A United Airlines passenger was booted from her pre-assigned economy class seat after finding a massive “service dog” occupying her seat.
United Airlines Passenger Booted From Pre-Assigned Seat Next To Husband To Accommodate Massive Service Dog Who Needs Its Own Seat
The passenger was flying from San Diego (SAN) to Denver (DEN) and boarded her flight with her husband, only to find a massive dog with a service animal vest on her seat:
I boarded a flight from SAN to DEN and an enormous “service” dog was sitting on my seat. He was way too big to fit on the floor. The flight attendant was a few rows away and when asked if she saw the dog, she just shrugged. My husband and I tried to resolve it with the passenger but there was no way that dog could fit under his legs in his window seat.
Since we were told that it was a completely full flight, and the dog was taking my seat, I thought I was going to get bumped off the flight by this dog. A United staff member came onboard and spoke to the passenger but the dog remained. Finally, somehow they located another seat for me. The dog stayed on my seat for the whole flight.
…It is nasty to have a dog outside of a carrier sitting on passengers’ seats with his butt on the armrests. The gate agents carefully check the size my carry-on, but apparently they don’t monitor the size of people’s “service” dogs!
As you can see in the picture above, the dog not only remained in the seat, but placed its butt on the armrest between seats.
If your dog is so big that it requires another seat, then you should have to buy it, regardless of handicap.
The better option, and legislation or regulation I would support, would allow airlines to ban dogs altogether on flights.
Enough is enough…more and more, we see people slap on “service dog” vests on dogs and act inappropriately onboard. They are ruining it for everyone.
Sadly, this would come at the expense of some travelers who appear to genuinely suffer from ailments that a dog helps to address. But there’s something to a “bright line” rule (like mandatory retirement at age 65 for pilots even though many remain incredibly sharp and could probably safely pilot a plane for another 10+ years) in order to reduce the administrative costs of verification and deal with outliers.
Need to travel with a dog? Take your car. This issue is reaching a breaking point and I’m so sick of the proliferation of dogs in airports and onboard I see every time I fly, a problem unique to the United States of America.
On the one hand, treating your problems with a dog is better than with drugs…but simply saying, “Toto makes me feel calm” should not be enough to inconvenience your seatmate with a dog onboard.
I’ll continue to highlight this problem until changes are made. It’s time to give airlines the power to ask more questions, require more verification, and ultimately ban in-cabin animals altogether.
image: @Sparkling_Spritzer / hat tip: View From The Wing
He’s not enormous, and he probably behaved better than 90% of the humans. And, while I partially disagree with your breathless drama queen take on this, I do agree that your car is a far better way to transport your dog than an airplane. We have dogs and never fly with them. The risks they potentially face by being in the cargo hold are too high.
A “breathless drama queen” take?
The dog should have been thrown off the flight. In what alternate reality does a dog take priority over a human being?
I’m so tired of the “dogs are better behaved than humans” canard.
I mean, for the almost daily “Irate Passenger Pulls Flight Attendant’s Wig and Causes Diversion” post on here, there are really only a handful of posts a year about service animals and they are usually complaining about them being in the cabin and debating the rules around it.
**I’m so tired of the “dogs are better behaved than humans” canard.**
Yet it’s true. A higher percentage of dogs behave well than humans and, a badly behaving human is worse than a badly behaving dog. I’ll take all comers on that debate and win every time. Humans can be wonderful, but a large percentage are absolute garbage – and bloggers like you document their escapades on a daily basis.
BTW, the dog in question here was photographed while sitting upright at attention – hardly a problem.
You’re tired of people honestly saying what is empirically true because you hate dogs? Yet you want airlines to blatantly and openly discriminated against people with disabilities because you find dogs “icky.” That’s evidence to me that dogs are, indeed, better behaved than humans.
Get a new hobby instead of focussing on dogs. And “service dogs” implying that it wasn’t one … how do you know?
That is how the displaced passenger referred to the dog.
Your ignorance on what they were actually asking is hilarious. The question is very clear that they are asking how do you know the service dog is a fake service dog? You never comment on any inappropriate action the animal takes during the flight, which tells me the dog is appropriately behaving. Fake service animals are apparent in their behaviors and mannerisms. An untrained dog would not be on a plane seat the entire flight. Service animals are medical equipment and asking the handler to fly without them, or to only travel via car with them, is like asking a wheelchair user to travel via car so no one has to accommodate their chair. The airlines explicitly require you to notify them that you’re flying with an animal so you’re only on a flight allowing animals. If you don’t want to fly with animals do your due diligence next time and contact the airline to locate flights that don’t allow animals. Otherwise, it’s your problem to deal with.
If the dog is on the seat for even one second, the dog it out of line and should be removed.
Even if a dog is a genuine service dog, if it needs an extra seat, there should be payment.
If I am too tall and want a premium economy seat, I must pay. If I am too fat (I am not) and need a SUV, not a tiny Fiat 500, I cannot successfully demand a new free SUV.
The truth is that the dog, regardless of size, is not allowed to sit on a seat, and may only be on the floor or lap (if it’s small enough). If the dog is a legitimate service dog, the airline has to accommodate the passenger without charging extra, but SHOULD have blocked out the seat next to him so it wouldn’t be sold to anyone else. Also, the passenger SHOULD have informed the airline of the need for extra space at time of booking. People who have actual service dogs know this, are familiar with the booking protocols, and rarely cause issues like this. Emotional support animals are NOT ADA-covered service animals. BTW, the choke chain collar is a “tell” that this is most likely not a trained service animal that would be covered under the ADA. All of this needs to be clarified better, the ADA should probably be re-written for flight situations, and airlines should not be allowing personnel to make in-the-moment judgement calls about animals.
Good call on noticing the choke collar. True, trained service dogs don’t need choke collars.
Prong collars are used commonly on service dogs for various reasons – particularly for mobility dogs that serve owners who can have easy dislocation if the dog pulls even a little
Right on, Matthew. It is so obvious people simply buy these vests online and bring their untrained dogs aboard without question. There should be some FAA approved guidelines and very specific documentation of both need and dog’s training, before these dogs are allowed onboard. What would the fellow have done if the couple had boarded first? Asked them to move? I don’t think so.
Airlines request 48 hr notice to travel with a service dog and paperwork service dog transportation form to be submitted. It’s on the airlines to do a better job managing clients with disabilities to ensure this doesn’t happen. It’s not just service dogs that bump other passengers, it’s passengers travelling with personal aids that bump passengers also – and this should be a priority because they do need assistance however airlines should be more organized.
Another way to address Matt’s on going issues with dogs is a standardized national testing for service animals. Testing can be very vague or strict depending on state or trainer.
As more people own pets, we will continue to see dogs in the cabin. This is not a trend that’s going away
The ADA is very poorly written when it comes to their section on in-flight service animals. Airlines are extremely limited as to what they can ask the passenger. There are DOT forms they can require, and flying to other countries often requires much more specific paperwork and certification (some countries require a doctor to sign off on the animal). Airlines differ when it comes to enforcement of their own rules, Cabin crew are often forced to make in-the-moment judgement calls. It’s a mess.
So disability rights would say the dog has to stay and the airline probably thought less “issues” booting the passenger than dealing with a disability rights attorney and added PR drama.
Having said that, don’t service animals now have to come with letters from doctors or some kind of official designation to avoid issues like this? Remember the Woman with the Peacock ?!
Let’s just talk about safety – can a dog of any size be allowed to sit on the airplane seat ? Do they have to be secured with some kind of belt? Weight limit issues?
Plus sized people have to buy a second seat – so then I would imagine the passenger with the large service dog would have to – it’s only fair.
I Absolutely agree with you, Matthew I have seen this on so many flights that the dog is so big that it can hardly fit under the seat if it can and often impedes upon paying passengers travel space. If the dog is beyond 50 pounds they should purchase a seat For the dog to sit in, but they should also cover the seat to protect it in case the dog has an accident on the seat during the flight. I am simply providing suggestions of course but to be clear I am not in agreement with dogs who cannot fit in a carrier under the seat flying in the cabin with the owner. Larger animals can be flown on the same plane in the special area under the plane but not in the cabin and then the animal will be available at the end of the flight. I know my comments will not be welcomed by some but when you are a paying passenger, you should be entitled to that seat space to yourself without Intrusion by an animal into your space. Record I have owned cats, dogs and other animals so I am an animal lover.
I agree, SK!
But why can’t the airline manage these request ??? I just feel the airlines can do a better job managing these situations
I recently sat across the aisle from a man with visual impairment and he had an enormous German shepherd. The dog was able to sit on the floor of the aircraft. Half of the dog was under the seat the rest of it was in front of the passenger. There was another two passengers in the middle and Aisle seat. No problem and no ones’ space was impeded on. Something is wrong with the dog’s guardian in this article. Sounds like an abuse of the system.
Article says that ground staff spoke with the owner of the service dog. What happened there? SHouldn’t they have checked if the service dog fit on the floor? If the owner did not comply – both should have been reseated. Period.
The problem with dogs isn’t just on planes – it’s everywhere. Here in SoCal, you see them in department stores, Home Depot and even grocery stores. And tho Trader Joe’s posts a sign that only “service” dogs are allowed in the store, they do not enforce that rule. Older women with their little Muffy’s are the worst, especially when the dog has not been socialized. But we cannot have rules anymore – someone might get offended, and out here in California, there is always a lawyer ready to sue.
My gym allows them to my chagrin. I saw one (large Bully) sitting in front of the steam room right next to the hot tub. The guy then has the dog follow him into the locker room to get changed then out into the weightlifting area.
Disgusting.
100% agree with Matthew. Ban dogs from flights. At best a nuisance and at worst a calamity. The smell alone if you’re nearby is reason enough. The level of entitlement pet owners display when flying is obnoxious. Not to mention folks with allergies or sensitivities. If you have to fly with your pet then drive for fly private. If neither is an option you probably should have thought about that before buying a life and the responsibility that entails.
Thank you Mr. Klint.
When the United States comes to its senses and finally passes legislation to end this nonsensical practice, I think that your numerous respectful but firm articles on the topic will have played a significant role.
Many times I have seen passengers parading their “service dogs” around the gate area, obviously looking for attention from fellow passengers. Once as I was standing in the aisle waiting for the restroom a woman asked “Do you want to pet my dog?” And by the behavior of some of these dogs it is obvious they are not trained. Sitting in an aisle seat during boarding a large dog jumped up and put its front paws on my lap. I was looking out the window and didn’t see it coming. Surprise!
pay full fare for the dog or the dog does not fly
If someone is traveling with a large dog, they should be required to buy the full half row, three seats in economy, or two in first class. It’s rude of them to expect other passengers’ space. Also, dogs that can’t fit in a carrier should be muzzled, as you see on some European public transit
That fixes the issue. Clearly, there’s a need to humanely transport dogs. Airlines should figure out how to do so.
A passenger should never be booted for a service animal. If the dog is too big to fit in the space allocated then the passenger should be deboarded with the animal and forced to purchase 2 seats. That is because the person with the dog is in the best position to assess the space required prior to flight.
Airlines are afraid of ADA (or rather equivalent) lawsuit so they penalize the innocent passenger who has no clue. But this could easily be avoided with clear policies like Southwest’s COS and childseat policies.
We’ve become gaga over dogs treating them like four legged humans. Something is amiss when a person refers to their pet as “my fur son” – and yes I’ve heard it . Dogs are everywhere now and apparently we just have to suck it up. Really? Says a lot about us and our values when dog trumps human.
If this was truly a service animal the owner would have known it belonged on the floor. No animal is allowed to occupy a passenger seat at any time with the exception of certain celebrity dogs that travel with their own restraining device. Passengers can buy an extra seat for their service animal but it’s only so they have access to the extra floor space. They should’ve been placed at the bulkhead with a larger animal.
Correct.
Can you provide directions as to how I can “take a car” to Hawaii or Europe with my dog? Thanks Matt!
You leave your dog at home or in the cargo hold.
The amount of ignorance and entitlement you’re spewing is disgusting! Is the situation ideal? No. But you have no idea what this person situation is. What if they’re epileptic and can’t drive? Or if their ultimate destination would require days of driving? You sound like a typical white dude, who thinks their comfort is of the utmost importance. Even if it is at the expense of others and you should be ashamed of yourself! I could MAYBE slightly understand your annoyance a little more if it was a first class seat but it’s its economy.
I would advise you against making “typical” comments, Kevin.
Why does the handicapped person get to keep their seat? Need two seats together? Fine, leave this guy in his first class seat, bump up someone who was next to him, and then Miss “I must have my fake service animal with me” could sit in the back in two seats.
The only thing typical here is how disgusting of a person you clearly are! As referring to you as an human being implies you have compassion toward others. Are there people that abuse the system? Yes, of course there are. But the fact that you’re more ok with hurting those who clearly need the help than just dealing with those who abuse the system shows how much you fail as a person on a basic level.
I disagree. The adage, “This is why we can’t have nice things” rings true in this case and it is not me who is responsible, but the abusers who game the system.
So because this was a service animal and the airline probably had to comply with ADA, placed service dog next to human, people feel some way and are upset? We dont know what health issues the passenger had that requires the dog to be there. If it was just a normal pet then yes they go below into cargo. Take issue with United not the passenger
A real service animal would never sit on another seat.
I support duly vetted service dogs on airplanes. However, their passenger should be obligated to book an extra seat & dog & person should be placed in bulkhead seating allowing extra space. A window seat for the animal with their person seated next them. Airlines should provide a disposable plastic cover sheet for the chair. There should be a standard weight limit for safety & some type of seat restraint placed. A massive dog moving around the cabin during turbulence is dangerous! Service dogs should be responsive to their persons directions. If there are documented problems, then a no flight restriction should be placed.
Cost should be born by the airline just as other ADA accommodations are.
No last minute ticketing or asking fliers to change seating for a dog after boarding.
An opposite example is my relative booked his service dog on SW for the above seating . SW flight attendant asked if the dog could give its seat. He was told they didn’t have any obligation to do so. Relative agreed with request and his German Short Hair 50 lb rode on the floor from Austin to San Diego quietly . Aisle seat & add on passenger were comfortable with this arrangement. 80 y/o man was able to attend his granddaughter’s graduation because of SW policy.