Could it really be that the FA was just doing her job and bears no responsibility for the death of a dog?
Reader Anthony did not agree with the arguments I made for why the United Airlines’ flight attendant who ordered a woman to place her dog in the overhead locker should be fired.
While I disagree with his overall conclusion, I’m featuring his rebuttal because I considered it thoughtful. This is not a “dogs don’t belong on planes” diatribe.
Matthew, I love your writing but you are just plain wrong on the issue of who is to blame in the recent tragic death of a dog aboard a United flight.
You fairly laid out the facts, but consider how the facts look through the lens of my analysis.
1. Lack of Personal Responsibility
First, it is inconceivable that the passenger should be given a free pass for failing to exert personal responsibility. I don’t dispute that many passengers obey flight crew instructions out of fear. Nevertheless, if a FA demanded that you engage in injurious behavior, would you just blindly oblige? Even if it meant placing your loved one in harm’s way? The passenger had a choice to make. There is always a choice.
But that’s only half the point. A flight from Houston Bush Intercontinental to New York LaGuardia is 3.5 hours. How can you simply not check in on your puppy for the duration for the flight? What if he needed food or water? This was neglect on the part of the owner. Even if she was occupied with her newborn, her teenage daughter could have checked on the dog during the flight.
The passenger must take responsibility for ultimately failing to do her part to protect the life of her dog.
2. Regulation Does Not Explicitly Prohibit Overhead Storage
Second, you were correct in your Law in Travel post that no federal regulation or internal United Airlines policy excplcity prohibits placing a pet into an overhead bin. While the rules and regulations point toward stowing a pet under the seat in front of you, I see no rules that either mandate storage under the seat or prohibit storage in an overhead bin.
Don’t you think that if it was so self-apparent that pets could not be stored in the overhead bin, someone would have known better and stopped it from occurring?
Thus, the law is not a compelling indictment of the FA. Even so, I don’t believe the FA even knew it was a dog. More on that below.
3. Safety of Other Passengers Come First
Third, the safety of other passengers should always come before that of a pet. Why would the FA ask the lady to place the kennel in the overhead bin if it fit under the seat? Since the mother was traveling with an infant and 13-year-old daughter, we know they were not in an exit row that would have precluded underseat storage.
Consequently, either the passenger was traveling with too many carry-on items or the kennel was too large to fit under the seat. In either case, the FA was correct to intervene. Imagine an emergency landing that required a rapid evacuation. Carry-on baggage protruding into the aisles and blocking egress can make the difference between life and death.
4. FA Not Responsible for Communication Barrier
Fourth, the passenger did not speak English. Although she claims she made clear to the FA it was a dog, I don’t see how this is possible if she was saying “perro” instead of dog. FAs are used to passengers protesting over where to store their carry-on baggage. The FA was simply preparing the cabin for departure and did not understand what the woman was trying to communicate. It is unlikely she closely scrutinized the bag. Rather, she just saw it was sticking out from under the seat and mentioned that it had to be stored.
5. No Motive for Harm
Finally, why would a flight attendant knowingly place a dog in harm’s way? I see no motive for harm. While one passenger claims the FA knew it was a dog, another one claims she had no idea. The FA herself also claims she had no idea. Why are you so quick to dismiss her and the other passenger?
Her reaction of shock and sorrow after learning of the dead dog is a great indicator of her innocence. I don’t think even the grumpiest United FA would ever want to kill a dog, let alone endanger one.
The answer is not about whether the FA is innocent, but rather there is sufficient doubt to conclude she is not guilty. Have I convinced you?
Anthony
CONCLUSION
No Anthony, you have not convinced me. I appreciate your attempt and perhaps you will convince others. But I believe in the post-Dao world, many passengers are afraid to ever question a FA. This fear for their own personal safety is not illegitimate. I also think a FA is responsible for communicating safety issues with a passenger, even if it ultimately has to be by charades. Last, I don’t think you can fairly argue this was a matter of safety, since other bags presumably could have been re-adjusted so that the kennel could be placed fully under the seat.
Anyway, what do you think of Anthony’s argument?
That is one stupid passenger!
Interesting. Some points I hadn’t considered. I do agree that it was the passengers responsibility to check on the dog. I don’t see how she let the dog remain up there without checking on it for 3.5 hours. Even if the FA knew she was partially responsible. And I agree she had a choice. If the FA had said put the baby up there would she have done so? I hope not. At some point you must take responsibility for getting off the plane if there is danger. You are ultimately responsible for your life and those of your children and pets.
one more thing to consider about passengers. just in the past year i have personally witnessed two parents trying to stow their babies in overhead bins, crew had to interfere and stop them. crazy passengers with absolute zero common sense is the norm today. from my understanding this dog wasnt in a pet carrier he was in a duffle bag to avoid paying the pat fee, with no way for anyone on the crew to know he was onboard raising much more serious questions of what else could passengers be sneaking onboard through TSA, she could have just as easily brought explosives on to that plane but its easier to just blame the crew in the environment today until someone pretty soon gets seriously hurt.
For the record Chana, and so that you feel safe flying…TSA has nothing to do with the “pet on board” policies. Regardless of what happened on the flight, the dog was NOT snuck thru TSA. The pet had to be taken out of the bag at security, and held in passengers arms, while passenger walked thru the screener. (Just as you would, with your baby) She had nothing to hide from TSA, and TSA would not have told her she couldn’t bring the dog thru. She therefore, would have no reason not to comply. TSA has no concern with whether or not you paid the “pet on board” fee. If she had mistakenly ran the bag thru the security machine, WITH the dog inside—TSA would’ve obviously caught that via X-ray, and spoken to her. As seeing this story made national news, and TSA has not come forward stating any wrong doing with this passenger, prior to the flight…it would appear, the passenger did comply at TSA. The issue arises, post TSA, and whether or not the passenger validly paid the fee/brought the animal on board in an official pet carrier (mesh sides for ventilation/animals ability to breathe) OR, if they snuck the dog on, to avoid the $125 fee, and hid him in a non breathable duffle bag. I am commenting because you seem concerned with scary things coming thru security. I just wanted to ease your mind. (I am an airline employee).
Nope. Anthony didn’t convince me either. The fact that there is no explicit rule/regulation stating animals cannot be stored in overhead bins will lead to the occasional traveler assuming that it must be acceptable. Maybe not Anthony since he’s very responsible. However, take a stressed out mom with kids in tow who may not have english as a first language and it makes for a situation where problems can arise. After many years of travel I have yet to see a safety video instructing people not to put pets in overhead bins. It is not the travelers responsibility to know all the safety regulations and standards of commercial aviation. It is the sole responsibility of the crew. Also if there was a failure of communication it continues to be a responsibility of the crew. Just because a person cannot understand English doesn’t mean the FA can skip them over in terms of safety.
Respectfully, Luis, I have never seen an in-flight safety briefing that reminds me not to consume the eating utensils that may accompany a meal, or not to walk barefoot in the lavatory, but that doesn’t make it the airlines’ responsibility to provide warnings about every element of their service, common sense has to apply somewhere, and if the FA genuinely did not believe there was a dog in the bag, like in every other aspect of life, the passenger needs to be their own advocate. I don’t speak anything but english, but on a flight between two non-english speaking destinations with a local carrier, through the magic of google translate and pantomime I was able to get a passenger that didn’t speak english to switch seats with me so I could sit with my wife.
But wasn’t this the opposite of skipping over them? The FA did what she thought was necessary to provide them max safety. Whether she knew it was a dog in the bag is important, but I’m not sure it’s dispositive. If the carrier was protruding, isn’t it REQUIRED to go in the overhead bin? After all, in the event of an emergency, human lives > dog lives and she would have to leave it behind, per crew member instructions, though I doubt that would happen, especially since she can’t speak/understand the language.
The FA does not have a responsibility to speak the same language as all pax, so I think it’s as unfair to say she’s to blame for poor communication as was the mother who was flying in the US on a US airline, where the predominant language is English. Besides, there’s almost no way the teenage daughter can’t speak or understand some English, so there’s something amiss there.
Further, but not of consequence here, is there an argument that perhaps you should be required to understand at least some English (perhaps, enough to understand safety instructions) lest you cause injury/death to others in the event of an emergency, where all orders are communicated in English? Would the mom then be to blame if she caused a backup or other problem because she couldn’t communicate in the same language as everyone else? Does she qualify as having an “egg-shell skull” since she would be an abnormally incapable person in that scenario?
Just interesting things to think about, but I don’t think your point about the FA skipping over them because they don’t speak English is fair or founded at all.
The following is from the United website: In-cabin pet kennels
A pet traveling in cabin must be carried in an approved hard-sided or soft-sided kennel. The kennel must fit completely under the seat in front of the customer and remain there at all times. The maximum dimensions for hard-sided kennels are 17.5 inches long x 12 inches wide x 7.5 inches high (44 cm x 30 cm x 19 cm). The recommended maximum dimensions for soft-sided kennels are 18 inches long x 11 inches wide x 11 inches high (46 cm x 28 cm x 28 cm). Soft-sided pet carriers may exceed these dimensions slightly, as they are collapsible and able to conform to under-seat space without blocking the aisle. With the exception of birds, there may only be one pet per kennel, and the animal must be able to stand up and turn around comfortably. Two birds may travel in the same kennel.
Luis,
Negligence for not knowing pet policy is the responsibility of the owner . When you travel with an animal there are certain documents that explain how you are to travel .
Flight crew is responsible for information regarding safety as mandated by the FAA.
If you travel to a new state and unknowingly break a law , it is not the job of the police to inform you what the laws are for that state . The responsibility falls on you to know the rules prior to entering the new destination .
Airlines state clearly what their individual pet policy is . If you don’t read It , that is your own fault. Language barriers are not an excuse either as documents are easily accessible in other languages .
Without a doubt this is a tragedy . How though can you forget about your “beloved ” dog .
Also is the carrier could fit underneath the seat , which I suspect it could not, the FA would not have instructed the passenger to place it onto the overhead bin.
Well maybe she should not have brought her pet if she was not going to tend to it properly. I don’t care what language you do or don’t speak. I would always check on my pet. Ownership!!
Matthew… you are wrong, wrong wrong. In all of history people have obliged with Flight Crew instruction. Now even more than ever, you are failing miserably to understand the state of mind of a non-seasoned traveller. They truly believe flight attendants are similar to police and cause them serious trouble. As for your mention of putting loved ones in harms way… There were flights back in the 60s and 70s where Flight attendants told people to put their babies underneath seats during emergency landing situations, people listened, babies died. Even though its FAA-recommended , still stupid and people did it. You mis-understand how the general public perceives the power of a flight attendant, especially now since most people think airlines take Customer Service last and everything else first.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/johngoglia/2013/09/09/former-flight-attendant-crash-survivor-leads-24-year-battle-to-change-flying-rules-for-young-children/#612449da58d7
@Ryan: I’m on your side. Remember, this is a reader (Anthony) who took the time to write me a rebuttal.
Oops!!! My bad
And as a flight attendant for said airline I think you, Matthew are wrong!!!! You are absolving the customer of all COMMON sense!!!! Why did it not occur to the passenger to take the dog OUT of the bag before stowing it?!
What would UA have done to this woman if she refused and made a scene?
Dragged her off the plane with her kids and dog?
If you love your pet, don’t fly them!
That’s a dumb thing to say and for the record Dao was not on an actual United flight but on another code share partner airline. Second he was removed by airport security not United staff and third he broke a federal law when he when back on the plane. People need to grow up and learn to except responsibilities for their actions.
No aorle employee drags anyone off a plane. Get you facts right. That was the Chicago police. Just like in every airport, Port authority police determine course of action once they are called to a scene. I can’t believe that a year later people are still ignorant to the facts. Sad.
Actually Ryan as a flight attendant people do not just comply with our instructions. On every flight there is two or three people that want to test the waters, and use the old “I hope I do not get dragged off” joke. So after the previous incident people have only gotten worse looking for a quick payday.
Technically the air that is pumped through the cabin comes through the overhead bins, so there is air pumping through there. So I have questions. Was the dog in a bag that was zipped up so there was way for the oxygen to get to him?
I was wondering where people are getting this “passengers listen to FAs” myth. For the to maybe 5 times a year some of them travel they have now become subject matter experts. ***NEWS FLASH*** People do NOT listen & are most often Rudd & disrespectful & don’t realize that FAs have Federal rules to COMPLY with & in turn ensure passenger compliance. People are not aware that should you chose to be lackadaisical on a day when the FAA is ghost-riding/spot-checking Airlines for compliance with Federal Aviation Regular that one all crew members are subject to tines in the $1000+ range & most often want it before ur next flight. I’ve heard horror stories & crying from people that have been fined. For that reason I comply with FAA Regulations & what do I get? *”What’s the big deal”, “she’s a damn Nazi”, “IFLY ALL THE TIME, you don’t need to tell me what to do, just bring my glass of wine”, I fly all the time I NEVER heard that”, “BITCH”, “I’m not moving my bag”, (all actual responses including off of my flight today. I hear threats of what “they would do if they were asked to move a seat”, like punch a flight attendant. That for sure will get you a federal charge. Try having a passenger throw their duffle bag from a window seat & hitting you in the chest, all because they didn’t want to stow it. There are the very few who are wonderfully respectful & apologize for the behavior of others. How about those that take there dogs & cats out & put them on tray tables where people eat & kids lick, many of them with allergies. Oh there’s so much more. People have no idea. The only time people really listen is if you’re in any emergency situation & their lives depend on you. All of a sudden you become the expert worthy of utmost respect. Sad.
Your main counterargument to his points is that people are so afraid of FAs now post-Dao? That’s ludicrous. If anything it’s the opposite. People are now looking to instigate (and film) incidents in order to get their big payday or 15 minutes of fame.
And besides this, what proof is there that being in the overhead bin is what killed the puppy? Those bins are not air tight, so there is no reason to believe that it would have suffocated. Perhaps the dog died of other causes.
In any case, as a dog owner, I care about my dog enough to not put him on a plane in the first place. Putting your dog in a plane is a risk to his health regardless of where it is stowed. The owner chose to anyway.
I agree 100% percent with Anthony, and largely with you but I suspect it wasn’t being enclosed in the bin that suffocated the dog, likely it was the shifting of the other luggage in the bin that may have caused the dogs demise.
I’d guess it was overheating not suffocation that the dog died from.
Exactly! And a French bulldog is expensive and why didn’t they do the research on this breed before bringing it aboard a plane?! Very selfish of that family and that breed does not do well in an airplane, much less being inside a bag!
The airlines (not the public) created this environment. They rip people off, charge ridiculous fees, treat people like garbage, delay their flights than shove them in a tube with more people and less air. What kind of results do you think you will get? the Spirit effect is running over to the major airlines. Shove more people into smaller spaces for longer periods of time with more stressed out crew members and limited to no food. Everyone is on edge.
No. It’s the public to blame. They could choose to pay more for a better experience. But everyone just looks at cost.
Spot on. Every single time that argument is made, the same counterpoint is valid. America’s general public is extremely cost conscious and unwilling to accept that paying for a burger doesn’t entitle them to filet mignon.
LESS air? You’re kidding right?
Ryan, again, personal responsibility…buy a sandwich at the airport and bring it on the plane with you! You don’t have to fly, you are free to drive, take a bus or a train if you think airlines charge too much.
I agree w WR. People are not scared of light attendants. They are looking for reasons to argue, film it and make a buck. And in other articles they said no one got up the entire 3,5hr flight bc of turbulence. This is far fetched too. People get up no matter what flight attendants or pilots say.
As mentioned also in a comment the overheads are not airtight, so it couldn’t have suffocated just bc it was in the overhead.
There are many things that probably contributed to this dogs death. One it is recommended that they don’t fly bc they already have trouble breathing. Are we sure that it wasn’t sick? Maybe it was having trouble breathing before it was brought on. And the stress of being on a plane is what killed it?
I am convinced. Or I should say: I had already formulated some of the same arguments but not as eloquently as Anthony did. Looking at situations from both points of view can be illuminating.
Anthony’s rebuttal is thoughtful. I agree with him that it seems odd the passenger never attempted to check on the dog in any way. I think the passenger, whether it be out of fear of reprisal from the flight crew or distraction, retains a certain level of basic responsibility to monitor the health and well being of her pet. Even if she was negligent, however, I do not think that negligence absolves the flight attendant from her responsibility. Yes, the passenger could have done more. No, the fact she could have done more does not mean the flight attendant is no longer responsible for directing the passenger to do something that defies common sense: putting a dog inside what was certainly an already crowded overhead bin.
I don’t think anyone who wasn’t there is going to fully adjudicate the particulars of this case without access to the actual people involved. In other words, all this arm chair pontificating is pretty much just to make ourselves feel better. Or worse…it is to all just the long way around to supporting the position we already hold irregardless of the actual facts. Typically, that position is going to come down to whether or not you think pets on planes is a good or bad thing.
In any event, I agree with all five points this article brings up.
to me, the biggest gap no one is addressing is cause of death!
Snub nose dogs have respitory problems in flight, that is known and documented. Entirely possible the dog would have passed away in cabin as well. We have no evidence that the bin caused or even contributed to the dog’s death. Bins aren’t airtight, afterall.
Now sure, maybe the dog had higher chance of death from less airflow or a human not seeing and reacting to the incident, but everyone jumps to being an overhead bin hindsight expert that I just don’t believe. I am a dog owner and a 100k+ mile annual flier. While I wouldn’t want my dog in the bin, I doubt before this incident I would HONESTLY say that it would put the dog in significantly greater danger, just sad more than anything. That being said, I don’t travel with my dog….
Excellent point… did the dog die from being put in the overhead bin? Did it merely increase its chance of death? Was it even a condition of death, much less a cause?
If a person dies in flight, we don’t automatically assume the airline did something wrong (I get the overhead is a little different), but its still ridiculous to say if this, then that without knowing anything about the COD.
You are a sensible person!
I think the passenger has the ultimate responsibility to ensure the safety of her children and dog. If you disagree with the FA, you always have the option to not comply. You could have moved another bag into the overhead or asked another passenger to let you put the dog under their seat. Based on the pictures, it does not appear the carrier would have been too large to fit. I also have a hard time believing the FA would have directed her to put the dog in the overhead bin given that it would have been against airline policy (dogs must be in carriers and able to fit under the seat). There must be some other factor such as miscommunication or the FA being in a hurry and not listening to the explanation that led to that outcome.
However, I assume United charged the passenger a fee to bring the dog on board and at that point also takes responsibility for the animal. FAs would know how many animals are on board and which seats they are in since they typically limit the number of animals in each cabin (I’ve had an FA check in on me after I was seated with my dog in a carrier to make sure everything was OK, so they are aware of who has an animal). If you’re going to provide the service and charge for it, you need to have procedures in place to (1) know who ensure the dog is in a compliant carrier during check-in and (2) to check that the dog is correctly placed before leaving the gate (similar to a seat belt check).
Finally, some well reasoned and respectful thoughts on this situation. I agree totally with Anthony. And until an official cause of death is determined, the majority of the blame should be with the passenger.
Matthew,
I would have liked to see you address the language issue… I did not know the pax couldn’t speak English. “Perro” (as in dog) also sounds like “but” when translated so if the FA is just hearing “but but but” it sounds like the protest to normal instructions.
The first point, however, is the most convincing. How do you NOT check on the dog for that long of a flight?
Why have we not heard about some kind of verbal altercation from nearby pax? Wouldn’t someone have spoken out by now (if not during the incident) and said the FA knew it was a dog and still put it up there? Or that the mother protested? Or that anything out of the ordinary occurred?
It seems like the FA said put the bag up there (probably because too big) by pointing at the overhead bin, the pax replied “dog dog dog” but the FA heard “but but but” and told her to do it, just like she would any other pax with any other bag, and then went about the flight, since apparently there was no protest and the dog didn’t come down during the flight… if they loved it so much and cared so much, why did she not immediately take it out and hold it the remainder of the flight??
It just doesn’t add up. What happened is outrageous, but still a lot of unanswered questions. We have a moral duty to do that which is right, regardless of what “authority” says. Blind compliance is like willful ignorance, and neither should be tolerated.
UA should buy them a new dog and this should all go away.
Just to add to possibilities for the language barrier – “perra” can be used for a female dog, or “bitch”. It is possible that even if the FA understood a little Spanish, may have assumed the passenger was cursing her out for making her move the bag.
And while I do not absolve United in this case, I tend to agree that in today’s society very few people tend to take responsibility for their own actions/inactions. There is absolutely no excuse on behalf of the passenger for not checking on the dog periodically throughout the flight.
Nice rebuttal. Few consider the language and miscommunication issue.
The passenger will be compensated, the FA will have repercussions. This is nowhere near the equivalence of the Dao issue.
With respect to not getting up to check on the dog, I read somewhere that due to turbulence they didn’t get an opportunity to get up during the flight.
I was recently on a flight with my infant son and we never got a chance to take off our seat belts and stand up. And we really wish we could have (since we needed to change his diaper).
As a Flight Attendant for a major US carrier, the number of times people completely disobey that seatbelt sign is also no excuse. Yes, your example of changing a diaper is a little more complicated with going to the lav and standing in there, placing your baby down, etc.
But for someone to stand up and open the bin and pull the bag down or even just check is inexcusable. I bet if it was someone’s iPad or laptop in the bin, they’d be up getting it as soon as the wheels left the ground.
As with aircraft accidents blame is very rarely directed in only one direction. As you note the FA should have made sure the communication barrier was breached and that understanding occurred. Certainly an experienced FA should have recognized a pet carrier.
But before we demand her head on a platter we should consider her side. She may very well have not known the bag contained a pet. If she is just pointing to what from the top could look like an ordinary duffel bag and the women seems to understand and agree with her request she may very well have never known there was a dog in there. Again this doesn’t absolve the FA of blame. But it does cast rather a different light on the situation perhaps. I certainly wouldn’t blame the pet owner in full here but we should acknowledge that she shoulders at least some portion of the blame.
There is another aspect to this and that’s the media since you highlight this as being a post Dr. Dao world. That story was so badly reported as to defy belief. As you know is wasn’t United or a United agent that dragged him off. Rather it was the police and all of this after repeated requests that he leave which he fully understood and yet refused to comply with. As you yourself have admitted when a customer adamantly refuses to move he in the end leaves the police little choice. If passengers are unduly fearful of FA’s in the post Dao world its not because your average FA is likely to assault a customer. Its because the media willfully blew the story.
I’m a dog lover myself and what has happened is tragic beyond words. United Corporate has done the right thing in accepting full responsibility and I certainly hope the compensation provide to this poor women is fair and reflective of that. But as I said like any incident the causes are people responsible are often found in many places and on many levels.
I believe Matthew’s United hatred is driving his response to a very well-reasoned argument.
Trust me, I go out of my way to defend United whenever I can. I just cannot do so here, in good conscience.
Matthew….as a well seasoned traveler, you should know that the bag wasn’t required to be stowed the entire flight — only during take off and landing. If the dog was barking, why didn’t the owner take it out of the overhead bin? Why didn’t the owner check on her pet at anytime during the flight? Was it so turbulent the ENTIRE flight that not one person got up the entire 3 1/2 hour flight? I highly doubt it. Was the dog in a duffel bag or an approved pet carrier which would have had air vents? Do you honestly think the fa would’ve put a pet in the overhead if she knew it was a pet—- that she had malicious intent to kill the dog? There are a lot of facts and questions that remain unanswered because you and I were not there. Ultimately though, the passenger is responsible for her pet.
I agree the passenger was an IDIOT to put her dog up there. I don’t think it was a language barrier thing. I heard her daughter do an interview and her 10 year old daughter is totally fluent in English. In fact, if she is like any 2nd generation kids, she probably can speak English better than Spanish. She said she told the FA that there was a dog in there.
I do agree that the passenger has just as much blame as the FA.
These are some thoughtful counter-points, but I am not convinced, for a couple of reasons:
1) If the passenger was carrying the dog in a carrier, my understanding is this means she paid the pet fee, and not carrying the dog on as an ESA. Therefore, she had to stop at a counter to check-in to have the carrier measured to ensure that it complies with the maximum allowable dimensions – and thus, there shouldn’t have been any kind of size issue. If the passenger had too many bags, that could have been taken care of either through a gate check, or putting the other bags in the bin.
2) I still believe the FA is lying when she claims she did not understand the carrier contained a dog. One, who in their right mind would use a pet carrier as a regular carry-on bag? Second, there are at least two eyewitness accounts that suggest the FA did in fact know the carrier contained a dog. Finally, if the mother’s English skills were limited, based on a TV interview I saw today, the teenage daughter speaks perfect English. I simply do not find it believable that the FA could not have understood there was a dog in the carrier.
To me, regardless of any other mitigating factors, I can’t get past the fact that it sure looks like a) the FA provided misinformation, whether through incompetence or malice, when she ordered the passenger to put the carrier in the overhead, and b) then lied about the encounter when confronted. I’ve had a power-tripping airline employee make up rules, become abusive, and then lie about the circumstances when we filed a complaint – and frankly, I’m sick and tired of it. It’s about time to make an example out of one, whether that’s through termination and/or a substantial civil lawsuit. Maybe that’ll make the small number of bad apples think twice before power-tripping the next time.
FYI – I travel with my dog at least once a month and have so for the 10 years I’ve had him. I’ve nevr once had an airline measure my carry-on bag for compliance.
In addition, most dog carriers do not look like carriers from the top. The sides have mesh but usually not the top. The FA would’ve been walking by and noticed a couple inches of a non-mesh bag sticking out. They’re not going to crouch down in the aisle and check the sides of the bag for mesh.
You are commenting without knowledge or fact. Who says she checked the dog in? ALLEGEDLY… investigation states she snuck the dog on to avoid the fee. This means, she went directly to TSA. TSA is not concerned with whether or not you paid a “pet on board” fee. You take that up with the airline at the gate, not them. All you have to do at TSA, is comply with security measures— i.e. hold the dog (like you would your baby) when you walk to the scanner.
ALLEGEDLY, this animal was in a duffle bag, not a pet carrier (no ventilation) and was not listed as “pet in cabin” on the flight manifest. So, how would any “power tripping” airline employee know there was a dog in the bag? Furthermore, you state that the daughter speaks perfect English. The problem with that is,…a child should not have been in charge of an adult situation! Additionally, stating that people fear flight attendants, is a complete copout. People in our society need to be responsibility for themselves and take accountability. If you told me I had to put my loved one/animal into a overhead bin…it would be my choice, to get up and get off the flight! And even if they placed the animal in the bin, in fear as you say… How stupid is the family to not check on the animal at all, in 3 1/2 hours ? One last point… in “cell phone happy” America…Why has there been NOT ONE video released of this incident???? If people on board were so appalled—where is the proof that the story actually went down, as claimed? I’m not buying it.
Bravo I agree on all counts, were are the videos and photos? Why didn’t any other passenger say anything or do anything about the supposed barking and if you are too cheap to pay for an over a thousand dollar animal to fly you should have left at where they bought it And let someone who did care buy it.
Oh my! You are “Mean” and quite uninformed too!
No Howdy, Maria is right. As a flight attendant myself, she seems well-informed!
I have thoughts very similar to those expressed above. However, it is entirely possible (and in my opinion likely) that BOTH the FA and passenger SHARE blame, reasonably equally, for being stupid and responsible for the dog’s tragic death.
First and foremost, no one would have ordered me to place my dog into the overhear bin. I would have protested and asked to speak to the captain. I would have made it abundantly clear that the dog is meant to be directly in my care under the seat. The passenger failed there.
Second, no reasonable dog owner would never have checked on their dog for 3.5 hours. Period end. The passenger failed there.
Third, the FA was an idiot for not realizing there was a dog in the case. The dog barking from the overhead bin makes that abundantly clear.
Fourth, the FA was criminally liable if she knew there was a dog in the case. Period end. But that doesn’t exculpate the stupidity and responsibility of the stupid passenger for allowing her dog to be put in the overhead bin in the first place, let alone not checking once on the dog while it was there.
Both the FA and passenger were stupid and idiotic. They both deserve to be spanked.
Agree with Anthony.
All Anthony did was take what everyone else was saying and just added more words. We get what the other side means and it didn’t warrant adding more explanation. It’s his opinion, I have mine, you have yours. Let’s leave it alone. Our thoughts won’t matter in the outcome anyways.
Just don’t entrust United with your pets. The stats alone prove that as fact.
Maybe you should check the stats again. United transports more animals than other airlines, some don’t carry at all. If you are not going to trust United who will you trust. I flew with my dog on Monday. She is just fine. But I had her in a real kennel not some bag that’s not make to put an animal in.
Completely agree with Anthony.
Matthew, you totally made Anthony’s point about personal responsibility when you said “…since other bags presumably could have been re-adjusted so that the kennel could be placed fully under the seat”. Why didn’t the family give a different bag instead of the dog? The family could of given any bag so the kennel could fit underneath the seat. They ultimately made the choice on which bag goes up and allowed it to happen. Also, it’s a breed that shouldn’t fly. If the owner decides to take that breed on a plane, great care needs to be taken. The family failed at that as well.
Also, not one passenger complained about the barking? Passengers complain about crying babies. There’s no way a plane full of people would not alert a crew member about a barking dog.
As someone who often travels with my dog (in her carrier under the seat), I would deplane if a flight attendant tried to convince me to put her in the overhead. I don’t really understand how the passenger allowed this, even with the language barrier.
I do know that some planes (AA 321T, I think) have a compartment for cabin pets up front for takeoff and landing, but I don’t think I would feel comfortable with that either.
And is a flight attendant really unable to tell the difference between a duffel bag and a dog carrier? The colored tag thing seems like a PR response.
It’s just sad all around regardless of where fault lies.
Here’s my take.
1. Assuming this was your normal flight, the overhead bins are stuffed full leaving little air in the overhead bins once they are closed.
2. While overhead bins are not air tight, they are pretty close to that. The old style 737 bins have only air gaps around the door frame. With the drop-down bins, it’s more difficult to say but I’m guessing that it isn’t much better.
3. Adding to the limited air supply in an overhead bin, the cabin altitude will increase as the plane climbs. Higher cabin altitude => lower air pressure. There’s going a pressure equilibration between the closed overhead bins and the rest of the cabin, i.e. Air is drawn out of them
4. When the plane takes off, the carrier is likely to slide within the bin and possibly in such a way that other carry-ons block the breathing holes in the case thus further decreasing air supply for the dog
5. Put an animal inside that is taking in O2 and breathing out CO2. As the flight proceeds, that dog will decrease O2 concentration and increase CO2 concentration within the overhead bin. Consider that it may be panicking and using more O2
6. Once CO2 concentration exceeds 40,000 ppm there’s an immediate danger to human life. E.g. 5 minutes exposure to 90,000 ppm is lethal for humans.
That’s about my assessment of putting a dog in an overhead bin.
—
As far as responsibility is concerned, there is plenty of blame to go around. For a starter, the F/A should have possessed enough common sense to know that an overhead bin is no place to transport living things. The owner of the dog should’ve known better and refused to comply. Yes, that would’ve meant deplaning, but that would’ve been preferably to what happened in the end.
I’m personally not convinced, it was said that the flight was very bumpy and the passenger was ordered to stay in her seat, also I don’t think most people would think that putting a dog in an overhead bin is dangerous, I personally wouldn’t.
And as you said, after the Dao incident, many passengers follow instructions out of fear, she was traveling with a newborn and her teenage daughter, the amount of stress she was already going through is probably a lot.
Also, did she actually have a language barrier? Because I remember reading that she spoke perfectly good English.
I’ve been sticking by my comments below (after quote from previous BoardingArea article —
Quote:
“Two passenger eyewitnesses confirm that the FA instructed the passenger to place her dog in the overhead bin (i.e., she knew it was a dog). Meanwhile, ABC News is now reporting the FA denies knowing it was dog and one other passenger has backed her up.
We have also learned that the dog owner, Catalina Robledo, does not speak English and may not have understood clearly the FA instructions or been able to properly articulate it was a dog.”
———-
Doesn’t this tell the whole story ? No FA in their right mind including risking their job would direct someone to put a dog in the overhead. Ms. Robledo just left it up to her teen daughter to be the interpreter. Of course a young teen is not capable of seeing all the vagaries of what could go wrong but certainly the mother (an adult) should have had enough sense to check on the dog OR REMOVE IT FROM THE BIN at the very least during a three hour flight !!!. Did everyone on that plane stay seated for the full three hours because supposedly “there was turbulence”.? Why do I highly doubt that (eye roll x 1000). Time for people to admit that passengers are sometimes not altogether there, they lie, they don’t listen, they don’t pay attention, they do what they want.
Just as culpable are the other “horrified” passengers around her who quickly went on Instagram and Facebook to do their “reporting” yet sat there for the three hours of flight (while the dog whimpered and barked) and did nothing. Apparently they were only horrified after the fact. Animal cruelty on everyone’s part but the flight attendant (unaware there was a dog in what looks like a generic bag, not a pet carrier).
Anthony writes very well. .
Let’s be clear about the roles here:
The pilots are responsible for the aircraft and everything onboard — crew, passengers, cargo.
The flight attendants are responsible for the passengers — ALL of them, not just the fit or English-speaking.
The mother is responsible for her children but the older girl AND HER are responsible for the dog. PERIOD.
NOT the crew or other passengers.
Obviously, the dog didn’t decide for itself to fly to New York. The dog did not choose to travel, the destination, the airline, class of service, or even the container it traveled in. All of that is the responsibility of its human owners.
We deal with parents who are ill-prepared to travel with their children. They don’t bring food, water, diapers or something to amuse their little darlings on a long flight. Above all they do not TEACH their children how to behave around others on public transport. This is NOT the family mini-van and should not be treated like their personal vehicle.
As a dog owner myself, I would never in a million years let someone make me, or tell me to put my pet in harms way. Pet owners have responsibilities and you have to go with your instinct when something is terribly wrong, even if it means that you have to fight to prove your point. The fact that nobody ever checked on that poor little dog is very disturbing. Even the passengers that were seated next to the woman with the dog heard barking during the flight. How on earth can surrounding passengers sit there and listen to the dog’s cries and not come to its aid? So many are at fault here.
As an FA myself who usually works in coach during boarding, I am an informer, not an enforcer. If the bag was not in the main aisle, but protruding out, I may have asked the lady “would you mind placing your bag completely under the seat?”. If there obviously no room under the seat, i would have simply pointed to an open space and said “there’s room here for you” and moved on. This is all assuming I am unaware of a pet’s presence, of course, and let the customer decide on his or her own which bag to put, assuming they would end up with the pet under the seat and the other bag overhead. On my next pass through, I would have verified compliance. It is human nature to give people the benefit of the doubt and not treat them like children. Trust, but verify. This particular story has too many variables and since no one was filming, I’m guessing the FA was using a pleasant demeanor.
Isn’t the airlines rule that the aisle way at your feet be clear (for take off and landing)? So you are allowed to have bags down by your feet or on your lap after it’s airborn and safe to get up?i personally put my briefcase under the seat in front of me for take off and landing but change it to behind my legs during flight so I can stretch my legs forward.restowing when fight attendant makes announcement to do so.Its a tragic accident this happened …heightened awareness is a result both from passengers and flight attendants.
Please understand that there is a difference in culture. In Latin America, people respect flight attendants and pilots. They perceive these people to have authority, and even more in the USA where passengers get thrown out for disobeying. You, my friend, are giving your point of view from your own cultural background and values and customs, which most US citizens would have done, but these people are, perhaps, trabelers who rarely travel.
My comment Is to all of you that think that passengers now comply more to
Flight attendants instruction after the Dao incident ; actually it’s the opposite since that happened more and more passengers question every little thing , they film they say what are you going to do – drag me off ? Being a flight attendant my self – over and over again do passenger do whatever they want- So your comment “follow
All” is completely and absolutely not true!!
Every flight 20 to 30 passengers will stand up and go to the bathroom before the signs are off they will walk through the cabin when there’s turbulence and they will do whatever they want – entitlement is bigger than ever!!
Matthew, seems to me your argument: “….ordered a woman to place her dog in the overhead locker should be fired” is flawed. According to FA and at least one other passenger, woman was asked to place her bag – which, unbeknownst to FA contained a dog, in overhead bin. Not remotely same as “ordered a woman to place her dog in the overhead ….”
Your attempt to conflate the two and use of “ordered,” makes me rethink your account of what really really happened when you were asked/ordered to leave flight to Istanbul, and whether you remain bitter? People enjoy airline blogs, but content has to be fair and pass smell test – regrettably, your summation in this instance, does not!
If you really want to be fair, I suggest you print picture of dog carrier as several other outlets have – and like I and perhaps another 99.9% of your readers – at first glance – would not recognize it as animal container. This is especially true when viewed from vantage point of FA standing; viewing from above while bag is on floor – perhaps between woman’s legs.
i am a major airline flight attendant. Many times people just show up with their animals and no body knows they are on board. In 27 years I have said many many times That didn’t know we had a dog on board. I travel with my dog myself. My carrier looks like a bag you would take to the gym.
I agree with Anthony’s assessment, and I’d like to know where we got this notion that, in a post-Dau world, customers are afraid to question or speak up to a flight attendent. Did someone just make that up? I work for an airline and from my observations and of those with whom I work, we’re actually seeing the opposite happen. Customers are feeling so empowered that they are defying legitimate requests by airline personnel that fall within the scope of airline and FAA regulations. For example, about 2 weeks ago, my friend, an F/A on a different airline, had a customer with an infant in a Baby Bjorn front carrier. FAA regs prohibit having an infant in a carrier against one’s body during take-off and landing, as suffocation could occur. The customer stated she knew the regulation (although, most likely, not the reason behind it), but made a decision not to follow it. The captain had to turn the aircraft around on the taxiway and remove the passenger.
Matthew,
Does your view change, if, let’s say, this customer brought her dog on board unbeknownst to the airline? To avoid pet in cabin fees ($125 on United, for example) the customer simply brought a soft sided kennel, which happens to look like a duffel bag, on to the plane. In the chaos that is the boarding process, and her with her 2 kids and their carry-on items, it simply WAS NOT seen by the boarding agent. If there is little to no contact with airport personnel (online, kiosk, mobile check-in) it’s VERY possible this customer got all the way to her seat without ever having been questioned about paying for the pet in cabin fee and therefore, no one even knew there was a pet on board. If that happens to be learned from United’s investigation, then who is at fault? The airline, for not knowing a dog is on board, or the customer that (un)wittingly snuck her dog on to the plane and didn’t pay the appropriate fee, thus no one but her knew there was a dog in her possession?
That would change my opinion.
Why then would you write an inflammatory article calling for the firing of this FA as a “sacrificial lamb” before seeking all sides of the story. Our media too often allows self serving interest to come before all else.
I was thinking of United, not the FA.
I have been a flight attendant for over twenty five years. I would bet my life that it went down as follows. Non speaking passengers SNEAKS puppy in a NON SEE THROUGH duffel bag which does not fit under the seat.
Flight attendant is doing the mandatory FAA check before take off and asks that it be stowed overhead. Passenger protests in another language that flight attendant doesn’t understand and makes no move to SHOW the hidden puppy. Bag is stowed overhead.
Passenger that has a puppy hidden in luggage to avoid pet fee perhaps doesn’t understand that they at least should pull the bag out despite the confusion once up in the air. Not leave the hidden puppy to die up in the bin for hours.
In this scenario how the. — is it the flight attendants fault. Use common sense people.
Very tragic for all involved.
Use common sense when throwing your stones people.
Passenger never takes the bag out as they perhaps do t u destined that they can do so once up in the air.
Yep!
In this “post-Dao” world passengers are absolutely not afraid to question a flight attendants request by any means, they feel empowered to question with hopes of capitalizing, earning their golden ticket, and 15 minutes of fame. A flight attendants is an informer not an enforcer. At the end of the day their responsibility is to get 100+ people who didn’t pay attention to the safety demo out of a plane in under 90 seconds in an emergency situation. Everyone is an aviation expert until an emergency arises or they need help trying to open the bathroom door. The real question is why no one spoke up or got out their camera and filmed the crew member “demanding” the passenger to put her dog in the overhead bin like passengers are so keen to do now in situations on aircraft. Probably because they also didn’t know a dog was the bag and it wasn’t a demand.
It appears that a person put their dog in the overhead bin and DID NOT CHECK ON IT for a 3.5 hour flight, and then at the end of the flight when the dog was found dead they are trying to displace blame from themselves. There is no way the other passenger could know that the flight attendant “knew” it was a dog. They might have understood or seen the dog, but the flight attendant is just trying to make sure large bags are in the overhead. Those rules are for TAKEOFF AND LANDING, so the person could have taken the dog down during the entire flight. They didn’t the dog died, and they want to blame the Flight Attendant.
You all sit here and act like any of you passengers respect flight attendants. You only play the we look at them for safety when you want toor something bad happens. Yet you go on a flight the seat belt sign is on and you’re all running around the damn cabin like you have no sense no matter how many times the flight attendants tell you to sit your ass down. As soon as we land you all know damn well we can’t get up while the plane is taxiing but surprise everyone’s racing up before the plane is parked while the flight attendant is telling you to stay seated. Passengers flight back with flight attendants everyday and if you travelled as much as you said you do you would see it. So let’s not pull the passengers look up to flight attendants card because it’s bull. She needs to take responsibility that her damn dog was in the overhead bin and despite it parking she not once checked on it. That’s neglegence on her part.
The 13yr old speaks perfect English, I saw her on tv.
Still FA needs to be terminated!
She did not show any compassion
and obviously is not a very observant
person. She knew there was a dog
in there & is lying saying she did
not see it! The dog had to be moving
when she stuck him in the overhead
bin! Plus where we’re all the other
FA’s?! They could not al have been
that dumb! She needs to be terminated ASAP! I am just so
upset & would never fly on United
again if I didn’t have to! The
FA’s are really not like they used to
be…..nice, caring & and kind.
They act like the gestapo on the
plane & intimate people with all
the rules & regulations & don’t
seem to have any common sense!
It makes me sick to think of how that
poor innocent dog had to die so
helpless & nobody would check
on the dog while it was barking
for help! I blame all the crew somewhat & passengers around
the area also! Where was everyone?!
Just all tuned in to the head
phonesmovie & into themselves!
It’s a SAD WORLD! Dog had to
die because of stupidity!
Please UNITED FIRE THAT
FLIGHT ATTENDANT!!
I want justice for that poor
dog! I will sleep better once that
FA is GONE! She needs to do
Community Service at a pet
shelter!
Betty- I love dogs. I love kids. Not my job to take care of other people’s dogs nor their kids. You buy it or birth it you take care of it- on a plane or in your home.
IF the PET OWNER did not check on her PET for three hours and thirty minutes, her fault. I fly 120 flights a year, plus. Yes FAs can be rude. Most are not. Passengers can be rude. Most are not.
The passenger could have cared for HER pet three hours and 10 minutes of the flight. Apparently she did not. She is solely accountable.
You ask for someone job when you don’t know the whole story. Should the owner get her income taken away because she was too cheap to pay for the dog? If I walked up to you would you remember what I had on if you had talked to 100s of people a day? I understand to people being upset but you should get all your facts and never demand anyone job. You are not good all mighty.
Oh, Betty. Betty, Betty, Betty.
You speak with emotion and I feel ya.
However, you know very little about the responsibilities of a FA prior to take off.
You also call for someone’s job as if you are an eyewitness.
May you not fall under the discretion of someone with your short-sightedness if confronted with a situation where your actions are questioned.
All the best, Betty.
I have to laugh that passengers listen to Flight Attendants! So you think when I tell 20 passengers to place their phone in Air Plane mode durning taxi to take off, they do. Lol maybe 1. You think that passenger I tell to remain seated when we’re experiencing turbulence they do? That their bag needs to go all the way under their seat, they don’t. I can’t even get them to put on their seat belt. I have been told to F….off the C word the B word but if something goes wrong the public wants me fired or it’s my fault because they are not responsibly for their stupid judgement. Really as a passenger you would of sat there for 2 hours and listening to a dog barking in the over head without using your call button to alert another FA of the situation. Doesn’t say much about the people who remained silent and did nothing because they are afraid of the big bad FA. Surpising how a FA can evact a plane in seconds and save lives. Never hear about the FA who did CPR for a hour to save a life but every time something happens on the plane it’s the FA fault.
You nailed it! Country is falling apart; has inability to critically think! Some say caused by diet heavy with soy, HFCS, genetically modified plants and consumption of grass eating animals converted to carnivores.
Guess who sits by the exit/doors and is fully trained to get out when the aircraft is engulfed in a giant fireball potentially searing live flesh with molten jet fuel…don’t underestimate your life due to stupidity.
I am Flight Attendant myself…….although the above article is interesting, I have a few more from a Flight Attendant and Airline point of view……we are all thought situational awareness…..this Flight Attendant, clearly had none….if I lift a bag and put in the overhead locker, I can clearly feel and see what is inside……..a pet kennel looks like a pet kennel…….how can she not see that it has a dog inside……did I also mention I own a French Bulldog?….I own a French Bulldog….if you want an obeying dog breed, don’t take this one…they are very lively, so I aks again, how CAN SEE NOT KNOW THERE IS A DOG INSIDE? Did United hire blind Flight Attendants? or just the occasional very BAD Flight Attendant? As mentioned above by someone, there is a whole crew onboard, not just one, so where were her colleagues? Also as a Senior Flight Attendant, or Purser (like myself), I know how many passengers are on my flight, if there are any specials, infants, PRM’s etc. on board. This is briefed to my crew, on my passenger list it will show PETC! this means pet in cabin, this is briefed to my crew, so on entering the plane, the dog must have passed the Purser and other crew members……..therefore they all knew there was a dog onboard – passengers even wrote they heard it bark!!!!! So UNITED, this is very bad and very unprofessional.
Bags only have to be stowed during take-off & landing. Why didn’t the owner take down her bag after take-off? I hold her completely accountable.
Finally. A reasonable response.
The PET OWNER could have cared for the PET she OWNS for 3 hours and 10 minutes of the FLIGHT.
Charge her with petslaughter.
If I’m told to place my briefcase in the overhead when I don’t want to, I place it there for take-off, ding! Get it down, double ding! Put it back.
Matthew, suggesting the FA is fired?!
Only if FA forbade passenger from checking on her pet during the flight—which I do not believe to be the case.
I am a pilot for a large air cargo company and was a Captain on regional jets for several years. I end up traveling in the back of passenger jets often going to and from work. Recently I noticed a passenger carrying a dog (a pug) in one of these dog carriers. It is very easy to mistake one of these kennels for a normal carry on bag. They’re are basically semi ridged duffle bags with mesh side walls on the front and back of the bag. The bag may be breathable, but
You really cannot tell if their is a dog in the bag or not. An FA probably just saw a regular bag where it was not supposed to be. Then you add on a language barrier. Perro may not register as Dog to some people. The passenger lacked common sense and does not deserve a big payout for not using that common sense.
Flight Attendant did not place bag in overhead, and NO – today’s animal carriers resemble regular bags so I guarantee you do not know where every animal is on every flight you’ve ever worked and will work in future,
Strange comments coming from someone who writes they are “a Senior FLight Attendant..” Definitely would NOT want to fly with you! Few like no-it-alls who know nothing.
I disagree with the assertion that in this post-Dao world passengers are less inclined to disagree with a FA. If anything, I’ve seen evidence in direct opposition to this. Customers have become MORE embolden—rightly or wrongly—to voice their opinions.
Personal responsibility is everything in this case.
I’m a frequent air traveler and a pet owner. Unless this passenger was tied down into her seat—what’s her culpability for not checking on her pet? I would have been up at the first available moment.
Moreover, we’re hearing plenty from fellow passengers post-incident but where were they during this flight? There are multiple crew members on the plane…and not ONE person said anything until after the fact?
One thing we know for sure: ONE person knew without a doubt what was in that bag. It was the dog’s owner. If that one person did nothing for her 3 hour flight, the responsibility falls on her.
I fly for a living. I’m really tired of the so called rules being enforced arbitrarily in these situations. I want you to look at this picture. This is from one of the many United flights that I used to take. I now fly Southwest because of United beating their passengers, and or killing their pets. Looks like it was just fine in this situation, and the flight attendant was very accommodating? Funny how this situation wasn’t the same case! It’s pathetic! and United should be ashamed!
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I am a 28 year (Sub-Co) flight attendant with United and I absolutely disagree with the argument that customers today are fearful of speaking up to cabin crew while on board a flight. They spoke up before the Dr. Dao incident and they speak up after the Dr. Dao incident. This was clearly a miscommunication between the customer and the flight attendant who was just doing her job assuring the cabin was ready for departure. I agree with Anthony that she probably noticed that the bag was sticking out too far and was too big to be secured safely under the seat in front of her so she told the customer she would have to stow it in an overhead bin while completing her cabin check just prior to the main cabin door closing. The flight attendant was clearly shocked and devastated after learning that there was a dog that had expired in that carry on bag. This was not a cruel and intentional act on the flight attendants part to harm someone’s beloved pet by throwing her weight around simply because she was a crew member working that flight. I am an animal lover, I also own a dog, I am a seasoned flight attendant and I can convey with confidence that this was an incredibly unfortunate occurrence with a heartbreaking and devastating outcome and the flight attendant in question should not be held responsible or be reprimanded in any way including being terminated. If it was me traveling with my dog, I would make certain my dog fit completely underneath the seat in front of me in the carrier and if I felt forced into placing my dog in her carrier into an overhead bin for takeoff, I would be up moments later, as soon as the aircraft reached 10,000 feet and the seatbelt sign was turned off to remove my carrier with my dog inside from the overhead compartment and place it at my feet for the remainder of the flight until the last moment possible when I would be expected to return the carry on back into the overhead compartment for landing. The fault falls solely on the customer and her responsibility as the dogs owner. Also, please note, the overhead bins are not air tight and although the pet was secured above in an overhead bin, it should have been able to breathe freely so long as it was in a proper animal carrier with mesh fabric for adequate ventilation. It is my speculation that the dog may have suffered an anxiety attack causing a sudden heart attack, which sadly is not uncommon for animals that find it stressful to travel or there was some unknown underlying issue with the dogs health which caused him to suddenly expire. Another cause of sudden death in animals while traveling on board commercial flights, whether it be in the cargo hold or in the cabin, is the mistake the owner makes in giving the animal a sedative as the medication slows the heart rate and coupled with stress and cabin pressure the animal can simply stop breathing. Nevertheless, the sudden loss of this family’s beloved pet is absolutely devastating and we grieve along with the family over their loss.