Airline passenger left outraged after discovering they were 'moved from seat' because of a dog
An airline passenger was left horrified when they were reportedly moved from their seat to accommodate a dog.
The disgruntled passenger took to Reddit to complain about the issue they faced, claiming the service dog was 'too big to fit on the floor' and therefore was allowed to sit on their seat during a United Airlines flight from San Diego to Denver.
"I boarded a flight from SAN to DEN and an enormous 'service' dog was sitting on my seat," the passenger wrote.
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"He was way too big to fit on the floor. The flight attendant was a few rows away and when asked if she saw the dog, she just shrugged.
"My husband and I tried to resolve it with the passenger but there was no way that dog could fit under his legs in his window seat. Since we were told that it was a completely full flight, and the dog was taking my seat, I thought I was going to get bumped off the flight by this dog."
The passenger explained that eventually, a flight attendant found another seat for them, leaving the animal on the seat next to their owner - which they found 'absurd'.
"A United staff member came onboard and spoke to the passenger but the dog remained," they continued.
"Finally, somehow they located another seat for me. The dog stayed on my seat for the whole flight. Totally absurd that an oversized dog can displace a paying passenger from their seat. United needs to crack down on passengers abusing the 'service' animal allowance.
"How can someone be allowed onboard with a dog that big without buying an extra seat?
"United’s policy is that service dogs 'can't be in the aisle or the floor space of the travelers next to you'. Also it is nasty to have a dog outside of a carrier sitting on passengers’ seats with his butt on the armrests.
"The gate agents carefully check the size my carry-on, but apparently they don't monitor the size of people's 'service' dogs! WTH?!"
People had a lot of opinions on the issue, with many sharing their thoughts in the comments.
One person wrote: "Service dogs are required to sit on the floor at the passenger’s feet. Not on a seat. This is for the animal’s safety since it can’t wear a proper seatbelt."
While another added: "As a disability lawyer, you need to start making mass complaints to the airline. They know that an SD has to be either: in the floor space and or under the seat in front of its handler, or the handler has to purchase a second seat. If the dog encroaches on another passenger’s foot space (or seat), the handler has to buy a second seat, and the dog can be IN the FOOT space of the their seat, and the 2nd seat. A non-lap dog can NOT be in the seat for takeoff & landing."
A third said the dog 'should have been removed from the seat' regardless of whether the passenger was relocated or not.
Over on the website, United Airlines states: "Your dog should sit in the floor space in front of your seat. They can't be in the aisle or the floor space of the travelers next to you."
UNILAD has contacted United Airlines for comment.
Lucy Devine