A Bengaluru man's eagerly anticipated vacation with his family and pet dog was ruined after the airline prohibited the dog from boarding the aircraft. In a video that has now gone viral, Sachin Shenoy can be seen saying that the airlines did not allow his pet dog inside the plane despite it having a boarding pass. The family was flying from Bengaluru to Delhi and Amritsar via an Air India flight on December 17, Saturday.
“We booked these tickets three months ago and have been in constant touch with the Air India authorities regarding the process for travelling with our pet. Our pet weighs 4.2 kilograms. With the bag, she is hardly five kilos. As per the rules, she can fly inside the cabin,” Shenoy said in the video. He adds that the dog, Fluffy, had cleared all checks, created no fuss while waiting for four hours, and was also issued certificates and a boarding pass by the airport staff.
Airindia is #antipet #arrogantpilot D K Chopra. #pilotisnotgod #shampetpolicyhttps://t.co/lEVEHbEybU…@PMOIndia @JM_Scindia @Manekagandhibjp @tv9kannada @republic @WIONews @timesofindia @TimesNow @MirrorNow pic.twitter.com/IgZNj9VzDC
— Sachin Shenoy (@SachinShenoy7) December 17, 2022
Despite this, Fluffy was apparently denied permission to board the flight based on the orders of the pilot. Much to their horror, the family was also asked to leave behind their pet. “It’s as good as leaving our kid and going,” Shenoy further said in the video. According to the rules for flying pets inside cabins, the pet needs to be issued a 'Fit to Fly’ certificate at the airport and needs to weigh less than 5 kg.
After the video went viral on Twitter, Air India said in response, "Sir, we love our furry friends as much as you do. Our Bengaluru Airport team has extended all support to ensure your Fluffy could fly with us on board." The airline further said that "the commander of the flight was not fully satisfied with the cage and muzzle of the pet, which is why he could not allow it to be carried in the cabin.” In another tweet, the airline also said that their policy for the carriage of pets on domestic flights clearly mentions that "pet carriage is subject to the approval of the commander of the flight.”
Our laid-down Policy for the Carriage of Pets on Domestic Flights clearly mentions that "pet carriage is subject to the approval of the commander of the flight." 3/n
— Air India (@airindiain) December 17, 2022
Air India later tweeted that as a goodwill gesture, the family including Fluffy would be permitted to fly using the same tickets on Sunday and asked them to accept the offer.