Some airlines do not allow animals such as dogs and cats to be taken with them. Others, however, charge sometimes horrendous fees and insist on compliance with clear rules. An Akasa Air passenger now had to find out what happens if you violate these rules. He received a criminal complaint.

On September 9, 2023, a lady and her dog were on their way from Delhi to Goa on flight number QP1378. The Boeing 737-Max-8 with the registration VT-YAJ was in use. The Indian low-cost airline allows small pets to be taken along for a fee. However, the condition is that they must be in a suitable transport container for the entire duration of the flight. In other words: Owners are not allowed to let their four-legged friends out during the flight.

According to local media reports, the dog's owner is said to have noticed strange noises from the animal during the flight. So she freed him and held him on her lap. However, some passengers did not agree with this because it caused real panic in at least one fellow passenger. It happened as it had to happen: the already frightened dog was totally confused and also panicked.

At the express insistence of other passengers, the cabin crew intervened and insisted that the woman put her dog back in the transport box. However, she did not comply with this request, pointing out that in her opinion the animal was not doing well. This refusal has repercussions because Akasa Air files a criminal complaint against the woman.

The affected carrier confirmed the incident upon request and stated, among other things: “There was an incident with an animal owner on flight QP1378 from Delhi to Goa on September 9, 2023. During the flight, the passenger refused to follow established safety protocols by repeatedly removing his pet from its container during the flight. This action not only posed a potential safety risk, but also disturbed other passengers and crew members.”

Many airlines refuse to allow animals in the cabin. A few offer transport services in the hold and a few carriers allow transport in the cabin for a usually hefty fee. Akasa Air is one of this category, but there are two basic conditions that seem to be strictly enforced: on the one hand, the animal must be in a transport box for the entire flight and, on the other hand, it must not weigh more than seven kilograms. Furthermore, taking along is limited to dogs and cats. For other pets that are harmless, consultation must be made beforehand.