Passenger calls first flight with pet dog on Akasa Air horrible. Airline replies

A LinkedIn user’s excitement about his first pet-inclusive air travel turned into a nightmare when he flew with Akasa Air from Ahmedabad to Bengaluru on January 26. He had paid Rs 5,000 for a pet ticket, expecting a smooth journey for himself, his wife, and their Shih Tzu. However, the experience was far from what was promised.

According to the post shared by Lakshya Pathak, the flight, scheduled to depart at 10.20 pm, was delayed by over three hours, finally taking off at 1.40 am. This resulted in Pathak and his family spending more than six hours at the airport. To add to their woes, the ground staff and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel appeared clueless about handling pet-related issues and were unhelpful.

Pathak's ordeal continued onboard the aircraft. Contrary to the airline's advertisements, there was no special accommodation for pets. The boarding process alone took 40 minutes, during which time the cabin remained uncomfortably warm as the air conditioning was not activated. This caused distress not only to the passengers but also to their furry companion.

“The crew seemed totally devoid of any logic. We were speaking to one steward who said if I,a passenger on the window seat, kept the pet container on my lap,it would somehow “restrict” the movement of other passengers,” he wrote.

“The steward failed to understand that if a pet is not able to breathe in the container then the only solution is at least let his face out and let him breathe. During the whole flight I had to forcefully shove my crying pet’s head inside the container multiple times,” he added.

The incident caught the attention of social media users after Pathak tagged Animal Welfare Society India and PETA in his post.

Take a look at the post:

There were several comments asking Akasa Air to improve its pet travel services and ensure passenger and animal welfare. In response to the backlash, Akasa Air expressed regret and promised to follow up with Pathak.

“Hi Lakshya, we've taken this up with our team, and they will connect with you soon. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to you,” they wrote.

People had a lot to say about the services available for pets while travelling on a flight. Many shared their own experiences as well.

What are your thoughts on this?