A New York City-based artist claims that United Airlines staff threatened to remove her from the plane if she gave her dog water or removed it from its carrier at all.
A woman has accused United Airlines crew of abusive behaviour (Representational image)According to the New York Post, Ashley Longshore took to Instagram to slam the airline.
She said the crew of her United Airlines flight lashed out at her when she tried to take her Brussels Griffon dog out to give it water.
United’s responseA United Airlines spokesperson said that a flight attendant on the Newark to New Orleans flight attendant asked Longshore to follow their pet rules, which specify that the pet carrier must remain closed.
“Our crew reminded the customer of our pet in cabin policy, which requires the carrier to remain closed,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying by the New York Post.
A New York City-based artist claims that United Airlines staff threatened to remove her from the plane if she gave her dog water or removed it from its carrier at all. A woman has accused United Airlines crew of abusive behaviour (Representational image)
According to the New York Post, Ashley Longshore took to Instagram to slam the airline. She said the crew of her United Airlines flight lashed out at her when she tried to take her Brussels Griffon dog out to give it water.
“United, your flight attendant just made me shove and smash my dog under the seat and threatened me if I removed her or gave her water during a 3 hour flight! This is abusive!!!! I am so upset! I am sobbing!” she wrote in an Instagram post on July 1 that has since been deleted.
“This is abusive and cruel. To tell me i can not give her water!!!!!!! To call the captain and threaten to kick me off the plane because I am sobbing…… Does anyone know what I can do here????” she asked.
She reiterated her allegations of cruel behaviour on part of the crew as she ended her post with the hashtag #animalabuse. The incident occurred during a flight from Newark to New Orleans.
Longshore is an artist whose work has fetched as high as $10 million. She counts Blake Lively, Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek among her clients.
United’s response
A United Airlines spokesperson said that a flight attendant on the Newark to New Orleans flight attendant asked Longshore to follow their pet rules, which specify that the pet carrier must remain closed.
“Our crew reminded the customer of our pet in cabin policy, which requires the carrier to remain closed,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying by the New York Post.
