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Refused transport because of 8.5lb dog... why?

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Refused transport because of 8.5lb dog... why?

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Old Apr 16, 2019, 7:12 pm
  #91  
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Originally Posted by zorn
I wasn't able to watch the video because I wasn't interested in disabling my adblocker.

It was a good article that focused on the facts, marred only by the inclusion of Gabor Lukacs' baseless allegation that the flight might have been oversold.

Good luck to OP.
Wonder where he got the idea
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Old Apr 16, 2019, 7:42 pm
  #92  
 
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Originally Posted by zorn
I wasn't able to watch the video because I wasn't interested in disabling my adblocker.
I don't think you need to disable your ad blocker, it just tries to guilt you into disabling it. If you click 'continue watching' it will load with adblocker running.
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Old Apr 17, 2019, 5:54 am
  #93  
 
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Originally Posted by WesternCDN
I don't think you need to disable your ad blocker, it just tries to guilt you into disabling it. If you click 'continue watching' it will load with adblocker running.
yup, just need to read whats on the screen and click accordingly
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Old Apr 18, 2019, 11:07 am
  #94  
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I wonder whether the OP wouldn't have had a problem if that poor little critter had been shaved (or at least clipped very closely) before the trip. Of course, that would be inhumane!
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Old Apr 18, 2019, 11:23 am
  #95  
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Of course, that would be inhumane!
And only an AC GA can determine this... not even a vet.
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Old Apr 18, 2019, 11:31 am
  #96  
 
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Originally Posted by yyznomad
And only an AC GA can determine this... not even a vet.
And they don't seem to care too much that I can't turn around with my head held up in a 737 Max lavatory...

Last edited by Bohemian1; Apr 18, 2019 at 1:31 pm
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Old Apr 18, 2019, 1:26 pm
  #97  
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
I wonder whether the OP wouldn't have had a problem if that poor little critter had been shaved (or at least clipped very closely) before the trip. Of course, that would be inhumane!
Believe it or not - we shaved him before Christmas (not the best look for him) and he even went for a trim a few days prior the trip. When I flew with him to Vegas his hair was REALLY long (funny, nobody thought it was inhumane then!)

Originally Posted by yyznomad
And only an AC GA can determine this... not even a vet.
Ofcouse not! Only GA have that kind of expertise.

Originally Posted by Bohemian1
And they don't seem to care too much that I can't turn around with my head held up in a 737 Max lavatory...
I know, so many people have reached out to me claiming that Rouge is inhumane.

Without giving too much away......... we may already taken another AC flight/ or will be taking one in the near future... & Bringing along the dog to prove a point. Will be a nice piece of evidence to present in court that clearly their policies are left to the discretion of their gate agents and their current mood.

((Don’t know if our names are flagged or not but good luck to AC since the “petc” was/is attached for someone other then myself or my husband &#129296)
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Old Apr 18, 2019, 10:12 pm
  #98  
 
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I'm sorry this happened to you and your family. I fly with my dog a lot and haven't encountered this problem with a gate agent.

However, once when walking with our dog in the terminal in Tampa, a random airline employee stopped us and said our dog was too big for his carrier. He wasn't and we showed that he could stand and turn around in his Sherpa bag. He flew over a hundred flights in his bag as a happy little traveller, most of the time on AC.

i'm not sure if it is just the perspective of the video but things do look a bit tight for your dog in his carrier. When the top is open, his head seems quite high above the level of the carrier. Maybe the large Sherpa would be better for him?
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Old Apr 19, 2019, 8:23 pm
  #99  
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Originally Posted by 5Miles
I'm sorry this happened to you and your family. I fly with my dog a lot and haven't encountered this problem with a gate agent.

However, once when walking with our dog in the terminal in Tampa, a random airline employee stopped us and said our dog was too big for his carrier. He wasn't and we showed that he could stand and turn around in his Sherpa bag. He flew over a hundred flights in his bag as a happy little traveller, most of the time on AC.

i'm not sure if it is just the perspective of the video but things do look a bit tight for your dog in his carrier. When the top is open, his head seems quite high above the level of the carrier. Maybe the large Sherpa would be better for him?
The large Sherpa is only 0.5 inches/just over 1 cm higher. I don’t think it would be a huge difference but again his very furry coat is a bit deceiving given his actual body.
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Old Apr 19, 2019, 8:26 pm
  #100  
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Originally Posted by Bohemian1
And they don't seem to care too much that I can't turn around with my head held up in a 737 Max lavatory...
You should be fine after shaving your head.

(ok, we met briefly for the first time at the YYC DO, and IIRC, you have hair )
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Old Apr 20, 2019, 11:43 am
  #101  
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Big hair is so 80s......
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Old Jun 9, 2019, 12:03 pm
  #102  
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So appalled with AC’s lack of customer service

I posted about my story (AC denied me boarding because they deemed my dog (8.5lbs) too big for his carrier.

Previous thread (closed): https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-...b-dog-why.html
My story was covered by Global News Toronto:
https://globalnews.ca/news/5171665/d...uebec-toronto/

**I can appreciate the fact my dog looks bigger (actually just got him groomed yesterday) you can take a look here at his true size: https://mobile.twitter.com/ShihtzuWhisky

Just to follow up on what has transpired since my last updated:
- Air Canada promised a refund after Global News (04/15) after 3 weeks I was given the runaround from AC’s call centre. Had to send registered mail (05/15) and miraculously I was refunded on 05/20 (7 weeks later).
- We served AC recently as I am taking legal action as several emails (including to the executive office) have gone UNANSWERED (can and willing to post what I have written to them).

I understand that there are people with mixed feelings about dogs and that’s fine. But the issue here is that I was following ALL of their rules and regulations. My husband and I were BOTH denied boarding and escorted out of the terminal by security (I have a copy of the security report and just to confirm our behaviour is described as “pleasant and appreciative”). I am still waiting for internal reports from Air Canada (referred to “pipida” I believe).

I am a somewhat frequent flier (not loyal to a particular airline however) and have flown 8x RT since this incident (NOT with AC). I am not looking for anything more then I’m entitled to (compensation for denied boarding $800pp as per their tariff and $4XX for expenses incurred that resulted in us having to rent a car and drive 8 hours back to Toronto in the middle of the night).

I am also not one of those “will never fly AC again!” people but this left such a sour taste in my mouth that I CAN’T believe we have to pursue them legally.


Last edited by Blondie85; Jun 9, 2019 at 12:10 pm
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Old Jun 9, 2019, 12:09 pm
  #103  
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Welcome back!

Sorry to hear about your continued misery...

But if your legal has served AC, I would just say to let them deal with it and wait it out.
(unless there's something I'm missing or not understanding correctly)

At least the "going public" portion of this has gotten you a refund. Glad to hear that!
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Old Jun 9, 2019, 12:22 pm
  #104  
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It took 8 weeks for Lennox to refund me $200 for my furnace (parts that should have been under warranty but that I incurred during regular maintenance with technician) because Costco made them do it. Giving back money to customers is anathema to most corporations and they take forever to do it (procedures are long and approvals have to go higher up). Does not help but I would perhaps enjoy my summer before launching legal proceedings.

Last edited by Admiral Ackbar; Jun 9, 2019 at 12:58 pm
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Old Jun 9, 2019, 12:30 pm
  #105  
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Originally Posted by yyznomad
Welcome back!

Sorry to hear about your continued misery...

But if your legal has served AC, I would just say to let them deal with it and wait it out.
(unless there's something I'm missing or not understanding correctly)

At least the "going public" portion of this has gotten you a refund. Glad to hear that!
Yes! Only took a letter from a lawyer and registered mail! Unreal! No response from AC since April 15th!

I am actually appalled it has come down to that. I just find it upsetting and I think of “other people” who may not have the resources to sue them or English isn’t their first language. I guess I’m lucky in that way.

I’ve had cancelled flights, severely delayed, bumped, lost/delayed luggage with other airlines and it was made right within a reasonable amount of time. Just not what I expect from our “flag carrier” (maybe my standards are too high?)
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