French bulldog dies on Alaska Airlines flight after being bumped from first class to coach: lawsuit

A beloved three-year-old French bulldog continued to die an Alaska Airlines flight after he and his owner were bumped from first class to economy, a new lawsuit alleges.

Its owner, Michael Contillo, hit the airline with the lawsuit last week after his dog named Ash died suddenly during the flight from New York to San Francisco on Feb. 1, court papers show.

The alleged ordeal occurred after Contillo and his father, who had both purchased first-class tickets, boarded the plane at JFK and took their fourth-row seats with Ash and his other French bulldog, named Kora, in their carriers .

Contillo claims that just before takeoff, airline staff approached them and asked them all to move back to row 11 for “safety reasons,” according to the suit filed in San Francisco County Superior Court.

“Plaintiff explained that moving the dogs at this point before takeoff would be extremely dangerous to the dogs. He further explained that the dog was calm at this time, but would no longer be calm now that the plane was full of people,” the filing said.

“If we were to move the dogs now, they would become very anxious and agitated, which would lead to extremely dangerous breathing and heart problems. This change can be fatal for a dog, especially just before changing altitude.”

Contillo claims the crew ignored their pleas and forced them back to the coach.

“At that point, Ash immediately began breathing very rapidly and heavily, with noticeable anxiety,” the complaint said.

The owner claimed he noticed Ash had ‘stopped moving’, but flight attendants told him to close the carrier before take-off – meaning he couldn’t look at the cream-coloured pooch until later.

“By the time Plaintiff and his father disembarked from the plane at San Francisco International Airport, Ash’s body was in complete rigor mortis,” the lawsuit states, adding that dogs usually do not appear until about four hours after death have to deal with.

“The claimant and his father confirmed that Ash was indeed dead and immediately started crying, the claim went ahead.

“The entire flight crew, including the pilot, exited the aircraft and showed no sympathy for the loss of the plaintiff’s dog. No one stopped to express their concern, express their condolences or show even the slightest bit of sympathy.”

Contillo claims the dog was “very healthy and active” prior to the flight and had “no history of illness or surgery,” according to the filing.

Months earlier, Contillo said he flew to the Big Apple from San Francisco with Ash without any problems.

“Plaintiff and his father flew in the first class cabin without incident, and both French Bulldogs arrived safely in New York. During those few months in New York, they remained healthy and active throughout their stay,” the complaint said.

Before returning on the fateful flight, Contillo said both French Bulldogs were examined by a veterinarian in New York to make sure they were healthy enough for the cross-country journey.

“The veterinarian confirmed that both dogs were healthy and could safely complete a cross-country flight,” the court papers allege.

Contillo is suing the airline for breach of contract by not honoring their first-class tickets, as well as negligence and emotional distress.

The Post has contacted Alaska Airlines for comment.