Bad run for United Airlines, this won't help. I'd caution the dog lovers not to click link, there are pictures.

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/...in-overhead-bin.html

Tragedy struck on a United flight from Houston to New York City, when a dog in a TSA-compliant pet carrier died after a flight attendant forced its owner to store the animal and its carrier in an overhead bin for the duration of the four-hour Monday flight.

First reported by travel blogger The Points Guy, United has since claimed full responsibility for the “tragic accident.”

According to passenger Maggie Gremminger, she and others heard the black French bulldog barking initially during the flight, and were horrified to learn the animal had passed away later in the trip, she told People.

“A stranger offered to hold her newborn while she sat on the floor, there in the airplane aisle. She was holding her dog and rocking back and forth. Her daughter was also crying,” Gremminger told the publication of the scene following the discovery.

Gremminger told People once the dog was found dead, the flight attendant became "frazzled" and insisted she did not know there was a live animal in the carrier.

“I want to help this woman and her daughter. They lost their dog because of an @united flight attendant. My heart is broken,” Gremminger wrote on Twitter, sharing a photo of the family who allegedly lost their dog.

For their part, United's pet policy reads as follows:
“A pet traveling in cabin must be carried in an approved hard-sided or soft-sided kennel. The kennel must fit completely under the seat in front of the customer and remain there at all times.”

United Airlines spokesperson Maggie Schmerin returned Fox News’ request for comment with the following statement:

“This was a tragic accident that should never have occurred, as pets should never be placed in the overhead bin. We assume full responsibility for this tragedy and express our deepest condolences to the family and are committed to supporting them,” she said.

“We are thoroughly investigating what occurred to prevent this from ever happening again,” Schmerin added.

The cause of death is not yet known, but, while the overhead compartments are not air-tight, lack of oxygen may have been a factor.

The heartbreaking news comes weeks after United and Delta made headlines for tightening rules for flying with animals amid emotional support and service animal controversy.

United f'cked up but who puts their dog in an overhead bin. I don't care what the FA told you to do. Get off the flight if that is the only option. Did she then not check on the dog during the flight. WTF

Is there something specific about the overhead bin that would cause the dog to die? It's still a pressurized compartment. Or did it have a heart attack due to fear or something?

quote:

Originally posted by Palm:
Is there something specific about the overhead bin that would cause the dog to die? It's still a pressurized compartment. Or did it have a heart attack due to fear or something?

I'd guess that while the bins aren't sealed, the dog probably had limited airflow.

United can't catch a break because they don't deserve one

they seem to enjoy making one bad decision after another

the rules for travel are very specific and the FA broke those rules and the FA needs to pay the price for it

I am guessing the dog suffocated - not a particularly easy way to die and I feel bad for the pet and the family

quote:

Originally posted by ryan81986:

quote:

Originally posted by Palm:
Is there something specific about the overhead bin that would cause the dog to die? It's still a pressurized compartment. Or did it have a heart attack due to fear or something?

I'd guess that while the bins aren't sealed, the dog probably had limited airflow.

As guesses go, that probably a pretty solid one. The air volume would not be great just because of all the bags, and the doors would not allow in much fresh. Add in the fact that dog was probably agitated and breathing fast and heavy and it probably suffocated.

Sad. What a complete cock-up.

I don’t want to click on the link. Was the dog in a soft or hard sided carrier? If it was soft, it might have been crushed. Very terrible no matter what. As Comet said, I don’t care what the FA said; I would have gotten off the flight. Pets are family members.

That is just fucked up. What the hell is wrong with United???

And who on earth would comply with an instruction to your dog in an overhead bin?

Stupidity all around here.

RIP little guy. You deserved way better.

quote:

Originally posted by Otto Pilot:

quote:

Originally posted by ryan81986:

quote:

Originally posted by Palm:
Is there something specific about the overhead bin that would cause the dog to die? It's still a pressurized compartment. Or did it have a heart attack due to fear or something?

I'd guess that while the bins aren't sealed, the dog probably had limited airflow.

As guesses go, that probably a pretty solid one. The air volume would not be great just because of all the bags, and the doors would not allow in much fresh. Add in the fact that dog was probably agitated and breathing fast and heavy and it probably suffocated.

Sad. What a complete cock-up.

Yes that makes sense, I wasn't even thinking along those lines. How terrible.

quote:

Originally posted by StorminNormin:
I don’t want to click on the link. Was the dog in a soft or hard sided carrier? If it was soft, it might have been crushed. Very terrible no matter what. As Comet said, I don’t care what the FA said; I would have gotten off the flight. Pets are family members.

Soft sided.

quote:

Originally posted by nhtagmember:
United can't catch a break because they don't deserve one

they seem to enjoy making one bad decision after another

I would venture to say there's a cultural problem with their company and it probably trickles down from the top.

That's tough.

Unfortunately these large corporations are protected by an insurance umbrella.
And the dog is "property" with a "value".
And some lawyer will tell them how much their dog is "worth" based on a chart and they will have to settle.
Yes, the victim settles and the company makes the problem disappear.
Time for United to go belly up and be sold off.
Along with all the pensions.

When I flew from Love Field to Phoenix with my new lab pup at the end of January, I had a copy of SW's website as it related to traveling with a pet in a carrier. Stays in the carrier at all times and the carrier stays stowed under the seat in front of you.

I do the same thing when I fly with a gun, I have THEIR rules in my carry-on bag or my lockable gun case.

So sorry for the family.

quote:

Originally posted by comet24:
United f'cked up but who puts their dog in an overhead bin. I don't care what the FA told you to do. Get off the flight if that is the only option. Did she then not check on the dog during the flight. WTF

Yup.
4 hour flight. Rental car it is!

quote:

Originally posted by ScreamingCockatoo:
Unfortunately these large corporations are protected by an insurance umbrella.
And the dog is "property" with a "value".
And some lawyer will tell them how much their dog is "worth" based on a chart and they will have to settle.
Yes, the victim settles and the company makes the problem disappear.
Time for United to go belly up and be sold off.
Along with all the pensions.

Average price: $500. Depending on breed of dog.

I don't know. The rule for luggage is that you either put it in front of you, completely under the seat or in the overhead bin. I bet it wouldn't fit under the seat so the flight attendant applied the carry-on rule and was just solving problems, and ordered the bin in the overhead compartment. the policy seems to read for pets to be in carriers and it has to be under the chair in front of the passenger. I assume that means it either fits under the passengers chair or they have to get off the plane.


Also, the dog was reported to be barking in the overhead bin, so the attendant saying they did not realize a dog was in it, doesn't fly either.
It is all just speculation. The attendant made a decision, the owner chose to do something unsafe with their dog rather than get off the plane. United has stated they are at fault. But I think I would have just gotten off the plane.

Again, this is a training issue (Uniteds' fault), owner not thinking issue (owner at fault), attendant didn't do their job correctly (attendants fault). Three strike rule kicks in and one of our furry friends is lost.

quote:

Originally posted by ryan81986:

quote:

Originally posted by ScreamingCockatoo:
Unfortunately these large corporations are protected by an insurance umbrella.
And the dog is "property" with a "value".
And some lawyer will tell them how much their dog is "worth" based on a chart and they will have to settle.
Yes, the victim settles and the company makes the problem disappear.
Time for United to go belly up and be sold off.
Along with all the pensions.

Average price: $500. Depending on breed of dog.

The board of directors will be feeling this in the morning.

Terrible decisions were made by all.

I have doubts about whether pets should be allowed in the cabin at all, but why would the flight attendant think the overhead is an option?

And why wouldn't you just drive in the first place?

Or ship the dog in the hold, or by some other means.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeGLI:

quote:

Originally posted by ryan81986:

quote:

Originally posted by ScreamingCockatoo:
Unfortunately these large corporations are protected by an insurance umbrella.
And the dog is "property" with a "value".
And some lawyer will tell them how much their dog is "worth" based on a chart and they will have to settle.
Yes, the victim settles and the company makes the problem disappear.
Time for United to go belly up and be sold off.
Along with all the pensions.

Average price: $500. Depending on breed of dog.

The board of directors will be feeling this in the morning.

I should note that this number is based on handling auto accidents, with dogs being run over on the owner's property.

The airlines' liability insurance company may handle it differently, but I doubt it. Odds are they do something similar.

People would sometimes send in demands for $20-60k. The most they would usually get is about a thousand.