Gorgeous French bulldog died ‘after Alaska Airlines downgraded him from first class to coach’

A California man has sued Alaskan Airlines after he claimed one of his two dogs died on a cross-country flight after they were forced to move from first class to coach last minute, causing the pooch distress.  

Michael ‘Mike’ Contillo, of San Francisco, was flying from New York to San Francisco with his father and his two French bulldogs, Ash and Kora, when cream-colored Ash tragically died during the flight on February 1. 

‘I was sobbing over my dead dog,’ Contillo told DailyMail.com on Tuesday of the moment he discovered the tragedy. 

Shortly before takeoff, Contillo and his father were asked to move from row four to row 11 for ‘safety purposes,’ despite the dog dad explaining that moving the pooches this close to takeoff would be ‘extremely dangerous,’ the lawsuit, viewed by DailyMail.com, said. 

Contillo worried that moving his dogs could lead to ‘extremely dangerous breathing and heart problems,’ which could prove ‘lethal for a dog, especially right before you change altitudes.’ 

Michael ‘Mike’ Contillo, of San Francisco, was flying from New York to San Francisco with his father and his two French bulldogs, Ash and Kora, when his dog died during the flight on February 1

Shortly before takeoff, Contillo and his father were asked to move from row four to row 11 for ‘safety purposes,’ despite the dog dad explaining that moving the pooches this close to takeoff would be ‘extremely dangerous’

After moving, the Californian noticed Ash, who was three, had begun to breathe ‘very quickly and heavily’ and had ‘noticeable anxiety,’ before eventually calming down and ‘stopped moving’ (pictured: Kora in the back, Ash in the front) 

They had boarded with other first-class passengers and had been calmly sitting in their seats for roughly 25 minutes before the flight attendant and another Alaska Airlines staff member approached them and told them to move for safety reasons. 

‘Who’s safety were they trying to protect?’ he questioned to DailyMail.com. ‘It didn’t seem to benefit the human or the dogs.’ 

Cantillo was also not refunded the difference between his purchased first-class ticket and the coach one he was forced to sit in. 

After moving, the Californian noticed his ‘precious’ Ash, who was three, had begun to breathe ‘very quickly and heavily’ and had ‘noticeable anxiety,’ before eventually calming down and ‘stopped moving.’ 

He could not check on the well-being of his pet until after takeoff and he was told to keep the carrier closed.

The Harvard graduate, who has an MBA and a JD, did not check the carrier after takeoff as the dog had settled and he believed Ash had fallen asleep. 

But upon arriving at the San Francisco International Airport and de-boarding the plane, he realized his dog was dead and was ‘entirely in rigor mortis.’ Rigor mortis sets in for dogs around four hours post-death and the flight was five hours long. 

Contillo began to cry in grief as he and his dead kneeled before the carrier, he accused one of the crew members of loudly saying: ‘Now you’re going to blame us for killing your dog.’ 

He could not check on the well-being of his pet until after takeoff and he was told to keep the carrier closed 

But upon arriving at the San Francisco International Airport, he realized his dog was dead and was ‘entirely in rigor mortis.’ Rigor mortis sets in for dogs around four hours post-death and the flight was five hours long 

‘They simply ignored us,’ he said of the rest of the crew. 

The only interaction with Alaska Airlines that he had after discovering his dog had died was when an employee chased them down the terminal, screaming: “Cantillo, sir!” before asking for a statement. 

Cantillo and his father said they’d gladly give the employee one as they walked to baggage claim, but the worker refused to follow. He has not heard from the airline since, he told DailyMail.com. 

The dog dad believes his pooch would have made the flight safely if they hadn’t been forced to move to a more crowded area of the plane, which is why he bought first-class tickets in the first place.  

He also paid two-$100 fees to have his dogs in the cabin, rather than be checked in the holding area. 

In addition, this was not Kora or Ash’s first flight, as the father-son duo had flown them to New York in the first-class cabin in November. 

Prior to the winter flight, a veterinarian confirmed both dogs were healthy and fit enough to fly. Both were active on the flight to New York and did not show signs of distress, he claimed. 

Contillo blames Alaska Airlines for ‘negligently, carelessly, [and] recklessly’ forcing him to move his dogs in February after he took various ‘steps of precaution’ to make sure his pets would not be put in harm’s way. 

‘The last-minute move caused heavy breathing right before an altitude change,’ he told DailyMail.com.  

Contillo blames Alaska Airlines for ‘negligently, carelessly, [and] recklessly’ forcing him to move his dogs in February after he took various ‘steps of precaution’ to make sure his pets would not be put in harm’s way 

He also paid the $100 fee to have his dogs in the cabin, rather than be checked in the holding area

The dog dad, who works as a head of product at LegalOn, said the dog’s death has caused him ‘severe mental and emotional distress, pain, and suffering.’ 

He also claimed in the lawsuit that Ash had ‘peculiar value because he was like a son to his owner, who did not have children of his own.’ 

He remembers his dog as having ‘loved living,’ he told DailyMail.com. 

‘I’ve never met a dog so happy to be alive,’ he said. ‘He was just the kindest dog.’  

Some of his favorite memories of his ‘precious Ash’ include the little ‘bunny hops’ the pooch would do on their morning strolls and they way Ash would jump on his family to demand and give love. 

As for Kora, who Cantillo has had for a decade, he imagines it was a ‘big loss for her too’ as the pair were ‘best friends.’ 

Kora is currently healthy and happy with her dad in San Francisco.