‘Hurt for my child;’ Local woman says airline refused to let son’s service dog fly with him

WILMINGTON — A local woman says an airline denied their service dog who her four-year-old son with special needs relies on.

She said this happened on an Allegiant Airlines flight from Myrtle Beach to Columbus.

The family News Center 7 spoke with didn’t want their last name used but spoke about their ordeal trying to get nine people home from South Carolina, including a special needs little boy and a service dog.

Ashley had a sinking feeling as soon as she walked to the Allegiant counter in Myrtle Beach trying to get her family home to Wilmington. She says the airline employees were not cooperative.

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Ashley and other family members had filled out forms online three days before, beating the deadline to make sure her 4-year-old son’s service dog Tea, who they picked up in the Carolinas after the K9′s 18-month-long training program could fly home with them.

She thought she had received all the necessary approvals, but employees insisted she had to have a printed form, then instead made her go through the question and answer process twice more.

Owen CHARGE syndrome, which impacts every system in his body.

Tea can alert the family early if there are problems with his breathing, his blood sugar levels, or even his tracheostomy, allowing them not to have to monitor medical readouts 24/7 for signs of trouble.

For Owen and Tea to be denied their first flight together was devastating to the family.

“Angry, hurt for my child, he deserves to have his dog,” Ashley said.

The family finally had to ask her grandpa to drive nine hours from South Caroline with Tea, while the rest of the family made it onboard their flight with four minutes to spare.

Ashley said she will not be flying with Allegiant again.

News Center 7 has reached out to Allegiant Airline’s corporate offices to ask them about this incident. We have not heard back at this time.

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