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In a viral Reddit post, the traveller said he had been upgraded to first class on a Delta Airlines flight, only to be downgraded minutes later.
Users expressed that service animals have become a pain for co-passengers. (Photo Credits: Reddit)
A Delta Airlines passenger’s first-class experience took an unpleasant turn when he was unexpectedly bumped from his premium seat—not for another person, but for a four-legged canine companion. Yes! you heard it right,. For a dog. This incident left the passenger fuming, after which he took to Reddit to share his frustrating experience. In the post, which is now going viral, the traveller said that he had been upgraded to first class on a Delta Airlines flight, only to be downgraded minutes later.
Sharing the picture of the furry passenger who was taking his place in the first-class seat, the passenger wrote, “I got upgraded to first this morning, only to 15 mins later get downgraded (to a worse seat than I previously had). I asked the desk agent what was going on and she said, “something changed.”
Elaborating further, he said, “Okay, fine, I am disgruntled but whatever, I then board only to see this dog in my first-class seat … And now I’m livid.”
After being forced out of his seat, the passenger immediately contacted Delta support. He was told that the airline policy allows service animals to take priority, even if it means relocating other passengers, and there is nothing they can do.
Calling the situation an “absolute joke,” the traveller said, “There is no way that dog has spent as much with this airline as I’ve … What an absolute joke.”
“What’s the point of being loyal to this airline anymore, truly? I have sat back when others complained about this airline mistreating customers lately and slipping in service levels, but I’m starting to question my allegiance as well,” he concluded.
Soon enough, a plethora of users chimed into the comments section to support the frustrated passenger. A majority of users expressed that service animals have become a pain for co-passengers on flights. Others suggested the user has taken complimentary upgrades or raised a complaint.
“Notice how nowhere else in life do you see this quantity of service animals? Go to the airport, and all of a sudden they appear,” read a comment.
Another added, “This is a reason to avoid bulkheads in either cabin FYI.”
“Exclusively in the US. It doesn’t happen anywhere else. It’s American main-character syndrome,” said an individual.
Adding a tweak of humour, a user joked, “The dog is probably a Diamond Medallion 2 million miler.”
“If you had paid for your seat, then I think it is a legitimate gripe. Complimentary upgrades can be taken away for a variety of reasons, though, not just service dogs, without compensation,” an account remarked.
Meanwhile, a Delta employee also joined the conversation and explained that bulkhead seats, rows directly behind a partition offering extra legroom and easier access, are often saved for passengers with disabilities or service animals. “When I was in reservations, anytime people wanted the blocked seats, I had to advise them that Delta has the legal obligation to move them if a passenger with disabilities requires it,” they said.
Till now, the share has garnered more than 3,600 upvotes, and the numbers are still increasing.
