This Passenger Kicked Off Southwest Airlines Flight For Petting Her Own Puppy

The incident, captured on video by witness Sara Price, unfolded at Colorado Springs Airport. According to Price, the trouble began when the passenger's puppy emitted a slight whine while waiting in line to board.

A Southwest employee promptly intervened, warning the passenger about potential restrictions if the dog wasn't kept quiet. The situation escalated during the flight, leading to the woman's removal and sparking a conversation about airline policies and passenger experiences with pets on board.

In the caption of her TikTok, Price said that the woman stuck her hand inside the carrier to soothe the animal. “It stopped whining,” she wrote.

A Southwest employee warned her about potential restrictions if the dog wasn't kept quiet. Price also told the flight attendant that she and her husband would sit with the unnamed passenger “to help her as much as we could."

And then, despite promises from Price to help, the situation escalated during the flight. The passenger was later instructed to zip the carrier completely and place it under the seat.

“Everyone around us was so confused as to why they were so harsh with her,” Price adds, saying the woman “did as she was told and zipped the carrier completely and put it under the seat."

A flight attendant, "dressed as a cat", confronted the woman, questioning if there would be a problem.

"Unfortunately, shortly after the plane pushed off from the gate, the dog whined again, so the woman "bent down to pet the puppy again from outside the carrier,” Price explains. She then noticed the attendants huddled toward the front of the plane.

Then, the woman was asked to leave, and Price's husband recorded the incident. She denied this help, telling the attendants, “I’m not going to have you touch a thing of mine. You are rude. You are a mean person, and I will never fly Southwest again.”

The video captured the couple's criticism of the crew. Then, Price said that after the video cut, one of the attendants went to speak with the captain, prompting the flight crew to kick us off for our "attitude."

Southwest Airlines cited non-compliance with their pet policy as the reason for her removal.

“We're aware of the videos, and our initial reports indicate that the customer would not comply with keeping her dog’s kennel closed, which is our policy."

A spokesperson also said this in a statement. “Our employees are trained to ensure customers are following protocol, and in this situation, after the customer repeatedly refused to comply with our crew’s instructions, the decision was made to deplane the disruptive passenger.”

In a show of solidarity, a few passengers left the Southwest flight in protest. Sara Price, the witness to the incident, revealed that as of Wednesday, the woman with the puppy has not received a full refund for her ticket. However, both Price and her husband have been refunded.

The incident has sparked discussions about airline policies, passenger treatment, and the handling of animals on flights, highlighting the complexities involved in ensuring a comfortable and fair experience for all passengers.