Couple demand refund from Singapore Airlines after sitting next to drooling, snorting dog for 13 hours

A couple is demanding that Singapore Airlines refunds plane tickets for their flight from Paris to Singapore because they were sitting next to a dog that was passing wind, drooling, and “snorting” throughout the flight.

Gill and Warren Press, from Wellington, New Zealand’s capital, said they wanted Singapore Airlines to give them their money back for a 13-hour flight because of their unpleasant experience.

The couple said that they bought two premium economy seats on a Singapore Airlines flight but ended up moving to economy because they were sitting next to another passenger’s dog that was drooling and passing wind throughout the journey.

The couple said they weren’t informed that they were going to be sitting next to a dog before the flight.

“I heard this noise – a heavy snorting”, Gill said. “I thought it was my husband’s phone, but we looked down and realised it was the dog breathing”.

She said it became too much to bear when it began passing wind midway through the flight and taking up Warren’s legroom.

“[The passenger] couldn’t have the dog out in the aisle because they couldn’t get the trolleys through, so it had to come in further, which meant his head was under my husband’s feet”, she added. “My husband was in shorts, and was getting the dog’s saliva goo on his leg”.

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She said they complained to a flight attendant who eventually offered them two seats in economy that had been reserved for Singapore Airlines staff.

She said the couple were assured that they would be contacted by the airline after they landed.

However, they said it took two weeks for the airline to reach out with an apology and an offer of two SG$100 (US$73) gift vouchers.

After Gill and Warren responded saying it wasn’t enough to reflect the difference in value of the seat switch, they said the airline took nearly a month to make a counter-offer: two travel vouchers worth NZ$200 (US$118) each.

But the couple say this still was not acceptable, and they are continuing to seek a full refund.

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Singapore Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider.

However, the airline did provide a statement apologising for their experience and saying it would continue to be in contact with Gill and Warren to find a solution.

“Singapore Airlines endeavours to notify customers who may be seated next to an assistance dog before boarding the flight”, the statement read. “We sincerely apologise that this did not occur in this case, and will work with our airport teams to ensure that this lapse does not occur in future”.