Diabetic Man Says He Was Unable to Baord a Plane With Great Dane Service Dog Because There Was No Room

A construction worker from Chile who has diabetes was reportedly denied boarding on an Aeroméxico flight with his service dog.

Matias Rodriguez initially traveled from Chile to Vancouver, Canada, with his 5-year-old Great Dane service dog, Logan, and the pair boarded their initial flight without any issues.

However, when Rodriguez arrived at the airport on Saturday, October 24, for a return trip, he was reportedly told that the flight was full and there was no room for his dog, CTV News reported on Tuesday, October 27.

Rodriguez’s Great Dane is trained to detect when his blood sugar levels become dangerously high or low, allowing him to take action before the situation becomes a medical emergency. Having his service dog by his side is deemed essential, including when he travels.

“He flew back here with no problem, so why does it make any issue flying back home? I don’t understand why,” Rodriguez’s friend and translator, Vynka Contreras, told the outlet. “They had to rebook him again to the next day. The next day, the same thing, all the flight is booked.”

In a post shared on Facebook by Contreras, the dog can be pictured flying to Canada in February.

Rodriguez was reportedly planning to return to Chile to renew his expired temporary work status in Canada, but he made it clear that leaving Logan behind wasn’t an option.

He was even willing to pay for three seats in a row to accommodate his Great Dane, saying that airlines, including Aeroméxico, had offered him a similar setup on his trip from Santiago to Vancouver via Mexico.

“He’s very depressed, he’s very stressed as well, and when he’s stressed, obviously his animal is also stressed, right?” Contreras told the outlet.

On the morning of October 27, Rodriguez was told he would need to purchase a business-class ticket costing more than $3,000. He agreed to pay, but even after buying the ticket, he was told there was no guarantee his Great Dane would be allowed on board.

Contreras continued to reach out to the airline as of Wednesday, October 28, per New York Post, but was unable to get a hold of anyone for a resolution. It is unclear whether Rodriguez was able to get back home.

“I’ve contacted Aeroméxico and shared all the details, but they’ve seen my messages and still haven’t responded,” Contreras wrote on Facebook in a post shared on October 28. “I’m asking for your help: if we speak up together, perhaps we can reach their hearts and persuade them to let Logan board the plane.”

According to Aeroméxico’s website, service and emotional support animals can travel with their owners at no extra cost. However, the airline notes that “acceptance of such animals is subject to their size.”