New Zealand couple demand refunds for flight with a farting dog
Katherine Donlevy – New York Post
A couple from New Zealand are demanding a full refund for their premium seats with Singpore Airlines after being stuck with a farting dog for 13 hours.
It was a ruff flight.
A New Zealand couple is demanding a refund after they spent a 13-hour flight stuck next to a slobbering, farting and whiny dog.
Gill and Warren Press said their Singapore Airlines flight from Paris — which they forked out extra for premium economy seats — was ruined by the noisy and gassy emotional service pooch, the New York Post reports.
“I heard this noise – a heavy snorting,” Gill told New Zealand outlet Stuff, adding that she originally thought it was emitting from her husband’s phone before realising it was a dog’s laboured breathing.
“I said, ‘I’m not having this sitting next to us the whole trip.’”
The couple said they overheard the owner telling another passenger that the stocky pup eased her anxiety, however, they insisted that the dog appeared to be distressed and struggling with the affliction on his own.
When they raised concerns with a flight attendant, the annoyed travellers said the hostess offered that they move their seats to the only available ones left — in the back row of economy.
The emotional support dog that had farted and slobbered over the husband’s leg. Picture: Stuff
The Presses decided it was not worth giving up the luxury seats that they splurged on for the long-haul trip to their layover in Singapore.
But their patience reached breaking point halfway through the 13-hour journey — when a certain smell could no longer be ignored.
The canine had begun farting as it inched closer into their personal space, the couple said.
“[The owner] couldn’t have the dog out in the aisle because they couldn’t get the trolleys through, so it had to come in further, which meant his head was under my husband’s feet,” said Gill.
“My husband was in shorts, and was getting the dog’s saliva goo on his leg.”
Eventually, the Presses decided they couldn’t take it anymore and accepted the air hostess’s later offer to place them in the front row of the economy cabin that had been reserved for staff.
The attendant promised that she would file an incident report and that the airline would reach out.
However, the couple claims Singapore Airlines didn’t contact them until they began pestering its customer service team.
Singapore Airlines. Picture: Damian Shaw
The Presses were eventually offered a $125 gift voucher for the airline’s KrisShop website, which was later upped to a $200 travel voucher for each of them.
But the couple rejected both, claiming neither made up for the difference in value between their pricey premium economy seats and the economy spots they moved into.
Now they are demanding that Singapore Airlines provide a full refund for the leg of the journey.
The pair said they are also disgruntled that the airline failed to notify them in advance that the animal would be on board.
“We didn’t receive the experience we paid for,” they said.
A Singapore Airlines spokesman told Stuff that they would continue to liaise with the Presses over their grievances and reiterated their apology for the inconvenience.
“Singapore Airlines endeavours to notify customers who may be seated next to an assistance dog prior to boarding the flight,” the airline said in a statement.
“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.”
