Remember the movie Snakes on Planes? Well passengers on a Southwest flight from San Francisco to San Diego, were surprised by a couple of creatures that were less scary and a little more cute last week. Penguins from the San Diego zoo Sea World were being transported back to their home after a convention in San Francisco when the Sea World caretakers decided to have the animals stretch their legs and let them waddle around the cabin. This was much to the delight of the passengers onboard the flight who were able to touch and pat the creatures. While the adorable animals were strutting their stuff through the aisles like movie stars working the crowds of fans at a movie premiere, the passengers were treated to penguin trivia through the PA-system. (Did you know their wings are actually fins and used for swimming and not flying?)
Southwest is the parnter and Official airline of Sea World and the carrier even has three aircraft painted as Shamu the killer whale. This is why the airline is no stranger to carrying live animals on board and apparently Penny and Pete the Penguins from Sea World are frequent flyers on Shamu One. Who needs wings when you can fly first class, right?
Oh, how I would have loved to be on that flight. Maybe I should start using Southwest more often, because having a penguin fellow passenger would be a nice change from the sweaty and snoring ones I usually end up sitting next to.