A man travelling on an Akasa Air flight from Ahmedabad to Bengaluru narrated his ordeal on social media by saying what his pet dog had to go through during its first flight. He stated the travel was so uncomfortable that the animal felt helpless and kept crying continuously, noting that the washroom was not pet-friendly and the cabin crew couldn't assist much with the pet-related issues.
Lakshya Pathak was flying with his wife and pet dog Shih Tzu earlier this January when he was left disappointed by how there was allegedly no clear understanding of guidelines and rules concerning pet travel by the airport and flight staff, failing to assist him and enable comfort to the pet.
"Staff had no clue about how to handle pet-related queries...There is no provision for pets to relieve themselves. All the washrooms in the airport have blowers that make a lot of noise so there is no chance pets would pee," he wrote on Linkedin, while adding claiming that the reality is far different and unlikely than what is advertised: "There is no “special seat” to accommodate for pet travel, not one even the last seat...In the flight the instructions were very different from what's advertised, be aware."
Read the full post below:
Pathak mentioned purchasing a pet ticket to ensure a good travel experience. However, after his flight, he ended up questioning why such a ticket even exists if the pet isn't provided with a cosy trip. His Linkedin post read: "...If the pet is not even allowed to stand on the airport floor or breathe properly in the flight then what is the Pet Ticket for? The torture that was provided?"
"If this is the treatment given to the dogs in cabin I cannot imagine what treatment is given to the one’s traveling in the cargo,' he added raising concerns on the safety and well-being of animals on the flight. He addressed the post to the Animal Welfare Society of India and PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).
Airline responds
Akasa Air responded to the post and regretted the inconvenience. The team assured that they are looking into the issue to ensure better service for customers in future.
