A pregnant woman has filed a lawsuit against American Airlines for being abusive following pre-approved permission to bring her emotional support dog aboard the airline. The lawsuit argues that an American Airlines employee who apparently went into “authoritative parent” mode became punitive and abusive by repeatedly yelling at the passenger that bringing animals in the cabin was in violation of FAA rules (completely untrue) and then locking her dog up in the tiny bathroom (a move that was likely highly stressful for the animal, not to mention its owner). Despite apparently failing to inform their own flight employees, here is American Airlines actual policy and procedures regarding comfort animals in the cabin. And here is the media account of the latest events and subsequent lawsuit:
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Associated Press--A pregnant Florida woman is suing American Airlines, claiming she and her emotional support dog were mistreated by a flight attendant on an April trip from Miami to Los Angeles.
News outlets report Avigail Diveroli is seeking at least $75,000 in damages in the negligence lawsuit. It says she suffers from severe anxiety and confirmed with the airline twice that her “medically necessary comfort animal,” Simba, could travel with her.
Once on the plane, the lawsuit says, an attendant screamed at Diveroli saying the dog could not be in the cabin because it’s an FAA violation. The suit says the berating continued as the attendant downgraded Diveroli from business class and quarantined the dog in a bathroom.
A representative for American Airlines told outlets they would not comment.
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