Leading airline Akasa Air is under scrutiny following a damning report from a passenger who claimed to have had a disturbing experience on a recent flight from Ahmedabad to Bengaluru with his dog.
In a LinkedIn post, passenger Lakshay Pathak outlined major issues that marred his journey. “Horrible experience with Pet Travel in Akasa Air,” he wrote.
“My wife and I were traveling with our pet Shih Tzu on the January 26 flight from Ahmedabad to Bangalore. The flight that was supposed to depart at 10:20 PM departed at 1:40 AM. Since it was our first time traveling with pets, we reached the airport 3 hours in advance. So a delay of more than 3 hours and we have already spent more than 6 hours at the airport,” he stated.
The passenger highlighted the unhelpful attitude of the ground staff and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), specifically noting their incompetence in handling pet queries. “During calls and emails, a very different picture was painted when buying a ticket for Rs5,000 would enable the pet's comfortable travel,” he wrote, adding, “Despite the huge delay, the airport staff was adamant about allowing the pet never leave outside. the holder. While he was sitting, airport security came three times and asked us not to even let him lie on the ground.
He revealed: “There is no facility for pets to relieve themselves. All airport toilets have fans that make a lot of noise, preventing pets from having a chance to urinate. Moreover, neither the ground staff nor the CISF helped in resolving the issues. I went out of the airport and came back in. The ground crew told me I could relieve my pet in the flight washroom.”
Expressing his frustration, Mr Pathak said: “There is no 'special seat' where pets can travel, even in the last row. For the first 45 minutes of the flight, my dog kept crying. To comfort him, I placed his container on his lap and let his head breathe for a moment. Apparently that was 'not allowed' either. The pet should be near your leg space under the seat, and we all know how limited that space is.”
Mr Pathak described the flight crew as 'untrained and unprofessional' and claimed that attempts to comfort his distressed pet by allowing it to breathe outside the container were met with resistance from a flight attendant. The crew's lack of understanding about pet comfort during the flight further added to passenger frustration.
“If this is the treatment given to dogs in the cabin, I cannot imagine what treatment is given to those traveling in the cargo,” Pathak said. He questioned the value of the pet ticket given the reported restrictions and lack of accommodations for the animal. “What is the Animal Ticket for? The torture endured?' He wrote.
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Akasa Air has not yet released an official statement addressing these specific grievances.