A foreign passenger identified as A is demanding that Korean Air (003490) explain how her dog died in the cargo hold of one of its aircraft, keeping the dispute alive. The airline maintains that the cargo hold conditions required for transporting animals were maintained without any problems.
Korean Air recently posted a notice on its official social media accounts saying it extended its deepest condolences to the customer who lost a beloved dog and wanted to explain the circumstances, according to industry sources on the 9th.
When the doors were opened after Flight KE868 from Guangzhou arrived at Incheon, the dog was found already dead inside its cage, the airline said. Other animals were also on board the same flight, it added, and the cargo hold environment needed for transporting animals had been properly maintained, with no health problems among the other animals.
A posted about the dog's death on social media on the 4th, saying she had asked Korean Air for closed-circuit television footage, records covering the entire process of transport, unloading and handover, and work logs for the employees involved. She said the request was not granted.
Korean Air said the cause of death is still being determined. It said it explained the circumstances of the discovery to the owner in detail on the day the dog died and is reviewing her additional questions. The airline said it would communicate actively on the matter going forward.
A said she cannot accept that explanation. The fact that cargo hold systems functioned properly and that other animals arrived safely should not shift responsibility onto her dog, she said.
She said she had no intention of blaming the airline without evidence, but wanted to see documentation that would show what happened to her dog during transport.
