A United Airlines flight from Denver to Portland on Monday night turned memorable for passengers after a small dog caused quite a stir. About an hour before landing, a passenger sitting in an aisle seat toward the back of the plane was faced with an unpleasant situation when his Chihuahua pooped on his lap.
Nick, a fellow passenger, shared on Nexstar’s WGN, “Suddenly, a foul smell of poop enveloped us. A pregnant woman behind me, who said she had heightened senses, pressed the call button. I used the light of my phone to investigate, which showed the dog was not in its carrier. At first we weren’t sure if the trouble was from the dog or its owner.”
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He added, “The arrival of a flight attendant clarified the accident.”
Flight attendants took about ten minutes to respond and clear the area.
Burton Bix, another passenger, said, “The woman seemed hesitant to address the disturbance, and the attendants were delayed in their response. They eventually put on protective gear to sanitize the area.” United Airlines mandates that all pets remain in carriers under the seat throughout the flight, a rule the dog owner allegedly violated. Bix recalled, “He mentioned his intention to remove the dog from its carrier despite the rule, and he admitted that he did not take the dog to a relief area at the airport before boarding.”
Image/Story Source Credit: WGN News via YouTube Video
A packed flight means those sitting nearby have no alternative seating options. Reflecting on the incident, Nick suggested, “It’s probably wise to make sure the pets relieve themselves before boarding. The owner mentioned neglecting it.” After the flight, United offered affected passengers electronic credits ranging from $50 to $75 for future travel.
Despite the inconvenience, some passengers, like Nick, hold no grudges, calling the incident an unfortunate accident.
He commented, “It’s not ideal to be associated with a ‘poop incident,’ but we remained calm and understanding. It was an accident, after all. Perhaps this incident can serve as a learning opportunity for both United Airlines and passengers.”
Image/Story Source Credit: WGN News via YouTube Video
United Airlines responded to the incident by saying that the crew immediately cleaned the affected area after being notified, offered sanitizing wipes, and issued travel vouchers to those seated nearby.
Flight attendants also distributed coffee bags to help mask the smell, trying to ease the discomfort caused by the incident.
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