TOTALLY GEEKED!

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Woman dragged off a Southwest flight after claiming life threatening allergy.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Service animals have to be with their owner.

Pets, should be in crates in the luggage hold.

If you can not prove your claim, that's your problem.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Ok - I'm going to actually side with the airline on this one. Shocking, I know. But, see, if someone has a life threatening allergy, and knows her trigger for it is on the plane, she should be rushing off the plane, not refusing to leave. Once she knew they wouldn't remove the dogs, she should have been wanting to get off the plane. Furthermore, animals fly, and you'd think if her allergy was that serious, she'd tell the airline before she got there.

I think either she doesn't like dogs, has a regular allergy, or is afraid of them, and tried to use the "deadly allergy" bit to get the dogs kicked off the flight. It didn't work out so well for her. Airlines won't knowingly risk a dangerous health issue in the air. Her bluff did not pay off.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

lilyofcourse wrote:
Service animals have to be with their owner.

Pets, should be in crates in the luggage hold.

If you can not prove your claim, that's your problem.

Small pets are allowed in the cabin b/c the luggage hold is not safe for them.

chef · Guru

Lawyerlady wrote:
Ok - I'm going to actually side with the airline on this one. Shocking, I know. But, see, if someone has a life threatening allergy, and knows her trigger for it is on the plane, she should be rushing off the plane, not refusing to leave. Once she knew they wouldn't remove the dogs, she should have been wanting to get off the plane. Furthermore, animals fly, and you'd think if her allergy was that serious, she'd tell the airline before she got there.

I think either she doesn't like dogs, has a regular allergy, or is afraid of them, and tried to use the "deadly allergy" bit to get the dogs kicked off the flight. It didn't work out so well for her. Airlines won't knowingly risk a dangerous health issue in the air. Her bluff did not pay off.

Agree.

FNW · Guru

Before I started my boys on immunotherapy, this could have been us. I called the airline several times before our flight to find out if there were going to be animals on the plane. I was able to confirm that none were listed, but that didn't mean a service animal wouldn't show up, beyond the airline control. I scanned the terminal before boarding to see if I could see any, too. But proof? I never thought I would have to carry a copy of my son's doctor's report to travel. It's just not something I would have thought about. And I was a nervous wreck about it at that first air flight we took with the boys.

While this woman may or may not really have a life threatening dander allergy, I don't think she should be required to travel with "proof." But at the same time, it doesn't sound as though she exercised her own due diligence when making travel arrangements. And had it been me, I would have departed and rescheduled for a pet-free flight.

Also, while pets may not be present on your flight, the dander is still there, and remains there for up to 6 months. It's sticky and the proteins do not start to lose their potency for months. Sometimes years, to someone with strict sensitivities. So depending on her sensitivity, if severe, she should probably chose to drive.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

If she claimed to have a life threatening allergy, then yes, they had to get her off the plane since she was already exposed. As for service dogs, there are now a lot of people who go buy a little vest for their dog and claim it is a "service dog" which is quite disgusting to do in my opinion. I don't know what the pet policies are for airlines or if they have pet free flights since i don't fly that much. But, surely they must have policies on that.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

I believe the people traveling with service animals do have to provide proof, so I don't think it unreasonable that someone is trying to ensure a pet free flight for medical reasons would also need to provide proof.

People lie. And suck.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

Daily Mail always does it up right, lol.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4926090/Cops-drag-woman-plane-claims-dog-allergies.html

Southern_Belle · Nothing's Impossible

You'd think that she would have an epic pen on her if she were deadly allergic to animals.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

An epic pen? Does it create magnificent plays and music?

Hehe.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Southern_Belle wrote:
You'd think that she would have an epic pen on her if she were deadly allergic to animals.

is that anything like an Epic Geek Meet?

The info about dogs in the cabin is part of the agreement you have to click when purchasing a ticket, most people don't read the detail. I agree with the airline on this. She should not have made a scene out of this. If her allergy is deathly to her, than the mere presence of the dogs are deadly and oh BTW and previous flights that had dogs on them may have left behind enough dander to make her sick. It isn't like those planes get a detailed cleaning inbetween flights, or for that matter, EVER.

I all BS on her claim.

FNW · Guru

I think she was trying to make a statement about the importance of recognizing pet allergies as much as people recognize food allergies these days. I get it. But I think she went about it in the wrong manner.

Ohfour · Hooker

What she said...

(Meaning IKWTDS)

-- Edited by Ohfour on Wednesday 27th of September 2017 06:35:22 PM

Ohfour · Hooker

FNW wrote:
I think she was trying to make a statement about the importance of recognizing pet allergies as much as people recognize food allergies these days. I get it. But I think she went about it in the wrong manner.

Service animals are a right. Peanuts are not. Thus the difference...

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Ohfour wrote:
What she said...

(Meaning IKWTDS)

-- Edited by Ohfour on Wednesday 27th of September 2017 06:35:22 PM

Ummmm, hello. I said it first.

FNW · Guru

I agree about the service animals, but as LGS has pointed out, those vests are available for sale. That being said, if it was that much of a risk to her life, she should have contacted the airline ahead of time and checked.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Lawyerlady wrote:
Ohfour wrote:
What she said...

(Meaning IKWTDS)

-- Edited by Ohfour on Wednesday 27th of September 2017 06:35:22 PM
Ummmm, hello. I said it first.

I said it better. biggrin

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

FNW wrote:
I agree about the service animals, but as LGS has pointed out, those vests are available for sale. That being said, if it was that much of a risk to her life, she should have contacted the airline ahead of time and checked.

NH has outlawed those vests in public. So glad about that. It is absolutely ridiculous the number of fake service dogs I see. At one point anytime I went to the grocery store there were at least 2 fake service dogs walking around. They may have been well trained dogs but obviously not real service dogs. One guy brings his dog in and lets him roam loose. Dog doesn't stay with owner.

Ohfour · Hooker

Lol!!!!!! Both were very eloquent. I have such smart friends!!!!

Momala · Great cook-happy wife-superb fisherman

If she had such a "deathly allergy" to dogs, all
she had to do was produce an epi pen (not
outdated!). And yes, she should have checked
with the airline before boarding. I'm with the
airline on this one.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

In her defense, i would not have thought there would be dogs on a plane? Again, i don't fly that much but it isn't something i would think of necessarily. But, i am not allergic to dogs so maybe that would at least be a thought? I don't know. However, if she told them she had LIFE THREATENING allergies, then yes, she had to get off the plane.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Ohfour wrote:
Lol!!!!!! Both were very eloquent. I have such smart friends!!!!

Oh so diplomatic of you. Not taking sides. now take a knee! biggrin

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
In her defense, i would not have thought there would be dogs on a plane? Again, i don't fly that much but it isn't something i would think of necessarily. But, i am not allergic to dogs so maybe that would at least be a thought? I don't know. However, if she told them she had LIFE THREATENING allergies, then yes, she had to get off the plane.

Oh palease, if you have a deathly allergy, regardless of experience with different life activities you always check. I call BS again on her. She is a drama lama.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
Ohfour wrote:
Lol!!!!!! Both were very eloquent. I have such smart friends!!!!
Oh so diplomatic of you. Not taking sides. now take a knee!

Don't you dare!!!!

FNW · Guru

I have seen cats on flights. Well, actually, I heard a cat one time. I think someone had it in a carrier under seat in front of them. It howled all the way across the country. I have seen little dogs in carriers, too. Mostly in airports so I don't know whether they are stowed. Some people do travel with their small animals. Why, I do not know. Seems crazy to me. Which is why you check first with the airline if you have a life threatening allergy. And really, the dander is still there even if the pet is not. I try to fly on planes that are newer with leather seats. It helps. But even then, that's hard to do at times. You never know what type of plane you'll get at the last minute. And even if it's a newer plane with leather seats, the air quality can still suck. #2 got sick last October flying Virgin Atlantic. Newer plane, leather seats. The air was bad. I could feel it myself. By the time we landed, 5 or so hours later, we were both wheezing. But what can you do? Just medicine up and hope for the best. And know where the minute clinics are located at your destination. Or drive. Or stay home.

I do understand this woman's concern, but I think she exaggerated and was more interested in proving a point that so many people either don't believe or don't care about. She got her 15 minutes, and hopefully, raised awareness. Don't get me wrong, I do not blame the airline at all. But pet allergies are real, and can be quite dangerous to some.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

I woman who didn't inform the airline ahead of time and had no medical information to back it up has no right telling the airline to kick a service animal off a plane. I don't care if there are fake service animals out there- that doesn't mean this was one. And the people with the animals obviously took the right steps to get their animals on the plane.

Having an allergy doesn't give you more rights than others, especially when they jumped through the necessary hoops and you didn't.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Lawyerlady wrote:
I woman who didn't inform the airline ahead of time and had no medical information to back it up has no right telling the airline to kick a service animal off a plane. I don't care if there are fake service animals out there- that doesn't mean this was one. And the people with the animals obviously took the right steps to get their animals on the plane.

Having an allergy doesn't give you more rights than others, especially when they jumped through the necessary hoops and you didn't.

Agree. I can't remember the last time I was on a flight where an animal wasn't on board in the cabin.

FNW · Guru

Having peanut and food allergies seems to get more recognition and accommodations than pet allergies. That's all I am saying.

I am on the side of the airline. I just understand what this woman was trying to point out. I think she went about it the wrong way. And I don't believe her life was in danger because there were a couple dogs on the plane. There was no indication that she was anaphylactic when she was being removed.

Even hotels that do not allow pets, allow service animals. But I believe there are certain rooms where they are allowed to stay, so that other rooms may avoid collecting the dander. But even then, hotel staff have confided that some people "sneak" small pets in under their coats, in purses, etc. Which is why more and more hotels are creating "Pure Rooms" for those with allergies. Yes, I have done my due diligence. I think this woman has as well, but was merely trying to raise awareness by causing a commotion. Her version of taking a knee I suppose.

TrudyML · Guru

Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
In her defense, i would not have thought there would be dogs on a plane? Again, i don't fly that much but it isn't something i would think of necessarily. But, i am not allergic to dogs so maybe that would at least be a thought? I don't know. However, if she told them she had LIFE THREATENING allergies, then yes, she had to get off the plane.

You don't think there'd be snakes on a plane, either!

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

FNW wrote:
Having peanut and food allergies seems to get more recognition and accommodations than pet allergies. That's all I am saying.

I am on the side of the airline. I just understand what this woman was trying to point out. I think she went about it the wrong way. And I don't believe her life was in danger because there were a couple dogs on the plane. There was no indication that she was anaphylactic when she was being removed.

Even hotels that do not allow pets, allow service animals. But I believe there are certain rooms where they are allowed to stay, so that other rooms may avoid collecting the dander. But even then, hotel staff have confided that some people "sneak" small pets in under their coats, in purses, etc. Which is why more and more hotels are creating "Pure Rooms" for those with allergies. Yes, I have done my due diligence. I think this woman has as well, but was merely trying to raise awareness by causing a commotion. Her version of taking a knee I suppose.

Food allergies have to be taken more seriously - they are ingested and can kill you pretty quickly. I realize pet allergies can be bad, but I've never heard of anyone actually dying from them. I mean, it has probably happened, but that would be really, really, really rare and mostly it just makes you miserable.

And the point is that if her allergy was actually deadly, she should've have been running off that plane herself, not have to be forced off.

-- Edited by Lawyerlady on Thursday 28th of September 2017 10:24:51 AM

FNW · Guru

TrudyML wrote:
Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
In her defense, i would not have thought there would be dogs on a plane? Again, i don't fly that much but it isn't something i would think of necessarily. But, i am not allergic to dogs so maybe that would at least be a thought? I don't know. However, if she told them she had LIFE THREATENING allergies, then yes, she had to get off the plane.
You don't think there'd be snakes on a plane, either!

Snakes on a plane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#2 used to develop pneumonia from pet dander. Ugh.

Mary Zombie · Guru

It may vary from state to state but in Florida there is no license or certificate for service animals.

they go through the training so I suppose the trainer could issue something saying the dog completed the class.

But the rule of thumb is if the dog is behaving appropriately like a therapy dog then there's no reason to challenge the owner

But yeah I think the woman was just being an attention seeking drama queen and it backfired. I'm not going to keep you on the plane and have to deal with your supposed life threatening reaction. The back pedaling and all

Divine Geek · Guru

I think you're giving her too much credit. I don't think she was trying to draw attention to anything but herself.