A reader on Delta Air lines flight 800 from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles on Sunday had a front row seat to a large dalmatian experiencing bowel issues throughout the six hour journey. As he explains,
[O]n the flight and the dog got sick and had diarrhea multiple times during the 6 hour flight. The cabin smelled awful the entire time. Once we landed in Los Angeles, the dog continued to get sick the entire way up the jetway.
Passengers in the area around the dalmatian were told they would receive 4,000 SkyMiles for the inconvenience.
The passenger was connecting in Los Angeles to Las Vegas on Delta flight 1696 – scheduled to be operated by the same aircraft. He was told by Delta agents that “they were not going to switch planes.” Several passengers from his Fort Lauderdale flight were connecting to Las Vegas and rebooked onto a flight six hours later to avoid the occurrence aircraft, registration N507DZ.
In fact, they delayed the onward Delta flight 1696 to las Vegas by about 1 hour 38 minutes to replace the aircraft for that segment, and the original plane sat in Los Angeles – presumably for a lot of cleaning.
Customer service was willing to extend an additional 5,000 miles – for a total of 9,000 – though that’s in part due to the delay, which itself is an admission on Delta’s part that the plane passengers flew on wasn’t capable of providing sanitary air service. It doesn’t just fall short of Delta’s brand promise that they market, it falls short of basic standards for transportation. A full refund would be more appropriate.
Delta, famous for the diarrhea plane about a year ago, had a first class passenger this past summer who had a “poop accident” and insisted that a flight attendant clean it up.
In the fall, American Airlines passengers had to endure the stench of similar dog droppings for their entire flight. Despite a crackdown on fake service animals, there are still plenty of them around, and causing problems too – like the one who caused my Delta flight to turn around at Thanksgiving.
Was the dog not in a carrier? Delta’s policy (if they follow it) is the dog is supposed to be in the carrier the whole time.
Why did the pilot not land as an emergency? If a human was shitting their pants, they would land somewhere and offload that person.
They should fly private. Public aviation is public transportation and not utopia. People and pets get sick and even die in the air (my daughter recently flew to North America from Europe with a deceased’s body and grieving children and grandchildren in the cabin that they landed to drop off in Bangor). If you can’t be empathetic in such a situation then you belong all by yourself.
Stop allowing animals in the cabin. Planes are for people.
&George N Romey
Stop allowing animals in the cabin. Planes are for people.
“Planes are for me and how I prefer to fly, and not for anybody else or what they might need and prefer when they fly.”
The best reason to have a “Dog Overboard” door. Let that poopy puppy fall 40,000 feet and watch what happens when he lands?
Trust me, they’ll be no more issue with doggy diarrhea.
When will this insanity end? A few years ago, when even Congress and the FAA had had enough and cracked drown somewhat, things got better. But the mentally infirm (I’m not talking about people with true, trained service animals). But gradually, our airports and airplanes have started to look like zoos again. We appear to be right back where we started. We need real rules that require real proof (physicians + animal trainers) that Fido is a true service animal. Without that, the pooch goes in a carrier in the belly of the plane. Enough of this (no pun intended) horsesh*t !!
The pet people are the epitome of selfishness. They don’t care that dozens of people are forced to suffer from the stench of their animal pooping all over the plane as long as their precious dog is taken care of. What kind of sick person do you have to be to be that inconsiderate? Don’t bring your damn dog on board.
Animals should not be on aircraft, period. Nor should children under 17 years of age.
Premium Stench, only on Delta.
I effing love this site. I will never stop being amused by the stories of diarrhea, vomit, and other grossness. There’s probably something wrong with me, but I am grateful that Gary is covering these hilarious stories.
Ah.. another FAKE SERVICE ANIMAL.
I’m gonna be bugging my senators (Sullivan & Murkowski) to please go after DOT to stop this insanity.
@James Thurber
“The best reason to have a “Dog Overboard” door. Let that poopy puppy fall 40,000 feet and watch what happens when he lands?…”
I can not even begin to wrap my head around a concept so dark & depraved. Way to expose your psychopathy there! Hopefully people are taking notes.
@ haolanate – fabulous idea! I’m going to do the same and encourage everyone on this blog to follow suit.
Dogs should not be allowed on the plane with passengers. They should be in a cage in the belly of the plane regardless if they are a service animal. For what these people experienced they should have been refunded their money because this is not what they paid for. This situation is totally unacceptable!
Leave the pets at home or at a kennel. Or travel by car. This is a commercial aircraft designed to take PEOPLE to destinations. An airplane is not Noah’s Ark. If you are so psychologically unstable to need a “support animal” to keep from going apesh!t during the journey, you do not need to be confined with 170 other people in a small space.
News flash: No matter how much you love them, dress them up, push them around in strollers, share your dinner plate with them, DOGS ARE NOT PEOPLE.
These dog people are out of control. It’s a society-wide issue.
Seriously, is there anyone more selfish and anti-social than dog owners?
It’s time for the FAA to ban all pets including ESAs from all airplane cabins and to only permit service animals on planes with passengers. Moreover, service animal owners should be required to show proof that their animals are service animals, fully trained as such. Since service animals must be trained, proving it with a certificate from a legitimate training organization should prove to be easy. Finally larger service animals should be required to have their own seat so they don’t intrude on anyone’s seat space. I have no problem requiring the airlines to provide that seat for free as an accommodation.
Since no one has mentioned this yet….
My wife is extremely allergic to pet dander. It gives her asthma attacks. If they can get rid of peanuts on planes to meet the needs of allergic people, why not animals?
Air travel has gone to the dogs. I (and my associates) try any alternatives available. In trying to please a few, Delta is chasing away frequent flyers.
Shareholders should be aware. Much like that DEQ twaddle. NO common sense.
There is about a 100% overlap between the people who want to ban children from cabins and those who want to ban pets, even though human adults account for 99.9% of negative experiences on airplanes. But it will never change because the primary motivator of this complaining is based not upon experience but upon pure envy – envy for those with the love of a child or pet – by cranky lonely people who wish they could experience it for themselves but cannot or will not because they are too selfish to make the necessary sacrifices.
Most of the broader “solutions” proposed by people on this post aren’t going to happen without some kind of legislative change.
What could happen sooner, however, is airlines being tougher on disruptive behavior – including by service animals / ESAs / pets in carriers / whatever. This owner and pet have shown they may not be to fly safely, so the pet should be suspended or banned from the airline
@Mak, you confuse pets with children. For purposes of clarification, dogs belong to the genus Canis, species c. familiaris. Children are human beings, belonging to the genus Homo, species h. sapiens. In other words, there is a difference.
I am Delta Diamond and Executive Platinum on American. So sick of these spoiled heartless people complaining about the dog .the poor dog was sick, it wasn’t his fault. I have had to endure plenty of disgusting smells from babies diapers, stinky people, and sick children and adults. No one can help being sick, where is the compassion. I would prefer to sit next to a dog than most of the people on tbe post complaining about dogs on flights.
@Julie Kaplan. Heartless? Nope. Considerate of sanitary conditions on a commercial airplane and of fellow pax who are averse to dogsh!t. Absolutely. If you have pets I’d hate to see your carpets!
I’ve never had to deal with mad smells or rude behavior from animals on planes. But I’ve been grossed out by people about half the time. Let’s start with the smelly people, the loud people, the aggressive people first. Most dogs smell better and behave better.
DFW Steve
Sanitary would not describe some of the people who fly. Shoes off across arm rests. Used tissue left in seat pockets and let’s not forget the bathrooms. Dispute the valiant efforts of the poor flight attendants who try to keep them clean. How about the passengers that think it’s ok to expel gas thinking no one’s hears them or the parents who think tray tables make great changing tables, tossing dirt diapers wherever is convenient. There is nothing sanitary about flying. The dogs are very clean, vaccinated, and loved by their humans. Sorry to disappoint, I have 3 dogs and my house is immaculate.
I’d rather fly with a shutting dig than any a hole test voted fir ztrump
It’s a little funny how everyone is focused on this being a dog. Humans have defeated on planes, including famous ones. I was on a United flight when a large guy that was clearly drunk sitting next to me hogging the arm test suddenly projectile vomited on the seats in front of him. It splashed all over me and got on people in the seats in front of us. No apologies from the guy, no repercussions and no compensation. I understand and have empathy for people or animals that get sick, but have less of that empathy for anyone that willingly gets drunk and does this.
Adding my $.10, there has been absolutely no crackdown on fake service animals in any conceivable way. Legally there can’t be unless it comes from the federal level. All someone has to do is upload their pencil whipped doctor’s note and legally they cannot be touched. Not only that, but just recently someone did a 2 for one tiny “service dog” special and I believe I read that here.
@Mak “based not upon experience but upon pure envy – envy for those with the love of a child or pet – by cranky lonely people who wish they could experience it for themselves but cannot or will not because they are too selfish to make the necessary sacrifices.”
Laughably ignorant argument. One teen to another: ” the singer XzYZ isn’t very good.” Other teen: ” you’re just jealous.” Your argument is equally as poor, but at least you know it’s “envy.”
There is an upper ring of hell that plays out exactly like this including the indignity of receiving 4,000 miles.
That will go far with one of their 100k one way coach tickets to Atlanta
@DFWSteve: ” An airplane is not Noah’s Ark.”
-Best comment of the day!
They are not all fake and a service animal can get sick. It’s not a freaking robot. People get sick, babies get sick you get sick. Stop being such big whinos. I’m sure the owner felt horrible.
LOL. Tom is not the sharpest tool in the shed.
@ Leticia. The owner didn’t think this scam though . . . and it’s definitely not about the owners feelings, it’s about facts.
It is high time that the FAA step in with rules that are tough to break and penalties that are enforced. Hit ’em in the wallet big time. A trained service animal is one thing. There must be some sort of “real ID” that can be applied to trained service animals. Same thing for the bulls**t “emotional support” animals. Unless the animal has a “real ID” support function, they must be in an approved carrier. ALL OTHER ANIMALS must be carried as cargo and with fees accordingly. So, what if it is summertime and the airlines won’t carry live animals in the cargo hold? Well, toughkie sh**skie…they don’t travel. If the animal soils the aircraft and/or stinks up the plane, divert and offload the offender. Send the bill to the passenger with the animal. A medical emergency is a different issue and no penalties should be assessed.
This was a Boeing airplane. Would not have happened on an Airbus. So therefore this is Boeing’s fault.
First Class Delta.
The pax next to me kept taking off his boots (work boots).
Terrible smell of garlic each time.
He might have been repelling Dracula fish, but I suspect he had a horrible foot disorder.
“Service Dog” vests can be bought on Amazon for as little as $15. Can we just admit this is a scam and institute some real standards which must be met and validated by some legal standards? On my last transcontinental flight, I was in the last row of first class. The person behind me had a “service dog” which wandered the aisle during meal service begging food.
Unexpected things happen in life, if you are not able to deal with them I am very sorry for you. Babies, adolescents, adults and animals experience upsets in their body. I am sorry you can’t deal with such a small imposition. Life can and will at sometime in your life deal you a worse hand.
I am the victim in the picture.
My friend and I were forcibly relocated to this seat by the flight attendants. (We originally had different seats, but the crew told us that we were not allowed to sit in our assigned seats. While the plane was already on the runway, we were forced to switch seats.)
My friend has severe allergies to dog hair. During the flight, she broke out in rashes, sneezed constantly, and had persistent coughing. Delta took no responsibility for this.
The dog defecated on both me and my friend. Our clothes and personal belongings were completely covered in feces, and we had no choice but to discard them, resulting in significant financial loss.
The dog’s owner verbally promised to compensate us, but as soon as the cabin door opened, he ran off and left the plane immediately.
If you would like more details, I am happy to provide them.
Peter.worldrich@gmail.com