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Pilot Diverts Flight To Save Dog From Freezing To Death

By Lindsay McCane
Published on: 05:34 PST, Sep 16, 2015

An Air Canada pilot diverted his flight earlier this week to save a dog from freezing to death.

According to City News, the pilot made the call to divert the Air Canada Flight 85, which was headed from Tel Aviv to Toronto, after the heating system malfunctioned in the plane’s cargo area.

The pilot noticed the issue with the heating system right as they were about to cross the Atlantic Ocean, where temperatures tend to plummet. Knowing there was a dog riding in the cargo area, the pilot made the decision to land in Germany rather than risk the pup’s life.

“As soon as the crew became aware of the temperature issue, the captain grew rightfully concerned for the dog’s comfort and well-being,” Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick told CNN via email. “With the altitude it can become very uncomfortable, and possibly the situation could have been life-threatening if the flight had continued.”

The dog was a 7-year-old French bulldog named Simba, who was taking his first ever ride on a plane. When the plane reached Frankfurt, Germany, Simba was boarded onto another flight, causing an approximate 75-minute delay for the other passengers and an additional $10,000 in fuel costs.

“Frankfurt was a good choice due to proximity, the fact there are multiple Air Canada flights (and flights by our partner Lufthansa) to Canada each day, and also because the airport can turn aircraft quickly, meaning there would be little time on the ground,” said Fitzpatrick.

Despite their delay, Fitzpatrick said the majority of the passengers were understanding to the situation and were glad the dog was okay.

“While we recognize this was an inconvenience for our customers, the overall reaction was positive, particularly once people understood the dog was in potential danger but safe as a result of the diversion,” he said.

Simba’s owner, German Kontorovich, remained on the original flight and was reunited with his companion at Pearson International Airport. He said he was very grateful for the pilot’s decision to divert the flight to save his dog.

“It’s my dog, it’s like my child. It’s everything to me,” Kontorovich said.

“If you look at the outside temperature, if it’s minus 50 or 60, there is some insulation but it will probably still get down to below freezing (in the cargo area),” aviation expert Phyl Durby said. “The captain is responsible for all lives on board, whether it’s human or K-9.”

[Photo by Tupungato / Shutterstock.com]

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