Air Canada flight diverted to save dog from freezing to death

Dec 20 2017, 1:26 am

Pilots on an Air Canada flight traveling from Tel Aviv to Toronto made a decision to make an emergency diversion to ensure a dog onboard the aircraft would not freeze to death in the cargo hold.

The heating system in the aircraft’s cargo hold, where a seven-year-old French bulldog was located, failed and prompted the pilot to reroute the plane to a nearby airport, according to City News.

The plane landed safely in Frankfurt, Germany, where the dog was moved to another flight to ensure its safety. The flight took off again and arrived at its final destination, Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, 75 minutes late.

Due to the diversion, Air Canada incurred approximately $10,000 in extra fuel costs, but most people would probably argue it was worth both the relatively short delay and expense.

While the cargo hold is part of the pressurized area of the fuselage, temperatures for a Tranatlantic flight can quickly drop to subzero levels once the plane reaches its cruising altitude of 40,000 feet. At this altitude, temperatures outside the plane can dip to as low as -60ºC.

 

DH Vancouver StaffDH Vancouver Staff

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