Modern air transportation is often criticized for being brutal, especially coach class, which some would argue is unfit for humans. A promin...
Modern air transportation is often criticized for being brutal, especially coach class, which some would argue is unfit for humans. A prominent case in point is that of Michael Contillo, a San Francisco man who has sued Alaska Airlines, alleging that the airline's carelessness resulted in the death of his French bulldog on a flight from New York to San Francisco.
Contillo was traveling with his father and two bulldogs. With veterinary approval, they had previously flown the dogs from San Francisco to New York. However, they were downgraded from first class to economy due to alleged "safety reasons." Contillo contends that the cramped conditions of row 11 were dangerous for short-nosed dogs like his.
Throughout the flight, he observed his dog breathing rapidly and seemed agitated. The dog calmed down after take-off. However, Contillo later found out that it had died by the time they were landing. He said the flight attendants were not very sympathetic afterward, with one saying, "Now you're gonna say we caused your dog's death."
Contillo's lawsuit brings the issue of the airline's liability into focus, particularly in a situation where a court may declare that flying with pets in economy class is impossible.
This is not the first time people have reacted with critiques towards a principal airline concerning how animals are treated. For example, United Airlines has been historically marred by several unfortunate occurrences, which include, among many others, a pet rabbit being left frozen in a freezer, a dog being kept in transit longer than required because of an agent's error, and most distressingly, a cabin crew member push a dog into an overhead compartment which resulted in the death of the Ceiling Pet.
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