Woman's Lawsuit Against JetBlue Alleges Cancer Came Back After Stressful Incident Involving Emotional Support Dog
According to the woman, she was in remission at the time of the alleged 2023 incident.
A woman suing JetBlue says her Stage 4 cancer returned following a high-stress incident involving her emotional support animal, a 23-pound French bulldog named Pier.
The federal lawsuit in question, as first reported by Justin Rohrlich for the Independent, sees a California couple accusing the New York-headquartered airline of negligence and Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) violations.
In short, Oksana and Peter Kiritchenko say they purchased first-class tickets last year for a trip to Florida, with the outbound trip that September coming and going without issue. Notably, the couple also says they sent in the required travel documents for the dog prior to beginning their trip. On their flight back to California days later, the Kiritchenkos allege they encountered difficulty with getting Pier aboard their flight starting with the pre-boarding procedures.
According to the lawsuit, an airline employee questioned the couple about whether Pier would be allowed on the plane, resulting in an extensive ordeal complicated by the fact that Peter, then 71, suffers from "severe disability." Furthermore, Oksana, per the lawsuit, is a cancer patient, although she was in remission at the time.
From there, it’s alleged that the couple was told they could board, albeit only if Pier was seated in economy with one of them, not in first class. Due to at-home needs requiring them to return to California within the timeframe they had originally planned, the couple agreed to this less-than-ideal arrangement, only for a flight attendant to allegedly demand that Pier be placed in a smaller bag once aboard. Pier couldn’t fit inside the bag provided, which meant the plane was ultimately forced to make a return so that the couple, as well as their beloved pet, could be removed.
As for Oksana’s health, it’s stated in lawsuit docs that she was "in remission" prior to the alleged JetBlue incident, which she says brought on "an extreme amount of stress" followed by test results showing a rise in her mean tumor molecules levels. As a result, the couple is asking for various “unnecessary monetary damages” to be covered by the airline.
Complex has reached out to JetBlue reps for comment. This story may be updated. In a statement shared with People, an airline rep pointed to what they characterized as company compliance with Department of Transportation rules about emotional support animals and service animals.
This week, JetBlue Airways Corp. CEO Joanna Geraghty shared a statement breaking down the company’s newly released second quarter numbers. Geraghty, who took on the role earlier this year, said the numbers stand as "early evidence" that a broader strategy aimed at refocusing the company was working as intended.
