When Angie and Gary Engelgau moved from Hawaii to Oregon earlier this month, they experienced a devastating loss. Their beloved French Bulldog, Frank, passed away from overheating at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu while waiting to board their plane.

“My first call was supposed to be to my brother to see if we could stop by on our way to southern Oregon,” Angie shared, “but instead it was to pet cremation places.”

The family arrived at the mostly open-air Honolulu airport around 10 a.m. for their Alaska Airlines flight to Portland. Angie, Gary, their 18-year-old son, and their three dogs—Frank, Charlie, and Fawn—were prepared to embark on their new journey.

According to airport rules, only service animals, detection animals, or pets confined for shipment are allowed in the terminal. For potty breaks, there are designated outdoor pet relief areas. The family had traveled with their pets on Alaska Airlines before and appreciated that the crew would usually turn up the air conditioning for the pets’ comfort. Alaska Airlines has a policy where pets that fit in a carrier can travel in the cabin for a $100 fee. Frank, being a French Bulldog, was particularly vulnerable to overheating and respiratory issues and thus was required to travel in the cabin to avoid the cargo hold.

The Engelgaus noted that while other airports, like those in Portland and San Francisco, are indoor and air-conditioned, Honolulu Airport’s environment made it harder to keep their pets comfortable. On the morning of June 30th, with rising temperatures, the family faced challenges in providing relief for their dogs. “We broke the rules,” Angie admitted. “We let them out of their carrier for about 45 minutes to give them cold water and shade.”

At boarding time, the family hoped to move quickly onto the air-conditioned plane. Frank was in his air carrier as they waited at the hot gate, and the situation quickly became dire. “People were hot,” Angie said, “imagine how a dog feels.” Despite repeated requests to let Frank out of his carrier, the gate agents denied them.

“It’s baffling,” Angie remarked, “it’s illegal to leave your dog in a hot car, but mandatory to leave them in a hot carrier.”

About 30 minutes later, when the family finally boarded the plane, Frank was audibly panting. “Everyone wondered what that noise was,” Gary recalled. Despite their efforts to cool Frank with ice, it was too late—Frank had passed away.

“This was 100% avoidable if Alaska Airlines had acted quicker to get us ice,” said Gary. “You could hear him in distress even outside the plane.”

Alaska Airlines responded to USA TODAY stating, “We take the care of pets flying with us seriously and are saddened by the loss of this guest’s pet. Our crew members followed their processes regarding pets on board and took extra care of the guests throughout the flight.”

Frank’s death before takeoff left his family heartbroken for the entire six-hour flight. Angie revealed, “Our son thought Frank had thrown up, but we were holding our lifeless dog.” Two flight attendants were also moved to tears. Frank’s passing was deeply felt by the remaining dogs, especially his sister Charlie.

“He was so sweet and loving,” Angie remembered. “We don’t want Frank’s death to be in vain; we want the rules to change for animals.”

Angie suggested that Honolulu Airport should consider allowing pets on a leash with a muzzle or allowing passengers to purchase seats for their dogs. “Just because someone doesn’t like dogs shouldn’t mean our dogs should risk death to fly,” she said.

Is it safe to fly with your dogs?

Traveling with pets by air presents numerous challenges. Each airline and airport have different pet policies, making it a complex affair. “The majority of animal travel is safe and well-handled by airlines, but the system isn’t perfect,” noted Dr. Kenyon Conklin, a veterinarian who assists military families in relocating their pets.

According to the Department of Transportation Air Travel Consumer Report, there were seven animal deaths out of 188,223 animals transported by U.S. airlines in 2022.

For breeds like Frank’s, flying can be even more difficult. Short-nosed dogs have trouble regulating their body temperature and are susceptible to heat stress. Limited in-flight provisions only add to the challenge. “Getting your pet some cool water or letting their paws cool down can be tough since removing them from carriers or crates can result in travel bans or being asked to leave the plane,” Dr. Conklin explained.

Flying pets in cargo also presents worries. Airlines often restrict the number of animals in cargo or won’t allow them if it’s too hot or cold, which can affect health due to cabin pressure changes. Pets typically require a health certificate to fly in the cargo.

“There will always be times when animals are unsupervised during transport,” Dr. Conklin pointed out. “And sometimes pets and owners aren’t even on the same flight because of restrictions.”

“Pets are in a compromised position and aren’t as resilient as humans,” she said. “They can’t communicate when they’re experiencing problems.”