Passenger says dog died in cargo hold after Korean Air flight; airline says transport conditions were normal

A dog transported in the cargo hold of a Korean Air flight was found dead in its carrier after the plane arrived at Incheon Airport, prompting its owner to demand evidence about what happened during the journey.

The Chinese passenger, identified only as A, wrote on Instagram that she wanted an explanation of her dog’s death. She said she asked Korean Air for CCTV footage, records covering transport, loading and handover, and the work records of the employees involved. According to her account, the airline refused those requests.

Korean Air posted an apology and explanation on Instagram on Sept. 7. The airline said the dog was found dead in its carrier when the doors were opened after flight KE 868 arrived from Guangzhou.

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I want to know what happened to my dog.

The airline said other pets had traveled on the same flight and that the conditions required for transporting animals had been properly maintained. It added that no health problems had been reported among the other pets, that staff had explained the dog’s condition to the owner, and that it was reviewing her further inquiries.

A said she could not accept the idea that responsibility should fall on her dog simply because the aircraft’s environmental systems operated normally and other animals arrived safely. “I will not blame the airline without evidence. I simply want to see the evidence of what happened to my dog during the transport process,” she said.

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I will not blame the airline without evidence. I simply want to see the evidence of what happened to my dog during the transport process.