A man has sued Alaska Airlines for the death of his bulldog, alleging a downgrade from first class to economy class on a transcontinental flight was to blame for the death of his beloved dog.
Man Blames Death Of Dog On Downgrade From First Class To Economy Class, Sues Alaska Airlines
Let’s first review what happened:
- Michael Contillo was traveling with his father and two dogs, Ash and Korea, in first class on Alaska Airlines from New York (JFK) to San Francisco (SFO) on February 1, 2024
- It isn’t clear whether Contillo and his father purchased first class seats or were upgraded at the last-minute, which could explain the downgrade.
- Shortly before takeoff, the crew made them move back to economy class, citing “safety” concerns
- They were moved from row four to row 11
- Per Contillo, “Once we moved, Ash immediately started to breathe very, very quickly, he started to breathe very heavily. He was noticeably petrified and helpless.”
- It appeared that Ash eventually fell asleep and was quiet all the way to San Francisco…it turned out he had died.
Almost as sad as the death of Ash is the purported reaction from Alaska. According to Contillo:
“I’m loudly weeping. The pilots and flight crew walked past. They see our dead dog. They see me crying. Not a single one of them stops to offer any help or condolences. One of the crew members loudly stated, ‘Now you’re going to blame us for killing your dog.’”
Talk about throwing fuel on the fire…
My Thoughts On Case
I have to be honest here. I was ready to poke fun at this whole matter…it all seemed absurd. But I’m not going to do that. A dear friend recently lost his beautiful greyhound and I know how much it struck him…and even struck me. For better or for worse, in this culture, we love our animals and so losing a dog is like losing a family member.
I don’t think Alaska Airlines is to blame. Rather, I think transporting bulldogs on an airplane has always been risky and as View From The Wing pointed out, the fact that his other dog was fine suggests it wasn’t economy class that killed Ash. Bulldogs and other short-nosed dogs are more likely to die on flights than normal-nosed dogs…we’ve known that for years.
My biggest takeaway here is the flippancy of Alaska Airlines. If true, it’s no wonder Harvard Law-educated Contillo sued. Now of course he may have sued anyway and had Alaska Airlines flight attendants suggested any blame on the part of the downgrade, that would have been used against Alaska. But this idea of mourning with those who mourn is one of our callings as humans and a little compassion and empathy go a long way.
The ramifications of this lawsuit…that a bulldog must fly first class…may be absurd, but that doesn’t make me any less compassionate for the loss of Ash.
image: Mike Contillo
Not poking fun on the poor dog which is very sad but what would he do if the dog died while in first class? Also, why were the dogs in the cabin? Were they emotional support dogs? This story sounds the biggest BS ever like the dog was allergic to coach class.
Dog was in a carrier, so not a service animal.
So if in a carrier, what the difference between eco and First?
Surely AS can find a witness from a nearby seat cause this smells BS from 1000 miles.
Exactly! Either the dog was allergic to coach class or huge BS on this one. The dog wouldn’t know the difference between classes while inside the crate. Total BS!
I had a boston terrier. This bred is a short nose dog. It is well known to the general public and Vets and on line that it is a high risk proposition to fly short nose dogs on planes, even in the cabin. They often suffer respiratory difficulties and some airlines ban them entirely. It is tragic that this loved pet passed away on this flight but it had nothing to do with a first class or coach seat. If the staff were less than sympathetic (which we don’t know)…..we have no idea as to those circumstances. I would be beside myself if my dog passed away on a flight. But, in this case, this man must have known the risk to his pet given the breed of dog.
While very sad for the owner, I suspect the downgrade had nothing to do with the outcome. If you feel extra breathing space is required, purchase an extra seat. Also if the dog was having a difficult adjustment to economy, Ash should have had a couple welfare checks during the flight.
Again, I am sorry for the loss of his pet. Perhaps in his distress he misheard the flight attendant’s cruel comment.
Also, don’t buy an evolutionary man-made accident if you are into travels. These animals are grotesque anomalies.
Per Alaska Policy:
Why are these breeds allowed to fly in the cabin if they are prohibited from flying in the cargo compartment?
Brachycephalic or “short-nosed” breeds are always at a higher risk of respiratory distress as compared to other breeds and careful consideration should be taken when planning travel. Should you choose to travel with these pets on an airplane, it will still be allowed under the continual care of their owner while in cabin.
Sad the dog died but I think it’s more the fault of the owner vs airline
I opened the story wanting to have sympathy for the guy and then I lost it: Harvard Law graduate thinks he deserves the airline to cough up money to him. Harvard Law is an elitist institution in need of being privilege checked: Rename it Sacagawea University or some other more progressive moniker.
Airlines could address this legal liability by simply restricting short-nosed dogs from traveling in ANY compartment. Happy, pappy?
We don’t know why the crew member stated “loudly” that they worried about being sued but it most likely was from him angrily condemning and blaming the crew for asking him to move the dog. The professional thing to have done for the FA’s would have been to remain silent or state a basic gesture of sympathy: “My condolences on your loss”.
“We don’t know why the crew member stated “loudly” that they worried” Importantly, we don’t know if this even happened this way. We have his side. Could he be lying/exaggerating? Could he have misheard? And, anyway, while I’m happy to report neither Harvard nor graduate legal training, this is clearly just a PR (or extortion?) part of the story. The dog was already dead. Any comment at that point is only relevant it reveals prior intent. (Not a lawyer, just my take).
FA deserved to be decked on the spot for being an ass
No physical assault if never OK, fresh prince. Plus, I doubt it is true.
i dont believe the Alaska FA said that
And, someone properly skeptical. Thanks.
Seriously ?,…. maybe he is a liar and had to throw in the (very doubtful) quote of the flight attendant?.
Exactly, when the guy’s shopping cart crazed my car, I cried my neck is broken.
As usual, there is so much more to this story. Why did the person get moved from first-class to economy? And no compensation offered for the move? As someone who flies regularly in the first 5 rows with our dog, I don’t buy this for a second.
I’ve reached out and asked already…yes, a big missing detail indeed.
The lack of empathy from Alaska really sucks, but I don’t see how the plaintiff can convince a jury that there is a causal relationship between the seating and the dog’s death.
This is a PR issue, not a matter for the courts.