A Frontier Airlines flight attendant asked passengers to "snitch on" their seat neighbors after crew members reported finding feces on the jet bridge before a Dec. 7 flight from Los Angeles to Chicago, a passenger who recorded the exchange told PEOPLE.
Passenger Captures Unusual Announcement
Passenger Mark Sun posted a video of the interaction to TikTok, describing the moment as "bizarre." According to Sun, flight crews discovered what appeared to be animal feces on the jet bridge prior to departure and suggested the mess might have come from an undeclared pet.
GettyA stock image of a jet bridge connecting to an airplane
"Someone in here has a dog," one flight attendant says in the clip. A colleague follows: "Listen folks, we are not leaving until we find what we’re looking for. If you think it’s your neighbor go ahead and snitch on them, please."
Cabin Reaction and Passenger Concerns
The announcement drew audible groans and some cheering from younger passengers, Sun said. Many travelers appeared to treat the comment lightly; Sun himself recalled that crew members had warned people to "watch out" while boarding, but he had been wearing headphones and didn’t immediately register the warning.
Sun questioned how an undeclared pet could have boarded without being noticed, suggesting a breakdown either in cabin procedures or airport screening. However, he also noted the crew soon shifted attention to resolving a mechanical issue on the aircraft.
Daniel Brenner/Bloomberg via GettyA Frontier Airlines plane
Timeline of Events
- Flight originally scheduled to depart about 6:30 p.m. local time.
- Departure was pushed to about 8:30 p.m. due to a reported mechanical issue.
- Passengers boarded around 9:00 p.m.; the pet-related confusion re-emerged during boarding.
- At about 11:00 p.m., the pilot announced he had reached his flight-time limit and instructed passengers to deplane; a replacement flight was arranged for the following morning.
As passengers deplaned, Sun said he saw spots on the jet bridge and near the boarding counter that had been covered with a granular substance. "No one explained what type of species had that poop, but we had our suspicions," he told PEOPLE.
Frustrated by the delay, Sun accepted a full refund from Frontier and booked an alternate flight with American Airlines the next morning. Frontier Airlines did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
Why It Matters
Undeclared animals on flights raise safety, hygiene and regulatory concerns. The incident highlights how a combination of operational delays and unexpected events can compound passenger disruption.
