It’s a sad sign of the state of the airline industry when stories of flight crew helping passengers come as such a surprise. Yet here we are.
Michele and Steven Burt were flying with their three dogs from Florida to Worcester, Massachusetts, on a JetBlue flight when they noticed their three-year-old French bulldog, Darcy, was struggling. They pulled her out of the carrier and noticed that she was panting, panicking, and her tongue was turning blue, a sign of not getting enough oxygen. A flight attendant came by and reminded the couple that airline regulations require dogs to be kept in carriers at their feet (unless they are emotional support animals). That’s when the couple explained that their dog needed help.
Instead of insisting the couple follow the rules regardless of their dog’s health or, say, shoving the dog in an overhead bin (looking at you, United), two flight attendants jumped into action. First, they brought ice packs to help cool the dog down in the hopes that it would regulate the dog’s breathing. When that failed, they brought out a tiny oxygen tank and mask, which Darcy’s human companions affixed to their pup’s face. Soon she was breathing normally.
The couple’s thank-you note to JetBlue was shared with Mass Live and posted on Facebook so the world’s collective heart could be warmed by the sight of a French bulldog wearing an oxygen mask—and to be reminded of what it looks like when airlines have good customer service.
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