Posted on 09/16/2015 2:49:01 PM PDT by BenLurkin
A French bulldog named Simba is probably alive today because of the attentiveness of an Air Canada pilot.
Simba was flying via Air Canada Flight 85 from Tel Aviv to Toronto when the pilot noticed a problem with the cargo area’s heating system, according to CNN Canadian affiliate City News. Simba’s owner, German Kontorovich, was in the cabin.
“As soon as the crew became aware of the temperature issue, the captain grew rightfully concerned for the dog’s comfort and well-being,” Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick told CNN via email. “With the altitude it can become very uncomfortable, and possibly the situation could have been life-threatening if the flight had continued.”
The aircraft diverted to Frankfurt, Germany, where Simba, age 7, was boarded onto another flight, causing a delay of about 75 minutes for the original flight’s passengers.
“Frankfurt was a good choice due to proximity, the fact there are multiple Air Canada flights (and flights by our partner Lufthansa) to Canada each day, and also because the airport can turn aircraft quickly, meaning there would be little time on the ground,” said Fitzpatrick.
(Excerpt) Read more at ktla.com ...
Hooray for the pilot!!!
Couldn’t they have just let the dog ride with his owner?
The dog was in the cargo hold. The only way to get to it was from outside the airplane.
Could they have transferred the dog from cargo to the passenger area in flight?
No.
French Bulldog (small dog) could have ridden in the cabin with his owner. Why was the in the cargo hold?
What a great guy!
Well, that’s one pilot you don’t have to worry about shouting Allah Akbar and going into a dive.
“Hooray for the pilot!!!”
Agreed..Good thing he wasn’t a cop!
Nope.
Probably just a little too big.
Maximum carrier size allowed
Height: 23 cm (9 in)
Width: 40 cm (15.5 in)
Length: 55 cm (21.5 in)
Maximum allowable weight 10 kg (22 lb)
Must be big enough to allow your pet to stand up, turn around and lie down safely and comfortably.
http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelinfo/airport/baggage/pets-in-cabin.html
Generally a French Bulldog is about 11 to 12 inches tall. Males weigh 20 to 28 pounds, females 16 to 24 pounds.
http://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/french-bulldog
Well subzero ambient temperature can get a bit uncomfortable.
“The dog was in the cargo hold. The only way to get to it was from outside the airplane. “
Somebody ought to tell Hollywood that. In the movies there never seems to be any problem for the terrorists/monsters/snakes to go from cargo hold to cabin. :)
Good on the pilot but one would think it would have been more cost effective and less stressful on the human passengers to have brought Simba into the cabin.
Bump!
And in movies you can get into a plane from the wheel well. That myth has killed a good many people.
On a 747 you can do that. Not on a 787.
I don’t know. I have seen movies and tv show where people go into the cargo area while the plane was in flight. I think they did that in Airforce One. Harrison Ford’s character hid in the Cargo Area when the plane was hijacked by terrorists. And I saw a stewardess and Castle go into the cargo area in an episode of Castle. So in Hollywood it is definitely possible.
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