Brighten Your Day

Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant Rescues Flamingo Eggs Mid-Flight

February 22, 2024

Today's good news story comes from Seattle, Washington.

Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant Amber May went above and beyond her typical duties when faced with an unexpected and unusual request during a flight from Atlanta to Seattle.

Amber May | Credit: Woodland Park Zoo

Amber, who boasts a decade of experience in the skies, has encountered her fair share of peculiar situations, but none quite as unique as the task that awaited her on that particular flight. Six precious Chilean flamingo eggs from Zoo Atlanta were en route to Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, cradled within a portable incubator by a zoo official.

However, mid-flight, the incubator had stopped working, putting the delicate eggs at risk.

"A passenger rang the call button and asked if I would help keep some eggs warm," Amber told Alaska Air.

Responding to the urgent plea, Amber May leaped into action, collaborating with the animal keeper to devise an ingenious solution. Filling rubber gloves with warm water, Amber fashioned an impromptu nest to keep the eggs snug and shielded from the chill of the cabin. Throughout the entire five-hour flight, she tirelessly supplied water-filled gloves to maintain the necessary warmth for the eggs.

The unexpected call of duty also mobilized the compassion of fellow passengers, who willingly sacrificed their coats and scarves to provide additional insulation for the flamingo eggs. The collective effort onboard the Alaska Airlines flight became a heartening display of humanity.

Months later, Amber May received an unexpected and joyous call from Woodland Park Zoo. The zoo, expressing gratitude for her swift and innovative intervention, invited Amber to meet the very beings she had played a crucial role in saving – the baby flamingos. It was a reunion filled with warmth and feathers, as all six chicks successfully hatched and thrived under the watchful eyes of their savior.

"In my 10 years of flying, the request to help save flamingo eggs was one of the strangest I've ever received," Amber reflected. "I'm honored to have had the opportunity to help, and I'm happy that all six chicks hatched successfully!"