New Delhi, Jan 30 (IANS): A dog owner complained that his quest for a pet-inclusive air travel experience took a disheartening turn when he flew with Akasa Air from Ahmedabad to Bengaluru on January 26.

Despite paying Rs 5,000 for a pet ticket, and anticipating a seamless journey with his wife and shih tzu, the reality fell short of expectations.

Lakshya Pathak, in his LinkedIn post, said the flight, originally scheduled for 10.20 p.m., faced a delay of over three hours, finally departing at 1.40 a.m.

This forced Pathak and his family to endure over six hours of waiting at the airport. To compound their frustration, both ground staff and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel proved to be unprepared and uncooperative in addressing pet-related concerns, he said, adding that the challenges persisted once they were onboard.

Despite the airline's assurances, there was no designated space for pets, and the boarding process alone consumed 40 minutes.

Throughout this time, the cabin remained uncomfortably warm due to inactive air conditioning, causing discomfort not only to the passengers but also to their furry companion, as per Pathak.

He said that contrary to the airline's advertised services, there was no special provision for accommodating pets. Interaction with the crew proved futile, with one steward suggesting that placing the pet container on the lap of a window seat passenger would somehow impede the movement of others.

"The steward failed to grasp that if a pet is struggling to breathe inside the container, the only solution is to allow its face to be exposed for proper breathing. Throughout the entire flight, I had to forcefully tuck my distressed pet's head inside the container multiple times," he alleged.

In a statement, Akasa Air said that the scheduled flight time was at 10.30 p.m. and passengers were informed of the rescheduled time of 11.59 p.m., close to 12 hours in advance.

"Due to this prior intimation, the passenger reported at our check in counter at 10 p.m. At the airport, our team provided assistance and gave the passenger the option of taking the pet outside the terminal. The passenger did not opt for this since he did not want to go through the check in and security process again, as per CISF protocols,” said the spokesperson.

"Our pet policy provides all pet parents with Priority Check-in and Board First facilities for their comfort and safety. In accordance with this, the passenger boarded the Akasa Air flight with his pet at 12.52 a.m. and the flight took off at 1.24 a.m. This delay was on account of weather conditions, which are beyond our control,” said the spokesperson.

“While on board the auxiliary power unit was activated during the boarding process, maintaining the cabin temperature at an optimal level. No issues were reported by other passengers regarding the air conditioning. However, upon pushback, the passenger expressed discomfort with the temperature. Our cabin crew promptly addressed this request by communicating with the cockpit crew and adjusting the cabin temperature accordingly.

"After take-off, our crew observed that the pet container was not in compliance with our safety procedures. Specifically, the container was placed on the passenger's lap, with the pet's head protruding from it. In line with mandatory safety protocols and keeping in mind the convenience of other passengers on board, the crew immediately requested that the container be properly secured and returned to its designated position in front of the assigned seat," said the spokesperson.

"At Akasa Air, we have carried over 2,500 pets and have well-defined protocols related to the carriage of pets on board to ensure the safety of customers and crew members, which remains our priority," the spokesperson added.