Diabetic man banned from boarding flight with service dog

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 29 Oct, 06:57 · Archive

A diabetic man was refused permission to board a flight from Canada to Chile with his Great Dane service dog, which the airline said was too large.

Matias Rodriguez, a Chilean construction worker, attempted to board an Aeroméxico flight from Vancouver International Airport to Chile on 24 October with Logan, his Great Dane service dog. Airport staff told him the dog was too large to board and there was no available seat to accommodate the animal. Rodriguez had completed all necessary paperwork and notified the airport prior to the flight that he would be travelling with a service animal.

Logan is trained to detect changes in Rodriguez's blood sugar and alert him to potential diabetic emergencies. The dog had flown from Chile to Vancouver in February without incident, sitting on the floor of an empty seat, according to photographs. Rodriguez's friend Vynka Contreras said: 'He flew back here with no problem, so why does it make any issue flying back home? I don't understand why.'

The New York Post reports that Rodriguez was turned away at the gate and returned to the airport the next day for a rescheduled flight, only to be given the same explanation. Airline officials told him to book a $3,000 business class ticket but warned that the upgraded seat did not guarantee Logan could travel, and Rodriguez refused to leave his service dog behind.

How it is being reported

• Diabetic Aeroméxico passenger fumes as he’s denied boarding flight with Great Dane service dogA diabetic Aeroméxico passenger traveling with his Great Dane service dog was denied boarding his return flight home from Canada as the airline claimed there was no room for the large pooch.New York Post · 29 Oct, 06:47
• Diabetic outraged after airline bans him from boarding with his Great Dane service dog because animal is too bigA man who lives with diabetes was outraged after an airline refused to let him board with his service dog on a flight home to Chile from Canada.Daily Mail · 28 Oct, 15:19

In this story: Matias Rodriguez · Logan · Vynka Contreras · Aeroméxico · Vancouver International Airport · Vancouver · Chile

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log