Passenger explodes at Alaska Airlines staff over carrying two cats in one carrier

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: A tense holiday travel dispute at a Las Vegas airport has gone viral after a passenger was filmed berating Alaska Airlines employees for refusing to let her fly with two cats crammed into a single carrier.

The woman, identified as Alexandra Compton, was attempting to board a flight to Portland, Oregon, on Sunday when airline staff told her that her pets did not meet the airline’s under-seat travel requirements. What followed was a heated confrontation that has since earned her the nickname “Two Cats Karen” across social media.

Viral video captures heated exchange at airport gate

In a TikTok video that has amassed hundreds of thousands of views and likes, Compton can be seen loudly arguing with a gate agent while clutching her cat carrier. She repeatedly demanded to see the airline’s written policy and accused staff of preventing her from going home for Christmas.

“Show me the policy, then, before I booked the flight, that said that I had to have a certain weight of cat to go under the seat!” Compton snapped at the employee in the clip.

The airline worker calmly explained that the issue was not the cats’ weight, but their ability to move comfortably inside the carrier. According to staff, the two cats did not have enough room to meet safety standards and would require separate carriers.

That explanation did little to calm Compton.

“You haven’t even seen my cat, so you’re not letting me go home for Christmas!” she shouted. “You’re telling me I can’t go home for Christmas!”

At one point, she added, “I don’t live here. I live in Oregon. I have an Oregon ID. I need to go home for Christmas.”

Airline employee attempts to de-escalate situation

As Compton’s voice grew louder, the Alaska Airlines employee asked her to lower her tone and reiterated that company policy was not negotiable at the gate.

“I’m letting you know that there is a policy around your pets that don’t have enough room, and you don’t get to decide the company policy,” the staff member told her.

Compton, however, insisted she had traveled with her cats “for many years” without issue and accused the airline’s website of being confusing and inaccessible.

“My mom tried to and your website obviously isn’t user-friendly,” she said, demanding staff point out where the restriction was listed prior to booking.

What Alaska Airlines’ pet policy actually says

According to Alaska Airlines’ official pet travel policy, “up to two pets of the same species and similar size may travel in the same carrier,” but only if “no body parts protrude from the carrier and the animals are not in distress.”

While it remains unclear whether the cats were deemed distressed, airline staff determined they did not have adequate space to move freely, prompting the denial.

Alaska Airlines did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the viral incident.

Passenger ultimately flies after buying second carrier

Despite the confrontation, Compton later confirmed she was able to fly after purchasing a second pet carrier and rebooking her trip.

“They made me leave the airport, buy a second pet carrier, a second seat to put the second cat under on a whole new flight three hours later,” she wrote in a Facebook post.

Her frustration with the airline remained evident.

“F**k Alaska Airlines, their ‘policies’ and lack of customer service,” Compton added. “I hope you all get coal for Christmas.”