Originally Posted by
Gauges and Dials
Isn't it reasonable to assume that if an airline offers to the market, "bring X on the plane" as a service for sale, it's the airline's job to understanding what kinds of X can and cannot be safely transported, and making that clear? Where do you expect the expertise to reside, regarding what kinds of cargo, live or otherwise, can safely be carried: with the airline or with the shipper? Some other airlines have specified that certain breeds of dogs cannot safely fly and do not allow them. United chose to not make such a distinction, took this customer's money, and grossly failed to provide the service for which they were paid.
Bingo. Or they could even go the extra mile with customers pets:
slight thread drift but IIRC, many, many years ago an airline, which one I can't remember, brought into LGW (I think) a large Alsatian in a crate.. Just they'd lost the paperwork .. and no-one knew who the dog belonged to so they couldn't contact them.
The dog was extremely unfriendly and couldn't even be approached, let alone allowed out of the crate, so couldn't be given any exercise until someone remembered that 'old Fred' was 'good with dogs'. And Fred came over, made friends with the dog and even managed to take it out for walks on the airfield.
A few days later a guy turned up and said "Hi, I'm here to collect my Siberian wolf" ...