Alaska Airlines: Man sues airline after beloved French bulldog, 'downgraded from first class', dies on flight

A San Francisco man has sued the airline alleging negligence led to the death of his three-year-old dog after he was asked to move from first class to coach on a flight from New York to San Francisco. Michael Contillo claimed he purchased a first-class ticket specifically to give his pup, Ash, more space and to keep him around fewer people on the flight on 1 February.

However, Contillo was asked to move to coach, which caused Ash to become anxious and led to health issues culminating in the dog's death, the complaint says. The lawsuit was filed on 16 October in San Francisco County Superior Court against Alaska Airlines.

It alleges breach of contract, negligence, negligent hiring and supervision and negligent infliction of emotional distress. It seeks punitive damages to be determined at trial. 

The complaint says that in November, Contillo had travelled from San Francisco to New York with his father and two French bulldogs. On that trip they flew first class without incident, and both French bulldogs arrived safely in New York, it says. 

The suit says that both dogs were healthy during their stay in New York and that the plaintiff took the bulldogs to a veterinary hospital to get checked out ahead of their return flight to San Francisco to make sure they were healthy enough for the journey. 

On 1 February, Contillo and his father travelled back to San Francisco International Airport, along with the two dogs. Contillo had purchased two first-class tickets with his father to “ensure that the dogs had more space and that they would be able to board the flight early,” the suit says.

The suit says he followed Alaska Airlines’ policy, reserving both in cabin dogs ahead of the flight by calling and reserving the first-class space, paying an additional $100 per dog at the airport and transporting the dogs in carriers compliant with size requirements. However, shortly before takeoff, “an Alaska Airlines flight attendant and another unknown male employee of Alaska Airlines asked the Plaintiff and his father to move to aisle 11 of the Plane for safety purposes,” the complaint says. 

Contillo explained that moving the dogs before takeoff would be “extremely dangerous for the dogs,” noting that they were “calm at the moment” but “would not be calm anymore now that the plane was full of people,” the suit says. The new seats Contillo and his father were asked to move to were closer to more people and had less space for the dogs to breathe, the suit contends.

It alleges that the employees “ignored everything that was said” and says Contillo ultimately complied. Then “Ash immediately started breathing very quickly and heavily, with noticeable anxiety.” By the time Contillo and his father got off the plane in San Francisco, Ash’s body “was entirely in rigor mortis,” the complaint says.

The American Veterinary Medical Association notes that short-nosed breeds, such as pugs and bulldogs, are more likely to die on airplanes than dogs with normal-length muzzles, because those breeds are more prone to respiratory problems. The suit alleges that the crew and the pilot “showed no sympathy” for Contillo over his dog’s loss. When approached by NBC News, Alaska Airlines and attorneys for Contillo did not immediately respond to requests for comment.