Baby kangaroo spotted onboard American Airlines flight

Harry was relocated as part of a conservation project

The kangaroo boarded its own private flight (Instagram/aastews)

A kangaroo was spotted hopping onboard an American Airlines flight – and he was flying in the cabin like a regular passenger, rather than in the hold.

Harry, a joey (baby kangaroo), was being transported from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Newport News, Virginia in the US.  

He was relocated at the weekend as part of a wildlife conservation project.

Accompanied by his handler, Harry was filmed boarding the plane by flight attendant Bobby Weston, who shared the footage on social media.

The video shows the joey being lured down the aisle by a handler holding a fleecy pouch.

He stops occasionally to have a look around the aircraft cabin, before hopping after the pouch again.  

The video was also shared by aastews, an Instagram account featuring American Airlines cabin crew, and has been viewed more than 23,000 times.

“WHYYY aren’t I ever on the animal transport flights?” read the caption.  

“WHY... because I’m pretty sure I’d be too distracted to get any work done.”

“@ohheyitsbobbyb had this little angel on a flight from CLT to PHF as part of a wildlife conservation effort. Only in my dreams...”

Harry’s not the first unexpected animal to board an aircraft.

In February 2020, a miniature service horse called Fred took his first flight.

Fred’s handler, Ronica Froese, told local news outlet Fox 17 that the journey from Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Ontario, California via Dallas was his first plane journey.

“I spent a year of my life training this horse extensively for what he has and I was totally prepared for everything,” Ms Froese said.

“I purchased two first class seats in bulkhead seating, I paid an arm and a leg for tickets but I did so because it was Fred’s first time and I wanted him to be comfortable, I wanted him to have the most room.”

Footage shared on Fred’s Facebook page showed the pony, dressed in a special service jacket and mask, resting his nose on Ms Froese’s leg while standing in the footwell.