Originally Posted by
Jay Sata
I think you are missing the point.
The flight attendant correctly assessed the space under the seat could not safely accommodate the container with dog. As with all carry on luggage if it does not fit under the seat it goes in the overhead locker.
In this case it should have gone in the hold where (in the rest of the world )animals are normally transported.
The chief cabin steward should have conferred with the captain prior to pushback.
The only exception in the USA for animals in the cabin is for those who perform a service.
I doubt this miniature bulldog had the mentality or temperament to be a guide dog.
However it appears there are plently of people who falsely claim their pets are service animals and this is the outcome.
please see my post and videos just above
and FYI
- you CAN take small dogs on board in the cabin certainly in the EU and the USA on many airlines (but not on most UK airlines though) - it's nothing new - even a pal took his chihuahua transatlantic last year from FCO to LAX va MXP and JFK on AZ and Delta there and back
and years ago my pal took his yorkie from IBZ to JFK via PMI and MAD there and back on IB and Spantax
you cannot take the dog out of its carrier whilst inflight
for the FA to put this dog/puppy in the OH locker beggars belief - if however the pet carrier was too big to go under the seat (although united say it was an approved sized carrier) then the passenger should have been dealt with in another way - moved seats for more room or rebooked to a less full flight - something like that - the check in and gate staff would have known about the dog -
there is enough info out there for pax wanting to take a small dog on board and FA's should be used to it - it's not uncommon in the EU or the States
The FA here seems to have fu**ed up big style and united have accepted the blame - no consolation for the poor girl who lost her dog
