In March, I introduced you to a cute Corgi named Winston who traveled in British Airways business class from Miami to London in the comfort of business class. Winston is back again…making an encore in British Airways business class and so exhausted from his “service dog” duties that he had to nestle under a duvet and fall asleep…
Celebrity “Service Dog” Flaunts Decorum In British Airways Business Class
On the flight home, Winston is pictured “sleeping” in his own business class seat:
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
Later in the flight, he is pictured resting in another seat in the center section:
In both seats, he is nestled in business class bedding, resting on a pillow and snuggled under a duvet.
It is doubtless a cute dog and a dog whose owners are using to monetize. I’m not a huge fan of a dog soiling not one but two (and maybe three) sets of business class bedding, but I hope that these are washed anyway after the flight.
The absurdity of this situation is that Winston is a “service” animal. British Airways is quite strict and does not permit emotional support animals onboard, but does allow service animals that fulfill the following roles:
- be individually trained in specific tasks to assist you with your disability or medical condition
- have had behavioral training and show appropriate behavior in public and onboard an aircraft
- wear an identifying jacket/harness, and
- remain under your control at all times
Additional documentation is required including a U.S. DOT Service Animal Air Travel Form and U.S. DOT Relief Attestation Form (confirming the dog will not need to relieve itself during the flight).
What medical condition does Winston assist with? Well, a Reddit thread suggests he aids in taking medication:
WINSTON IS SUCH A GOOD BOY! His job is to remind me to take my meds. There’s an alarm on my phone that makes a special sound and he’s trained to come to me and make sure I take my meds. We were outside and he was finishing up peeing when the alarm went off and he came right to me and sat. I gave him a treat. The alarm keeps going until I take my meds. He followed me inside and watched me take my meds and I gave him another treat.
So let me get this straight. Your alarm reminds you to take your medicine, but because Winston has been trained to react to the alarm, he is a service animal? That seems to make him quite redundant to me…
CONCLUSION
Folks, I am happy to stipulate to how cute Winston is and I suppose if I treated a pet like a child, I’d want him onboard my flights too. But it seems to me that if this is a service animal, then any dog can be a service animal.
Omg! Matt, I get you don’t like dogs … but as a dog lover and someone who travels with my dog in business class, I’d love to a section dedicated to pets, problem solved!
I’m curious (if you are comfortable answering, of course) on what basis you bring your dog into business class?
My dog is a small dog and his carrier fits under the seat. We are polite and try not to disturb anyone.
Totally agree. We get it, you don’t like support dogs. You don’t have to write yet ANOTHER article on them.
But people click on them…
People click on them (me) because they think the picture is cute and that you will be a fan of dogs. Turns out, ‘no’. I travel overseas with my chihuahua in cabin all the time. He’s perfectly fine, even for 16 hours. No one knows he’s there.
I guarantee you that this dog was a far better neighbor to have in business class than 90% of people’s kids and 50% of people in general. Change my mind.
Thank you! This is beyond absurd and as someone that suffers severe dog allergies, it’s gotten over the top.
Speaking in behalf of most dog owners, we’d love for you to not fly. Drive if your allergies are so bad. I’m sick of mem and children on flights but you don’t see me trying to ban them. (I def would if I could!)
Dogs are not people. Dogs are in a lower class, no matter what you may think.
With all the business class urination stories these last few months, perhaps passengers will be requested to sign similar forms too?
No qualms w/ the dog as long as the bedding is properly cleaned afterwards
OMAAT must be doing really well if Ben can afford to book Winston his own business class seat. Keep those credit card referrals coming!
As I said in the other post, I love that Winston.
Ben’s dog Winston isn’t a corgi, as I recall…
No, your dog on a plane is not cute.
Neither are you but they let you on. What’s your point?
He’s not a four legged creature that has accidents on the floor.
I can confirm that Stuart is almost completely house-broken.
“But it seems to me that if this is a service animal, then any dog can be a service animal.”
Legally, this is basically true. We all have noticed a pick up in leashed dogs on planes this year. Service animals can be certified to help with various tasks and to treat common ailments like anxiety, depression. A service animal can be “trained” to notice a passenger is anxious during takeoff, and to comfort the passenger. It is what it is. If you don’t like it, petition to get the regulation changed
Agreed – I hope DOT will crack down on this, as it did with ESA. I would ban all dogs…but that’s just me. Probably impossible, though Europeans seem to manage just fine.
Matt, regional airlines like JSX allow 2 medium size dogs in the cabin and they don’t have be support or service dogs, you just need to buy an extra size! This service is extremely popular!!!! Dogs on planes are not going away 🙂
Would you ban a blind person’s guide dog?
That is a very good question in which either way I answer it puts me in a bind.
I’d rather have this dog as my neighbor than some vlogger videoing the whole flight
Why not just add dog beds. BA could have purple beds shaped like a crown (or a tiara). And how about canine amenity bags with a travel brush, breath biscuits and air freshener!
My required factual correction to today’s hit piece on service animals 😉
DOT Relief Attestation Form is only required on flights over 8 hours in length. So it’s not necessary on East Coast flights. It is also possible to love an animal that provides a useful service. There’s no rule saying a legitimate service animal cannot be a cherished member of your family.
Or pimped for money on IG!
So she’s a savvy business person. #respect
Corgis are not dogs. They are sweet, perfect little angels who can do no wrong. I demand a correction be posted.
As long as he is paying for the dog to have a seat, it’s all good.
Thank you for someone finally pointing out the obvious issue here. Most animals brought on board as “service animals” are merely support animals are a farce and just a means to dodge fees or basically bring aboard a “fur baby.”
And what service is this dog exactly providing? I’d venture to say its basically clicks. Unless said service dog/animal is feeding grapes to their owner, guiding a blind person, or sniffing for peanut crumbs because the sight of a single crumb will surely cause someone to go into anaphylaxis, there is nothing that these animals are doing that cannot be solved by medication. I’ll get flamed for this for sure but if you need an animal to stand next to you in order to go out in public and live daily life there are some major issues there that need to be addressed. Once said animal dies, then what? Just get another one rather than dealing with the issue at hand?
Look don’t get me wrong I’m sure that animals can provide comfort and perhaps even help someone calm down. But everytime I see someone waltzing through the airport, wearing crocs with socks no less, dressed in their best hoodie and pajama bottoms, texting on a phone in one hand, while their purported service/support animal is on a leash jumping around and slobbering all over the place, it grinds my gears.
I love how Winston is so smug looking at the camera while half of the commenters are so triggered
Matt,
I think at this point, even the most casual of readers, is aware of your dislike of dogs – and obviously, none of us will change that. Much, like we cant change the attitudes of many of your readers on this topic. What I do find interesting is how your entire business model (and I assume major source of income) is focused on helping people make the best of their entitlements, loopholes, and various other educational opportunities to enhance their travel experience – and yet, whenever this topic comes up, you lead the charge of how awful the concept of an animal traveling on a plane is (regardless of the circumstances). How about help lead a discussion of potential work-arounds or solutions (like every other aspect of the travel experience that feeds these blogs)
I am sure that there are many people who travel with appropriately trained and legally certified “service animals” that might not met your definition of “disability” or “medical need” – but, in knowing some of these people, I am guarantee that the overall travel experiences is probably better if these people have a way of being able to appropriately bring their “pets” (or service animals) with them. Yes, this is a huge opportunity.
I am not hear to pick a fight with you, on your blog, but rather it would be nice to actually read well written, objective, and unbiased articles on the topic rather than more click-baiting (which I admit, I feed into – but it is getting old) to stir up the wrath of the internet whenever the topic allows.
thanks
-michael
In the US there are no certificates or registrations for service dogs. It’s literally a free for all. No one has to prove a diagnosis or need to have a SD. They don’t have to prove the dog does anything. If this person is from the US, I’m sure she lied. I think in a lot of EU countries they require SDs to be ADI certified, but idk about the UK.
Wtf, dogs on planes? I thought animals in the cabin was just some US quirk. Don’t they have emotional support animals or some bullshit? I had no idea that BA tolerated this nonsense.
MAKE
THE
DOG
PAY
FULL
FARE
J!
Yes, I would pay full fare J for my mini poodle (and yes, she would eat the full meal service BEFORE I am allowed a bite of my food)
Probably belongs to another one of those childless millennial women who doesn’t want kids.
newsflash, when you’re 70 (if you don’t commit suicide before that) your little “winston” isn’t going to take care of you.
Matt-not all disabilities/mental health issues are obvious. If the dog is providing a service and is well trained and well behaved – why does it bother you? The dogs behavior appears better than a lot of kids and adults on airplanes these days. As long as the sheets get washed -who cares? Did he take your seat/bed?
No-I don’t own dogs. I do have cats but I live both dogs and cats.
Oops meant to say love both dogs and cats.
Because the dog service function was…..”to remind the owner to take medication.” This is what drives everyone bonkers…service animals are mostly a farce now and, in actuality, make it even harder for those who REALLY need them, sight impaired etc. As well for them to perhaps be judged wrongly in light of all the lame reasons out there and all o us that have to sit next to them.
Just stop with the dogs. Lay out specific and real needs for them to be allowed (not including to remind when taking medication). Really, just save us all from dealing with this nonsense.
Hello everyone, this is Maddie, worldwide Winston’s handler.
I’d like to clarity that the ‘Reddit’ article mentioned in Matt’s article is dated from 2018, Winston was born 2021, so my advice to Matt is to make sure to submit correct factual information, before making a false agenda, especially regarding the topic of someone’s health and disability.
To clarify. I suffer with seizures, Winston is trained to detect on coming seizures; nothing to do with medication, or medication reminders, he is trained to detect changes in my body odor.
I would also like to add, BA have one of the strictest service animals policies for any airline, which is why I fly with them. They only allow service dogs that have training by a UK recognized organizations from the UK government, for the very reason to prevent fake service dogs scamming the system.
I hope this post is a reminder that not all disabilities are visible, and although I have a disability, it doesn’t and shouldn’t prevent me from having a sense of humor and sharing adorable and humorous videos of my dog (which are set up for the camera to spread joy)
It’s a great shame that someone has taken the time to write multiple articles and twisted a bias and false agenda.
Please think twice before discussing someone medical conditions Matt.
Thank you for all of those who have shared love for Winston, he’s truly a remarking dog and I am so grateful for him everyday.
Good that you have gotten away with it.
I make no further assumptions.
Please elaborate on exactly ‘what I have gotten away with…?’
Matthew, if you write false articles about people at least have the respect to reply and correct your article, especially when discussing disabilities and medical equipment.
You have monetized by Writing an article, of false claims / accusations about someone’s medical condition, (along with many others) which can give rise to a defamation and libel claims.
Gross
“Celebrity “Service Dog” Flaunts Decorum In British Airways Business Class”
Matthew, the dog “flaunted” the duvet and the lie-flat bed.
But the dog “flouted” decorum.
You need to differentiate between the two. You keep repeating the miss.
I’ll have you know that this woman’s service dog, Winston, is specially trained to smell affluenza. It can be debilitating when not controlled.
How come she the owner didn’t state that for the article? Influenza is a virus, not a disability, and that’s not something a dog needs to be trained to do, to mitigate a disability’s burden.
I thought that was a facetious comment.
This is taking ‘service’ dog to a new level!
And here I thought it was just a relatively reasonable issue with pit bulls. But no, you dislike dogs so much that you’d basically ban independent blind folks from flying.
Where is the evidence the dog was soiling the bedding?
In the bedding
@ Stephen. Follow the hair trail and that’s the evidence.
And I love dogs
This kind of dreck is reason #4,596,697 as to why I will NEVER join the legion of lemmings and partake in social media.
Many dogs are cleaner than alot of people,guy across from me transatlantic picked his nose and ate it…..when it comes to dogs,you’re such a “girl”.
That is not a trained task that mitigates a disability. What does he do if she doesn’t take them? Just sit in front of her? Sounds like maybe he is in training, but even that I doubt. Plus, the DOT does not recognize SD in training. The DOT form is a joke pretty much and does nothing to stop fakes. I wish the US would have a behavioral, obedience test dogs need to pass. Also, a treating physician that agrees the dog is necessary. Literally anyone can claim they need a SD without any real reason and the ADA is so vague about what makes a dog a SD. “Under handler’s control”, does that mean they need leash manners and should avoid approaching people? Everyone has their own idea of what under control means. Also, Real SD handlers wouldn’t let their dogs on seats while flying and do t treat their dogs like humans when working.
I have made a huge number of commercial international airline flights with my dog, tucked under the seat in front. You would never, ever know he was there. Same with in airports, from Heathrow to Vancouver and everywhere in between. You simply don’t see him. There are numbers of airlines that fly dogs in cabin. NO sound, no hair, no mess, no fuss, etc. Unlike humans. I don’t trust people who don’t like dogs. We are up in a small Cessna this weekend as I photograph the Arctic landscape…
I would rather sit next to this dog than 90% of people and their offspring. And yes, all bedding is washed, but don’t you know that?
I don’t have a problem with dogs on planes. I fly with my dog under the seat in front of me. She’s well behaved and doesn’t cry. We don’t disturb the person next to us.
What really pisses me off is anyone can claim their animal is a service animal and suddenly their 50lb hairball is allowed on the seat with their legs stretched out, while my 11lb short legged Weiner dog suffers under the seat for the entirety of the flight.
I think people with fake service animals are scum of the earth. Really this person is (possibly but most likely) super wealthy, knows a physician to prescribe, and has paid for expensive training. But this dog begs for food (you can see it in their posts). Service animals don’t beg. And she swaps the leash from an official service animal leash to a fun colorful one. So it’s off duty? Gets paid vacation? I hope I reincarnate as a hairy corgi owned by some rich gen z lady.
Celebrity dog bullshit. I will be resentful forever about this until they crack down on fraudulent SDs.