Dog Dies On Air France-KLM Flight, PETA Slams Airline's Cargo Hold Policy

A dog, believed to be a husky breed, died Tuesday on an Air France-KLM flight from Amsterdam to Los Angeles. TMZ reported Wednesday the dog was allegedly deprived of oxygen while on board the plane.

An Air France spokesperson told People magazine the owner was notified about the tragedy following the 11-hour transatlantic flight.

“A dog was found dead in the cargo hold of the KL601, after a flight from Amsterdam to Los Angeles on March 19th. The dog’s owner has been notified and we express our condolences,” the statement read.“In cooperation with the local health authority in the US, the CDC, the dog was initially examined to ensure there was no immediately obvious public health threat.”

The dog's cause of death remains unclear as authorities await necropsy results. The airline reportedly said the pet “was loaded correctly according to KLM’s pet policy.”

However, an Air France employee, who did not want to be named, told TMZ the dog was incorrectly loaded in the cargo hold and lost oxygen during the transatlantic flight.

The owner, who was not identified, was reportedly left devastated after learning about the dog's death.

As per Air France's policy to the transposition of animals, passengers are allowed to take a small cat or dog with them into the economy class cabin. The pet must be carried in a pet travel bag and can weigh no more than 17 pound and has all required shots. Larger pets can travel in a ventilated part of the cargo, the airline states.

A representative for PETA raised concerns about pets traveling in cargo holds.

“Tragedies like this one are exactly why airlines must require that animals travel in the main cabin only. PETA urges AirFrance-KLM to join airlines such as JetBlue and Southwest in prohibiting companion animals from being flown in the cargo hold, where they endure noise, extreme temperatures and sometimes inadequate pressurization, before yet another sensitive animal suffers and dies, terrified and alone,” the representative told TMZ.

In 2018, a French bulldog puppy died on board a domestic United Airlines flight after a crew member forced its owner to store the dog in the overhead bin during a three-hour flight from Houston to New York. The dog's death in March 2018 sparked outrage on social media that prompted animal rights groups to call for United to overhaul its rules for transporting pets. Following the incident, United announced a new pet travel policy that included a ban on the transport of dozens of breeds of dogs and cats in the cargo compartment.