Delta has apologized after a Michigan man sat in feces left behind by a service dog last week.
Bay City resident Matthew Meehan had already sat down on his flight from Atlanta to Miami on Nov. 1 when he realized that feces was all over his seat and the surrounding floor, he told news outlets.
“I was literally in it,” he said.
Meehan said he asked flight attendants for help cleaning up, but they only provided two paper towels and a small bottle of Bombay Sapphire gin.
He cleaned himself and the seat as best he could. When he spoke to a manager, he said, she was dismissive and asked what his problem was.
“I had to step back for a moment and say, alright, keep your composure. You do not want to be one of these people you see on the news getting kicked off a plane. Meanwhile, I’m covered in feces,” Meehan told Detroit’s WXYZ.
He and his fellow passengers laid a blanket down on their seats for the remainder of the flight. Upon arrival, the aircraft was taken out of service to be cleaned and disinfected.
According to Delta, an ill service animal was aboard the previous flight. Meehan was offered a full refund and additional compensation.
“The safety and health of our customers and employees is our top priority, and we are conducting a full investigation while following up with the right teams to prevent this from happening again,” the airliner’s statement reads in part.
Still, the feces debacle follows several high-profile airline incidents over the past year. Last week, Delta apologized again after a Massachusetts doctor said she was racially profiled by flight attendants as she tried to help another passenger.
In March, United Airlines also apologized for a series of dog-related incidents, including the death of a French bulldog in an overhead compartment.
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