Airplane flights aren’t always comfortable.
Those who can afford it try to get more comfortable seats by paying extra.
One couple from New Zealand demanded a refund from Singapore Airlines (SIA).
An emotional support dog in their row apparently ruined their flight with its “snorting” and “farting”.
Couple’s Premium Economy Experience “Ruined” by Dog
In June, Mrs Gill Press and her husband, Warren, bought premium economy tickets for their 13-hour flight from Paris to Singapore.
The idea of a 13-hour flight sounds uncomfortable.
However, the SIA website boasts premium economy seats to be more spacious and comfortable.
Despite expecting greater comfort, the couple were upset that a passenger in their row had brought his emotional support dog on board.
Speaking to New Zeland news outlet Stuff, Mrs Press said, “I heard this noise – a heavy snorting.”
She initially thought it was her husband’s phone.
They looked down only to realise that the noise was from a dog breathing.
She added, “I said, ‘I’m not having this sitting next to us the whole trip.’”
According to Stuff, the dog appeared to be distressed when it boarded the flight.
When the couple requested a seat change, the cabin crew told them that the only available seats were at the back of economy class.
Premium economy tickets are worth 50% more than economy tickets, so the couple refused to downgrade.
However, they claimed the dog’s presence became “unbearable” halfway through the flight.
They claimed that the dog kept farting.
Furthermore, they said the dog was occupying some of Mr Press’ legroom.
Mrs Press claimed that the dog’s saliva got onto Mr Press’ leg as he was wearing shorts.
According to Mrs Press, the owner couldn’t put the dog out in the aisle as it would block trolleys from coming through.
Thus, the couple requested to change seats again.
This time, the flight attendants moved them to seats in front of the economy cabin, which was supposed to be reserved for staff.
Before landing, the flight attendants also informed them that an incident report had been filed and that SIA would contact them.
The Aftermath
However, there was no news from SIA after a week.
Mrs Press emailed her complaints to the airline.
After two weeks, the airline finally responded.
As compensation, the airline offered the couple gift vouchers worth $200 to use on the KrisShop website.
Mrs Press rejected the offer, feeling it was inadequate compensation for the cheaper seats they took.
Another three weeks passed before the airline offered the couple travel vouchers worth $320 instead.
However, Mrs Press felt that the couple deserved nothing less than a full refund.
The price of their tickets is unknown.
However, if you look at the difference between an economy ticket and a premium economy ticket for a trip from Patris to Singapore in September, you’ll see that the price gap is massive.
Mrs Press was upset as the couple did not receive the experience they paid for.
SIA’s Response
Speaking to The Straits Times, an SIA spokesperson said that the airline aims to inform customers who may be sitting next to an assistance dog before they board the flight.
The spokesperson added that when customers seated next to an assistance dog ask to be moved, flight attendants usually try to move them to another seat within the same cabin.
However, they could not do so in this case as the premium economy class cabin was full.
The spokesperson also said that the duration of the compensation process is subject to how complex the issue is.
Stuff reported that a SIA spokesperson reiterated the airline’s apology to the couple.
In addition, the airline said it would continue to liaise with the customers regarding their feedback.
The spokesperson added, “Singapore Airlines endeavours to notify customers who may be seated next to an assistance dog prior to boarding the flight.
“We sincerely apologise that this did not occur in this case, and will work with our airport teams to ensure that this lapse does not occur in future.”
What the Rules Say About Emotional Support Dogs
From 1 April 2023, SIA no longer allows customers to travel on flights with their emotional support dogs.
However, customers who had previously made a request and submitted the required documentation before 1 April can still bring their emotional support dogs on board the plane.
An emotional support dog is a pet prescribed by a licensed mental health professional to a person with a mental illness.
The professional must determine if the animal is needed for the patient’s mental health.
For instance, owning a pet may calm a person’s anxiety.
However, emotional support dogs are not service dogs.
While emotional support dogs are no longer allowed on SIA flights, approved assistance dogs are still allowed on board.
Unlike emotional support dogs, service dogs require extensive training to support people with disabilities resulting from mental illness.
For instance, these dogs can detect the beginning of psychiatric episodes and are trained to ease the effects.
On the subreddit r/Singapore, a user pointed out that the emotional support dog the couple met was either a pit bull or a French bulldog.
Notably, these dog breeds receive the most discrimination.
They are associated with having a more aggressive temperament, even though this is primarily a false stereotype.
Furthermore, the short snout and often open mouth of such dog breeds cause them to drool more than an average dog.
Their snouts also make them more prone to snorting.
Furthermore, they are known to have slightly sensitive digestive tracts, making them infamous for farting more than other dog breeds.