spokesperson pointed out.

“Every single dog that travels extended-haul with transfers will be checked and their h2o bowls replenished,” they said. “At London-Heathrow the group at Heathrow Animal Reception Centre cared for Bluebell, allowing her to stretch her legs, and receive refreshments prior to her onward journey home.”

In all, the Millers say, Bluebell expended a lot more than 60 hrs in her cage, with small or no entry to foods and daylight. That consists of a few lengthy-haul worldwide flights, Madison explained. She’s disappointed the airline failed to locate a way to mail Bluebell to her new dwelling on a immediate flight.

Madison pointed out to the airline that in 2018, when a German shepherd was mistakenly sent from Oregon to Japan instead of Kansas, United Airways went to terrific lengths to reunite the doggy with its entrepreneurs, even using the services of a non-public plane — in which the puppy reportedly flew in the cabin with the flight crew.

In an e-mail reviewed by NPR, an IAG Cargo representative informed the couple that in Bluebell’s scenario, “no financial compensation is out there as all prices linked with the journey are absorbed by the airline.”

The few wants practically $10,000 to include fees

Bluebell’s ordeal has been a jarring setback for the Millers, who had been shifting to Nashville to be closer to Madison’s mom and siblings as she and her British spouse seem to start out a family.

An airline agent has continuously presented 50,000 recurrent flier miles to the Millers as compensation, according to an e mail shared with NPR. The few refused.

Bluebell wrecked the base of this doorway in the Millers’ residence in Nashville — a sign of the intense separation stress and anxiety she’s enduring just after her long time in a cage and on flights, the few say.

Courtesy of Miller Family members

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Courtesy of Miller Family

Bluebell destroyed the base of this doorway in the Millers’ house in Nashville — a signal of the intense separation nervousness she’s going through just after her very long time in a cage and on flights, the few say.

Courtesy of Miller Loved ones

Rather, they requested British Airways for all over $9,810, listing expenses that vary from behavioral therapy and a few-periods-a-day doses of panic medication to the rate of replacing a crate, a door and other merchandise Bluebell has ruined in their new dwelling — damages the Millers say are thanks to separation panic sparked by the extensive journey.

“We merely are unable to leave her on your own,” James Miller stated. “The 1st time we experimented with to leave her at dwelling by yourself following the ordeal she ripped through her kennel in the initially 10 minutes. The upcoming time she chewed by a picket door crying the whole time.”

The IAG Cargo spokesperson claims they’re still operating with Bluebell’s homeowners “to solve the condition.”