[Fido_the_Lab]

As the dog in question on this flight, I want to say that the passenger was stinky and made my sensitive nose run.

Sitting at the back, next to the smelly toilets, was unpleasant and demeaning and I am pawing an email to the airline demanding a full apology and air miles for my troubles.

[canucklad]

Afternoon Papillion,

As BigDog pointed out, valid point about the sniffer dogs, would love to see how an individual stops the “Beagle Brigade”

Also, I would assume that a person travelling with such allergies would require a non-fabric case. I can re-call seeing the EDI dogs being let loose over everyone’s suitcases and they happened to be a couple of very handsome long haired German shepherds!

On an AF flight back from HKG had the misfortunate to be in the close proximity of two women who reeked of phish ! Horrible, horrible experience. , so sharing a space with a cute puppy would be absolutely pleasurable in comparison

[Papillion53]

Hi BigDog – I know exactly what you mean about the looks of accusations – who have you been canineoodling with? I do get a quick sniff, look of total disgust, total refusal of a doggy biscuit, then he stops and thinks about it, and returns to take the biscuit. No point in cutting off your nose to spite your doggy belly!

There was a fascinating documentary on, I think the BBC recently about dogs and their senses – can’t remember what it was called, but I wonder if the scientists would take that further in research into human allergies?

Afternoon Canucklad – Oh my those German Shepherd hairs must be a nightmare – our labs are bad enough, I seem to be never rid of tumbleweed! And with long haired cats, we are guaranteed to take some on holiday in the suitcases! If I’m understanding your smelly predicament correctly, then yuk, yuk, yuk!

[Papillion53]

Hi Paw, Fido_the_Lab!

It’s barking mad! Hope you got your favourite Mock-tail for the inconvenience! It woofed be a dog’s life without us! Keep on wagging!

Woofs from Mrs P’s walking dustbins! 😉 🙂

[DavidGordon10]

Dear Papillion, one small question about the case of “…a lady was sitting in front of us, and she must have been cooking curry all night, because the smell was quote overpowering”. Was the smell of curry on her clothes or was it ……. ?? Just asking. As what is known these days as a health care professional, you will understand.

Our interaction with dogs is a fascinating one. They almost always seem to know who likes dogs, and who hates them. They all come and are friendly with me, and I think is because I am quite fluent in dog, and we can have a good conversation (they all speak Czech as well, but that is another story). But they also accost the dog-hater. Are they tryng to find out why?

[BigDog.]

Papilliion – the most apt name I have heard for a dog – Dyson!

[SimonS1]

AlexUpgrade77 – 24/02/2014 09:35 GMT

You keep repeating the same bit about it being “very poor service” from the airline, but don’t say why.

1. The passenger knew in advance a dog was on board and would presumably have known about the potential reaction. Therefore the passenger knew the risks.

2. The airline has said at the outset they would not shift the passenger to row 1. Therefore the passenger doubly knew the risks.

3. If the length of a plane (30 odd rows?) didn’t stop a severe reaction then why would an extra 2 rows. In any case didn’t the passenger have any medication to treat the reaction?

I must say I think it’s nonsense to say the airline was at fault. In fact I would consider the airline entirely blameless and commend them for not pandering to the passenger when demonstrably it would have made no difference. In fact had a diversion been necessary I think the airline would have a better case against the passenger than vice versa.

[Papillion53]

Oh dear, I should have made that quite clear DrG, it was definitely her clothes and hair – she was sitting right in front of me, so I got the full waft! But then I seem to have a highly developed sense of smell – I can smell things, that my DH never even notices! So if anyone breaks wind, silently or otherwise, I will smell it …. There is no point in always blaming the dog!

Ah, animal communication, a pet subject dear to my heart, but you would expect me to say that wouldn’t you! 😉 :-).

Here’s a link for you with a quite remarkable story … Your neck of the woods I think LP.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gvwHHMEDdT0

Sorry BT, this is off topic, and nothing to do with business travel, but animal related and it’s interesting. 🙂

To get back OT, when I lived in London, I would frequently fly “home” to see my folks, and I would always take my cats with me on the flight. They had a special airline box, a special check in, and the fuss made of them was always more than the fuss made of me! They would be put in the hold and brought out at ABZ by their personal baggage handler, getting more fuss! They didn’t seem to mind and got used to it I suppose. I don’t think there was a BAEC in those days, but would they have gotten air miles? or tier points? LOL! I think I used to pay about 10% of the cost of my fare for them.

I wonder what airlines charge these days? Anyone know?

Do service dogs get free passage – they should of course.

[Papillion53]

BigDog – Dyson, yes! :-))

[EU_Flyer]

SimonS1 – 24/02/2014 14:49 GMT

1. Yes I presume the pax knew the risks. I believe the issue was that he didn’t know (nor did I for that fact ) that animals fly in cabin so didn’t think to advice airline in advance. Advised at the gate. Next Aegean flight was 3 days later so was probably faced with a dilemma, do I risk or wait 3 days.

2. Passenger accepted row 3, I believe knowing there was a risk but hoped airline would show flexibility and seat in row 1 given empty cabin. Airline under no obligation to do this of course.

3.Don’t know about this. Given that there was a reaction, 2 rows probably wouldn’t have made a difference. Pax did take medication I believe but was still ill. Don’t know details, can check.

As a lawyer, I’d say Aegean are definitely clear and others have said this as well. But I was shocked that, given that the pax got quite sick he was not shown much compassion by the staff. I understand he’s Aegean Gold FF and a good customer.

I have flown BA, QF, UA, DL and seen very different outcomes to those described here. My colleague was quite shocked at how the crew left him there to nauseate the 2 hours to Athens. Still, it’s all hearsay so perhaps I haven’t heard the whole story. But I don’t know if I’d want to fly on Aegean and have something happen to me.

[SimonS1]

I must say Alex I sense there is still something a bit strange about this.

A gold FF, and therefore clearly an experienced/regular traveller, but didn’t know animals were allowed in the cabin.

How did you/he think that, for example, passengers with guide dogs travel? Despite having a severe allergy he had never thought to even ask the question?

If I had an allergy so strong and serious that I reacted to an animal seated 30 rows behind me I would make damn sure the airline knew about it rather risk leaving it to the gate. As stated before there could have been a pet on the inward flight, or even on a flight earlier in the day, and I would want the airline to be fully aware so they could take precautions.

Normally I find airlines quite accommodating if given a bit of warning, however leave it to the last minute and it’s not always as simple as that.

[MartynSinclair]

@Papillion53, that was a very interesting lesson in communications…

[IanFromHKG]

Last year I was checking in for a flight in the US, and was somewhat surprised to see a lady with a small terrier on a lead inside the terminal – despite clear notices on the entrances that no animals (except service animals) were permitted. I thought nothing more of it, however, until I discovered – that she was sitting next to me on the plane! Dog carrier under the seat in front, looking much like an ordinary bag, but you will understand that I am now grateful that I did not ask (as I had been contemplating doing) whether she wanted me to help her put it in the overhead locker! I don’t think I would have had a very good reaction!! Fortunately I am not allergic to dogs (although I am allergic to cats)

I raise this because it goes to a couple of the points made earlier – first, to the issue of distress for the animal. The terrier concerned had apparently already had a mild sedative, but still wouldn’t settle, and the lady had to administer another dose mid-flight (she had a tube full of syringes for the purpose!). I have to say that I think putting it in a kennel would have been kinder…

Secondly, to the question of whether a passenger could expect there to be a risk of an animal inside the cabin. This was the first time I have ever noticed a pet in an aircraft – and although I don’t know how many flights I have taken, my CX club miles are rapidly heading for the two million mark. Since that doesn’t include non-oneworld airlines, but does include uplifts for premium travel, I reckon two million miles is probably a fair “guesstimate” of the miles I have travelled in aircraft. Given that, as I said, this is the first time I noticed an animal inside the cabin in all that time (and given also our personal experience that when our own adorable English cocker spaniel was imported she had to fly in the hold), I can say that I think even a frequent flier would be justified in an operating assumption that the cabin would be pet-free.

I will just add to Papillion’s and others’ stories of pungent smells in the cabin – I have previously spoken of an occasion where a fellow passenger on a filght was awash with cologne, so much so that I started developing a migraine (not a normal reaction for me, I might add). I did pluck up the courage to ask him to wash it off, but made it abundantly plain that it was my problem, not his (and fortunately he was happy to oblige) – and that is rather how I feel about the tales mentioned on here. If a passenger has that severe an allergy, it is that passenger’s problem to deal with. While the crew mentioned by the OP do appear to have been unsympathetic, and it doesn’t show them in a good light, I also can’t blame them for maintaining the “sanctity” of the premium cabin, empty or otherwise, particularly since (as others note) it would probably not have made any difference anyway. Similarly with the passenger with the cat allergy – why THAT passenger wasn’t bumped instead of eric777 is astonishing. HER problem should result in HER delay… I can only guess that the airline was fearful of legal action for disability discrimination of some kind, although in most such legislation there is a “safe harbour” where a business makes “reasonable accommodation” for the disability – which in her case could have been the three-hour delay that they foisted on another (innocent) passenger instead. eric777 – were you compensated for the bump?

[canucklad]

Sadly I’ve been putting more thought into this topic than is probably healthy.

We all know about the issues to do with air quality on aircraft, and the recycling of air, so I’m now assuming it doesn’t matter where you sit on an aircraft, at some point you’re going to be breathing in air that’s been somewhere else in the cabin.

This leads me think that this is the reason for VS’s blanket ban on peanuts, and what other allergies do airlines need to legislate for!

So I’m assuming Eric’s airline understood the mechanics and wrongly subjected the family to a 3 hour delay. I’m also going to come down on the side of the cat here. The poor animal was subjected to an extra 3 hours of confinement through the fault of the airline.

Afternoon Ian, a slight digression of topic but a quickie please. Want to tap into you’re HK posh knowledge, as my mate doesn’t really venture into such establishments. How would you describe the dress code for the Ozone bar? I really don’t want to cart my fancy dancy threads just for a 2 hour visit before heading into less salubrious establishments when a nice pair of jeans and shirt would suffice! Their website is not much help….Much appreciated

[IanFromHKG]

Well, I’ve only been to Ozone a few times – I don’t tend to venture onto the Dark Side for my evening entertainment! A quick phone call, however, revealed that their only dress code restrictions are that after 9pm gentlemen may not wear sleeveless shirts or open-toed shoes.

If you’re visiting soon, bear in mind that it gets quite cool in the evenings at this time of year, so if you are going to be on the outside terrace (which is definitely the place to be), then unless you manage to station yourself near one of the spaceheaters you are going to need something more than a T-shirt anyway!

[Author]

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