A couple who shared a 13-hour flight sitting next to an alien dog that "snorted and gassed" during the long journey has received compensation of more than $ 1,000 for their inconvenience.
Gill and Warren Press were traveling first class on a Singapore Airlines flight from Paris last June when they sat next to a smelly dog, New Zealand media outlet Stuff reported.
Gill Press had heard that the dog's owner told another passenger that airplanes made him nervous and for that reason he always traveled with his pet.
The woman complained that the animal was snorting and drooling near her and her husband throughout the trip. "I told my husband, 'You've got to fix this. We can't have a dog sitting next to us for that long,'" he said in an interview with Insider.
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Warren Press reportedly spoke with a flight attendant, who informed the couple that the only free seats were in the back of the economy cabin. So the couple decided to stay in their first-class seats.
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However, when the dinner service ended, and the couple tried to fall asleep, the dog began to expel gas, Gill Press explained.
The flight attendant offered them two economy class seats reserved for flight attendants. He also told them they could fill out a report to report the incident, which Gill Warren claimed they did. The airline told them it would contact them.
Seeking Compensation
After no news, Gill said he eventually contacted the airline. The couple received an apology and two checks for $73. She didn't think it was a fair amount, considering the price difference between first class and economy class seats.
Nearly a month later, the airline responded with two travel vouchers worth $118 each. Still upset about receiving only a fraction of their tickets, which Gill said cost about $1,000, they asked for more.
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After some paperwork and "as a gesture of goodwill," the airline told the couple they would receive a refund for the price difference on the tickets, which was about $587 each. In total, they said they received about $1,410, according to Insider.
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"It's the least they could do," Gill said. "If they had wanted to be really nice, they could have given us so much more."
The couple said they had contacted Blind Low Vision NZ, which provides guide dogs to blind or low vision New Zealanders, to donate the money.
"The main thing wasn't money, it was really about holding people accountable," Gill said.
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In a statement sent to Insider, an airline representative said the company "strives to notify customers who may be seated next to an assistance dog prior to boarding."
"In cases where customers seated next to an assistance dog request to be moved from one seat, we will assist them in reseating them in the same cabin if space permits," the statement said.
"In this case, we could not move Mr. Press inside the same cabin, because Premium Economy Class was full," he added.
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In the future, Gill says she plans to be even more combative. "I think you have to fight for what you think is right," he said. "Now I will be firm if something doesn't feel right to me, in any aspect of life."
With information from Insider, FOX Business and The Independent
