Kudos to Singapore Airlines for properly addressing a very hairy situation on a 13-hour flight. Any dog that snorts or farts does not belong on a flight…and that really goes for humans too.
A “Snorting, Farting” Dog Spoils Singapore Airlines Flight
Gill and Warren Press were flying from Paris (CDG) to Singapore (SIN) on Singapore Airlines in premium economy class and found a dog seated next to them onboard, a dog they labeled as an emotional support dog. Even though Singapore Airlines banned emotional support dogs on April 1, 2023, it honored previously made reservations so it is not an oddity to presume this was indeed an emotional support animal versus a service animal.
Stuff interviewed the couple and their own words paint a clear story of their experience onboard:
“I heard this noise – a heavy snorting. I thought it was my husband’s phone, but we looked down and realized it was the dog breathing. I said, ‘I’m not having this sitting next to us the whole trip.”
What kind of videos does your husband watch?
Press claimed that the owner of the dog confessed that he needed the dog to travel, but his dog tended to get nervous on a plane. The couple asked a flight attendant if they could move seats, but were informed the only other seats available were in the rear of the economy class cabin, which would represent a cabin downgrade.
But it got worse. The smells became worse. The dog drooled. Personal space was not respected.
“The passenger couldn’t have the dog out in the aisle because they couldn’t get the trolleys through, so it had to come in further, which meant his head was under my husband’s feet. My husband was in shorts, and was getting the dog’s saliva goo on his leg.”
Complaining again, the couple was purportedly moved to seats blocked for crew rest in the front of the economy class cabin (odd because the crew has a crew rest area with lie-flat beds).
After the flight, the couple requested compensation and were provided NZ$125 each in the form of a voucher for Singapore Airlines’ KrisShop website.
The couple loudly complained, prompting an apology from Singapore Airlines promising to “work with our airport teams to ensure that this lapse does not occur in future” but adding that “Singapore Airlines will assist to re-seat customers within the same cabin where space permits,” which is what happened here…premium economy was full.
After the media picked up this story, Singapore Airlines has now refunded them for the difference in price between economy class and premium, totaling NZ$982.50 each.
Smelly Dogs Are Another Reason To Keep Dogs Out Of Cabin
I 100% empathize with the couple and sincerely can imagine few things nastier onboard than a loud and smelly dog who invades my space. I bet a dog like that would be accident-prone as well. It is not unreasonable to say, under the described circumstances, the flight became unbearable.
But I empathize with Singapore Airlines too. How can an airline ever fully prevent a dog…or a human…from passing flatus or smelling… especially once the flight is in the air?
If the flight had not taken off yet and the dog already stunk and was farting, then it would have been just as appropriate to offload the smelly dog as to offload a smelly passenger. But once in the air, you cannot exactly throw off a passenger and this does not rise to the sort of crisis that requires a diversion.
I do think the man and his dog should have been moved to the back if there was empty seating back there that could have isolated him from a dog that he could not control. It would be one thing if it was just sounds (like a crying baby) that can be mitigated via ear plug and noise-canceling headphones. The smell and the slobber make it a far worse problem.
* * *
Not to shatter my picture-perfect portrayal of my son six-year-old son Augustine, but he’s developed the ability to fart on demand, which he uses to tease his sister quite effectively. We teach him to go the bathroom when he needs to pass wind. In fact, we just had this conversation (again) yesterday.
It always puzzles me why humans are so rude on flights. Need to fart? I get it…the airline food and the high altitude lead to that sort of thing. But for goodness sake, get up and go to the lavatory. Don’t be a jerk who toots in his seat just because no one will hear it. Have a little courtesy for your fellow passengers.
So should Singapore Airlines offer refunds every time a dog barks or a baby cries? No. But while I do not think travelers had a reasonable expectation to escape from babies onboard, I do think they have a reasonable expectation not to be seated next to slobbering, smelly dogs.
CONCLUSION
Singapore Airlines offered cash compensation to a couple who sat next to a dog that would not stop snorting or farting. While the gesture may not been required, it was a very nice one nevertheless and seems to validate why emotional support dogs are now banned on Singapore Airlines.
Media attention did the trick .
Anyone that needs a dog to travel with them should find a way to travel private. Private plane, private car, private bus, private whatever. Animals do not belong in enclosed places next to many humans for so many hours.
To Santastico if you are so afraid about the dogs that snores and farts why don’t you stop fly commercial flying and you start flying private planes,private buses, private cars and so on that dog has rights to just as much as the person who brought the dog on board. I rather sit nexted to a snoring, farting dog the winning KAREN’S any day. I even take a winning baby’s
I’d rather be seated next to some animals over certain people on a plane.
I’d rather be seated next to a snoring, farting dog than next to about 97% of the humans who board any given aircraft. Seriously, no obnoxious habits, no stealing your armrest or legroom, no mindless chatter, no BO, no horrible food, no issue with shoulder room.
And the doggie is probably nice and like to be petted. Something that even the most charming human would call the cops on you for doing.
I see two problems with this:
1) the way it works on planes is that if you’re seated next to a dog, you are also typically seated next to a person, who has the dog at its feet, so you get the both the human and the dog to deal with– as did these passengers
2) If you’ve never met a dog with an obnoxious habit, or a bad smell, or a desire to impinge upon your personal space, then you need to meet more dogs– not all of them do this, but there are plenty that do.
I was flying in domestic first class in Australia a few weeks ago and my farts were bad enough to make the woman next to me cover her nose with her shirt. I wonder if she got a refund. I paid with points but I imagine you would feel cheated if you paid for it with cash and had to go through that.
Observation: The guy wore shorts on a 13 hour long haul flight. He almost DESERVED to get drooled on. Even on short haul, I wear pants and a long sleeve shirt. An ex-girlfriend attorney of mine was flying from L.A. to NY for a court hearing and she was seated next to a small child with dirty hands constantly trying to touch her nice outfit. She was a wreck by the time she arrived. I wear clothes that are fashionable, but can handle the permanent press wash cycle and upon arrival get a shower and change into a fresh outfit.
The owner stated that the dog was nervous flying. Shame on the owner for selfishly putting the dog in a situation he knew the dog was not comfortable with.
Singapore airlines should bill that american with the dumb emotional support dog the difference in fare.
This is why Singapore airlines are best in the world
Would have never happened in Korea or Japan lmao the complainant would instead get sued for defamation if they ousted someone like this. So much for being a “democratic country”. (am Korean)
If the crew had to downgrade them to economy class then a refund of the fare difference was the ONLY right thing. It’s not being generous it’s really the bare minimum. What if they couple had allergies to dogs, then what? The fact that Singapore did not do that and just gave them a KrisShop gift card was a very low ball and pathetic offer.
To the people that complained about the dogs that snores and farts why don’t you stop fly commercially and you start flying private planes,private buses, private cars and so on that dog has rights to just as much as the person who brought the dog on board. I rather sit nexted to a snoring, farting dog the winning KAREN’S any day. I even take a winning baby’s
Listen Kevin, why don’t you take your stinky dog on a private jet instead of burdening other people with a disgusting creature in a confined place? Or walk.
I’ll answer this argument civilly: The dog has a “right” to be on board, but also a responsibility (via the owner) to not be a burden to fellow passengers. If the dog didn’t fit in a carrier that could go under the seat in front, then the owner should pay for an extra seat. Flatulence happens but if it’s excessing, whether humor or dog, it should be taken to the lavatory until it subsides. I would want a human drooling on me either.
I like 1-2-1 across seating for this very reason,no pet hater gets an opportunity to whine,the one across is perfect and private enough,especially aboard Swiss and Iberia I’ve found.Careful booking,SAS, Finnair don’t allow pets in biz class,no BA in cabin pets any class.Always check.