'No option': Airline gives passenger's first-class seat to service dog
What's the story
A Delta Air Lines passenger, who was upgraded to a first-class seat, lost his cool after he was told that his seat had been given to a service dog.
"I got upgraded to first this morning, only to 15 mins later get downgraded (to a worst seat than I previously had). I asked the desk agent what was going on and she said 'something changed'," the customer complained on Reddit.
Airline's stance
Delta's response to passenger's complaint
Upon reaching out to Delta Support, the passenger was informed that any human passenger may have to be relocated to accommodate service animals due to legal obligations and that there is "nothing they can do" in these situations.
The frustrated flyer questioned their loyalty to the airline, calling the situation an "absolute joke."
The incident has sparked a debate among travelers about airline policies regarding service animals and seating arrangements.
Public reaction
Travelers and experts weigh in on seating incident
Other Reddit users supported the disgruntled passenger, with some commenting on the prevalence of service animals in airports.
Travel expert Gary Leff also weighed in on the situation, questioning why Delta decided to bump a passenger for a dog.
He noted that while airlines must provide reasonable accommodations under the Air Carrier Access Act, a last-minute seat switch isn't necessarily required.
Leff also mentioned other instances where first-class passengers were displaced for emotional support dogs and additional carry-on bags.