Ryan Coulson and Rebecca Bordeiasu’s two small chihuahua-mix dogs sit prepared for their trip, as shown in a handout photo. National Post.
A British Columbia couple says an airline blocked them from boarding a holiday flight to Toronto. Ryan Coulson and Rebecca Bordeiasu arrived at the airport with their two dogs and infant daughter. Staff stopped them at the gate and refused entry onto the plane.
The family had planned to fly from Abbotsford on Dec. 12. They booked the trip weeks earlier. Their booking showed two adults, one infant, and two pets travelling in the cabin.
Coulson works as an app developer. Bordeiasu teaches at an elementary school. They live in Langley and planned to spend the holidays with family.
Sudden Rule Cited at Boarding Gate
The couple says staff from Flair Airlines told them about a new rule. Coulson says staff claimed the airline banned passengers from flying with both a dog and an infant.
“We were told, without warning, that Flair had implemented a new internal policy on November 20 stating that a passenger cannot fly with both a dog and an infant,” Coulson said. “We were never notified of this change, and there is no mention of this rule anywhere in Flair’s published policies.”
He added that the airline website still allowed such bookings at the time.
Bordeiasu described the moment with disbelief. “The lady was almost trying to make us choose between our dog and our baby.”
Website Changed After the Incident
The airline later updated its pet travel page. The revised text states that one adult may travel with either one infant or one pet. It also notes that two adults are required when travelling with both.
A spokesperson for Flair confirmed the update. “We updated the wording on our website on December 17 to improve clarity for customers, but the policy itself did not change,” the spokesperson said. They added that the rule comes from aircraft manuals approved by Transport Canada.
Transport Canada disagreed. A spokesperson said, “There are no Transport Canada requirements related to passengers travelling with both infants and pets.” They added that airlines may set their own rules.
Past Travel Raises Questions
Bordeiasu says the rule surprised her. She flew the same route on Sept. 15 with an infant and one dog. She faced no issues on that flight.
“I did this exact situation, with a dog and an infant,” she said. “It was not a problem.”
She also noted that other airlines allow similar travel. She named WestJet and Air Canada.
After the denied boarding, the couple booked a later flight with Air Canada. All five travelled together and arrived without trouble. “They were stellar on the Air Canada flight; no one knew they were there,” Bordeiasu said about the dogs.
Legal Concerns and Next Steps
Gábor Lukács from Air Passenger Rights criticized the airline’s decision. “Sadly, an airline citing a non-existent Transport Canada rule is not unheard of,” he said. He believes the airline lacked legal grounds.
Flair refunded the ticket price but offered no further compensation. The couple says they now speak with a lawyer.
Bordeiasu says she feels relieved they reached Toronto before Christmas. “This is my daughter’s first Christmas,” she said.
