Pets in Cabin Policy - Failure to Notify Other Passengers & Disregard for Allergies
I fly often and I'm pretty easy-going. In the last year I've been to South Africa, Malta, Canada and many other wonderful places, and while I've had some issues along the way, none of them were as egregious as the experience I had today. This is the first time that I have been so infuriated that I am posting a comment.
I boarded my flight from LAX to NY -JFK. When I arrived at my seat, my safety tools (airbag, etc.) were hanging down at my feet and had obviously been dislocated from their intended position. I pointed it out to the attendant and asked her to confirm that it was okay, they would still work in emergency, etc. She stated that it was fine, but that they had become dislodged because of the bag that the woman behind me had pushed to far under my seat. I said, "no problem." Then the woman behind me said that I needed to be careful because her dog was under my seat.
PAUSE - I am highly allergic to dogs and cats, so much so that I end up having respiratory distress if I experience prolonged exposure. I asked for the attendant and informed her of my allergy, whom I must say was perfectly nice. She said that she would have to call customer service because it was a full flight. Again, I said, "no problem.'
The problem arose when the owner of the pet, whom I had not spoken to at this time, chimed in to tell me that I would just have to move. She had to sit there and that it was my problem, but if I insisted I could switch seats with her mother who had a middle seat and that I'd have to adjust because there were lots of dogs on the plane.
*BACKGROUND - I do not sit in middle seats. In fact I pay lots of money not to sit in middle seats, and in this case had paid $800 for my ticket and my window seat. *
Moving on, I was astonished at her brashness and sense of entitlement. Yes, perhaps I would be the one who had to move, but I paid for a ticket, just like she did, and I deserve to be accommodated in every way she is. Her entitled statements clearly indicated that, from her perspective, I was less of a customer, less valued and a lower priority than her and her precious pet. This infuriated me, but I managed to respond with a simple statement saying that I had paid a lot of money for a window seat, was a long standing customer and expected to be accommodated in a way that would give me at least what I had paid for, a window seat without anaphylactic shock due to her animal.
The flight was full, so the wonderful attendant worked hard and found someone to switch with me, which I greatly appreciated. And while I immediately felt better after getting out of the direct vicinity of the dog, I'm still (hours after departing the plane) experiencing mild allergy symptoms (which would have, no doubt, been exacerbated tenfold if I had not been able to move).
My Points/Suggestions to JetBlue are As Follows:
1. JetBlue needs to be more proactive in informing it's other passengers that pets may be on the plane prior to booking, via advertisements or otherwise.
2. JetBlue needs to make announcements prior to starting the boarding process for each flight, disclosing how many and what pets with be joining the flight and where they will be seated.
3. JetBlue should then give people with allergies the opportunity, and priority with respect to other accommodations they are making, to move to an area that is pet free.
4. In follow up to point 3, pets should be seated within the vicinity of each other and not spread sporadically throughout the plane. I understand they must be near windows, but if the maximum number of pets in four then they should be seated in four rows that are grouped together, preferably in the back of the aircraft where they can each have a window seat.
5. To the extent an irresolvable issue arises, deference should be given to the regular traveling passenger, as traveling with a pet is a luxury and no one should have to suffer life threatening reactions because some people, in this self indulgent society, place more value on pets than on the health and life of people who pay money and are essential to the economy.
6. This is last comment is less of a suggestion and more of a statement, one would think that Jetblue (and other airlines), would want to make some adjustments to their pet policy before something catastrophic happens and a allergic passenger (unaware of the furry companions surrounding them) suffers a reaction and dies. Let's not wait until a life is loss to be proactive and act in a way that preserves life and treats others with humanity.
Thank you for reading, and know that I believe in addressing problems with solutions, I hope that JetBlue does too.
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I see and understand your points but speaking from experience, they are all but impossible. Talking about points 3-6.
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