Couple hit out at airline over 'farting dog' which they claim ruined their 13-hour flight
A New Zealand couple say they didn't sign up to stuck next to a farting dog
A New Zealand couple are demanding their money back from an airline after they were seated next to a 'farting dog' that they claim ruined their flight with the pungent pong of its posterior.
You can get sat next to all sorts of passengers you'd rather not be stuck next to on a plane, but for one couple, someone's canine companion was too much to bear.
More specifically, it was the regular expulsions of gas from the dog's rear end that they couldn't cope with.
Gill and Warren Press told Stuff that they want a refund after paying for premium economy seats on a 13 hour long-haul flight with Singapore Airlines from Paris to Singapore.
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The trouble with their journey started when they heard a 'heavy snorting' and realised that a fellow passenger on their row had a dog with them.
The dog's owner said they got anxious at times and that was why the canine companion was with them in the cabin, but Gill and Warren claimed that the dog appeared to be distressed.
When they brought up that they didn't want to be sat next to a dog for the entire flight, they said they were told the only available seats were right at the back of the economy, which would have been a downgrade from the seats they paid extra for.
The couple decided to stay put and stick it out but halfway through the flight, they changed their tune as the regular farting from the dog made their seats unpleasant places to be.
Gill also said that the emotional support animal was also too big to fit in the passenger's space and the pooch's head ended up too close to one of Warren's legs for comfort.
She added that he was 'getting the dog's saliva goo on his leg' because of the space the animal was taking up.
It was at this point they decided to move from their premium seats to get away from the stench and slobber, with flight attendants telling them that seats at the front of economy which had been reserved for staff were now available.
After moving seats, they said they were told that they could expect to hear from the airline in due course, but after a week there had been no contact.
They then submitted a complaint to Singapore Airlines and, two weeks later, were offered a gift voucher worth NZ$125 ((£59) which the couple said was not worth the difference between the seats they'd paid for and the ones they ended up in.
Three weeks later, they were offered vouchers worth NZ$200 (£94) each, but now they want a full refund.
A spokesperson for Singapore Airlines told Tyla: "Singapore Airlines (SIA) apologises to Mr and Mrs Press for their experience on board their flight from Paris to Singapore.
"SIA endeavours to notify customers who may be seated next to an assistance dog prior to boarding. In circumstances where customers seated next to an assistance dog request to be moved, we will assist to re-seat customers within the same cabin if space permits."
"In this instance, we were unable to move Mr and Mrs Press within the same cabin as the Premium Economy Class cabin was full. Our crew offered to move Mr and Mrs Press to two empty seats in Economy Class, which they accepted after take-off."
"We are in contact with them to provide further necessary assistance on this matter."
Topics: Animals, Dog, Travel, Plane Etiquette
Joe Harker