James Dean, Beloved Cat, Dies While Entrusted to Jet Airways

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By Karen Harrison Binette

James Dean
Photo, Preeti Varma

James Dean was a beautiful grey striped Indian cat with beautiful eyes
who belonged to a Japanese born Desi girl, Preeti Varma.  The adorable
tomboy was mistaken as a male kitten…hence the name…but the name
stuck. James was a little daredevil trouble maker like her namesake.

Before we took her for the cremation we were giggling about each
precious memory we had of the little fur ball that stole our hearts.

She was happy with the simple pleasures of life…a bite to eat…a comfy spot for a nap…and when she wanted a cuddle she’d land in your lap…demanding
attention like the little diva she could be…. she was such a beautiful creature…playful and yet mysterious…friends who met her
wanted to adopt her…but I think really she had a way of adopting
us…and making us her humans. We will always belong to her in our
hearts.

Tara Chowdhry’s plaintive and touching Obituary for James Dean and Open Letter to Jet Airways and the Delhi we Love, excerpted above, pays tribute to a friend’s beloved cat and revisits the heartbreaking issue of pets who die while entrusted to the care of airline carriers, and the airlines’ response. James Dean died in the care of Jet Airways before her plane even left the ground in Delhi, India for the flight she was set to make with her guardian Preeti Varma that would take them home to Singapore.

Upon her arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport for her flight on Saturday morning, Ms. Varma handed James Dean, who was agitated, to airline officials.

“I closed the cage, made sure it was all OK, locked it and even put an extra wire” to make sure the door stayed sealed, Ms. Varma  is quoted saying in India Realtime in the Indian edition of the WSJ. “Then I ran to get my flight. I checked in, went through security and waited for my flight.”

Before James Dean was loaded on to the plane, her cage either opened or was opened. CCTV footage shows the cat as she fled onto the tarmac, where she was run over by a vehicle. The suffering, dying cat was picked up by the back of the neck by a garbage disposal man.

James Dean died shortly after she was picked up from the tarmac. Preeti Varma was given the carrier with her dead cat’s body inside.

Ms. Varma’s experience with the airline over her beloved pet’s death was an unpleasant one, where she was stalled and treated disrespectfully, the airline reportedly showed no concern for her or her cat, and it took no responsibility for the incident.  The story is one that will feel all too familiar to those who have followed the saga of Jack, the cat lost by American Airlines at JFK airport and other pets who have been lost or have died while entrusted to airlines.

Ms. Varma is quoted in the Times of India saying, “While I broke down and sobbed, the two [airline personnel] just kept looking at me. Another passenger and her daughter came to console me and offer me water. After that the staff actually asked me if I wanted to board my flight as it was ready to depart.”

Below follow exerps from the open letter to jet Airways:

Dear Jet Airways,

Something went wrong. The fine print says that you are not liable in
case of injury or death. But please guide me to understand what this
means to you, in terms of what you stand for.  Where is your heart on
this matter? Does it mean that after you have done every thing within
your power to take responsibility for the safety of animals in your
care…that then…if something truly unavoidable happens…then you
do not wish to be held accountable. I can understand the legal
perspective. But where is the perspective on how you feel about the
loss of life? Please guide me…I want to understand your heart on
this matter.

We were sad about the loss of James today. But what really crushed us
was the way you treated Preeti after her cat was allowed to perish
under your care.

Why did one of your employees laugh cruelly and crack a joke about
what happened? Why did you make Preeti wait for hours while you
withheld her passport to sort out paperwork?

Why were you so guarded about showing Preeti the CCTV footage?

You said only, “The cage was open. Your cat is no more.” As we have
the cage with us and it is perfectly intact we have yet to understand
how it was that the cage, which was bound shut with a wire, could have
been opened by a cat. She did not have supernatural powers.

When James jumped out onto the tarmac and her life was crushed beneath
the Air India vehicle why then did you not go to her? Did you not see
that the cat was still alive and needed the caress of a human hand to
sooth her as she passed from this life?  Why did you not bring Preeti
to her that very instant? Why did you allow a crowd to gather, watch,
and do nothing?  Please guide me to understand your heart in this
matter…

After Ms. Chowdhry’s  powerfully affecting obituary and open letter to the airline went viral, Jet Airways finally addressed the matter publicly Monday night in a Note at Facebook, wherein the airline expresses regret that the incident occurred, while distancing itself from blame or responsibility. As of this writing the airline is not yet deleting comments and banning users.

Jet Airways sincerely regrets the accidental demise of a pet cat which was accepted as baggage to be flown on 9W18 from Delhi to Singapore on March 23. 

A detailed investigation conducted by Jet Airways commercial and vigilance team, confirms that the pet was accepted as per standard operating procedures in terms of caging and handling. However, the pet seemed visibly agitated while the cage was being X-rayed and escaped from the custody of the Guest to take refuge under the roller bed of the X-ray machine but was subsequently retrieved, caged and locked by the Guest.

The CCTV footage retrieved from airport operator shows the pet, while being transported to the aircraft, jumped out of the cage in which it was brought in by the guest and ran into the busy apron area where it met with the unfortunate fate under one of the trolley trains which were being towed in the vehicular lane.

Our staff immediately informed the guest before she boarded the flight and updated with the details of the accident, including sharing of the CCTV footage.

We have shared the details of our investigation with the Guest explaining the circumstances that led to the unfortunate incident. We once again regret the incident.

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12 thoughts on “James Dean, Beloved Cat, Dies While Entrusted to Jet Airways”

  1. Strange contradictions from the airline. I am afraid somebody was fooling around James Dean’s cage door after her owner turned the cat over to the airline, and they are covering it up.
    Very sad, I am truly sorry for the loss of this lovely cat. You can see from the pictures she was a love.

  2. Thank you for this beautifully written article and for all the support James and I am getting from all over the world. I pray for better treatment of future traveling animals and that Jet Airways takes responsibility for their actions. Please keep sharing and tweeting till we get a proper response from Jet Airlines. #jamesthecat

  3. There are way too many incidents happening in which airlines claim no responsibility and it needs to stop.

    I am saddened you lost James under such tragic circumstances, I pray for peace to ease your troubled heart while you grieve the loss of your friend.

    God Bless,
    KSA
    NH, USA.

  4. Please accept my deep heart felt condolence for the beloved cat. Such an unfortunate accident for which jetairways should accept the responsibility.

    The airlines should have been courteous enough to help Preeti overcome the sudden grief at the very moment.

    RIP James Dean

  5. you know it was a scam because they put the deceased cat back in the carrier! I suppose to make her think it died in flight. so they knew. now why dont they take advantage of this and apologize. I will give my cat away before I will take it on a flight. this is scary stuff

  6. Don’t give him away just make sure you have a carrier that will sit under the seat and is airline approved. 🙂

    LOL, I remember back in the 70’s we were flying from Ca to Texas and my Mom had shoved Thomas into this itty bitty carrier, he growled the whole flight, but he was better off with us in the cabin ,obviously cramped in the carrier, then down in the hold.

    My thoughts and prayers are with you guys.

  7. problem is usually they dont allow animals on international flights! and this is what she was doing…

  8. I am so sorry for your loss, Preeti, and for your experience that day, when you needed and deserved to be given consolation and to be treated with consideration and respect.
    Karen

  9. I’m so sorry to hear about your missing kitten, Sumathi, and for your fears about what has happened to her.
    Since you asked for ways to search: Do you have a good photo you can use to print up flyers to show to neighbors or post in public places in case your kitten is lost or taken in by a neighbor? Is there an animal rescue or shelter nearby where you can post her photo and look for her? I hope she has not been kidnapped by someone with bad intentions.
    Best regards,
    Karen

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