A plane passenger says they were “surprised” to find themselves being told by flight attendants that they had to give up their window seat to accommodate another passenger’s dog.
Original poster (OP) FullAbbreviations605 said on Reddit this week that they had intentionally booked a window seat on a Delta flight from Detroit to San Francisco.
Another traveler originally seated across the aisle moved to the seat next to them, placing a piece of luggage that clearly wouldn’t fit under the seat.
Blocked the Exit
When the passenger asked about the situation, the traveler revealed that it was his dog. He also claimed he switched seats because another dog was already sitting in the window seat next to him.
Before takeoff, flight attendants noticed the situation and intervened, informing the passenger that they had to move to an aisle seat because the dog’s placement blocked an exit path.
Ryan Jello/iStock/Getty Images Plus
“So, yeah, I had to give up my window seat so this guy who clearly didn’t plan ahead could accommodate his dog,” the OP told Redditors.
“I didn’t complain much, but certainly seemed wrong to me. Meanwhile the guy with the dog never said a word to me about it.”
Airline Policies on Seat Changes and Pet Accommodations
Under federal regulations, airlines have the authority to change seat assignments to comply with safety protocols.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) states that while airlines cannot involuntarily remove passengers without compensation in cases of oversold flights, they can reassign seats when necessary for operational or safety reasons.
However, situations involving service animals are governed by additional regulations under the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), which mandates that airlines must make reasonable accommodations for passengers with disabilities and their service animals.
While emotional support animals no longer receive the same protections as service animals, individual airline policies vary on where pets can be placed within the cabin.
Frustration Over Airline Policies
The incident echoes a similar case reported by Newsweek, in which a passenger went viral on TikTok after refusing to switch seats to accommodate a dog. In that instance, the passenger stood their ground and did not move.
In response to the Reddit post, several commentators shared their opinions on the matter.
One user suggested the passenger request compensation from the airline, writing, “I would contact Delta and ask for any charge you had for a seat refunded. Other than that, not much else you can do.
“I’m surprised they let him fly with a dog crate that wouldn’t fit under the seat.”
Another user speculated on how the airline might have responded differently under other circumstances, saying, “You’re a better person than I am. I specifically book window seats because they help mitigate motion sickness.
“Dramamine helps, but not 100%. I wonder what would have happened if you said that you were allergic to dogs? Would they have booted you off the plane? Sympathies.”
‘Entitled to my seat’
The OP replied in the thread that they were “definitely” going to contact Delta. The passenger still expressed their disbelief about the whole situation.
“I wasn’t really mad at the dog owner,” they added, “I love dogs. But I would’ve thought that a simple, ‘I’m sorry this happened,’ from that guy would’ve made everything less awkward.
“He acted like he was entitled to my seat.”
Newsweek has contacted Delta for comment, as well as FullAbbreviations605 for comment via Reddit.
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