American Airlines flight attendant accused of smuggling pet rat

In a strange story, an American Airlines flight attendant has been accused of smuggling pet rats onto an international flight last year. Yes, you read that correctly- smuggling rats!

In February 2012, an American Airlines pilot claimed that Louann Giambattista was hiding pet rats inside her underwear and pantyhose on an international flight. Yikes! In a separate incident on that same day, another American Airlines colleague of Ms. Giambattista claims to have witnessed her feeding a pet rat a bread roll on a flight to Miami.

Ms. Giambattista was questioned and searched upon landing but no rats were ever found. The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were notified and she is now subject to searches by federal agents every time she flies. She is now suing the airline and seeking damages for “debilitating anxiety” caused by the ordeal.

It is hard to imagine that two separate colleagues on separate flights would both make up the same lie about Ms. Giambattista. But I am not here to make that judgment. As I said, strange story indeed.