A Bengaluru family has accused Air India of not allowing them to fly with their pet dog despite the canine having a boarding pass (video above).

Sachin Shenoy said that he, along with his wife and daughter, were headed for a 12-day vacation to Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. He said that tickets were booked in advance and they were in “constant touch with the Air India authorities” to ensure smooth travel with their pet, Fluffy.

“Our pet weighs 4.2 kg and with the bag she is hardly 5 kg heavy. As per the rules, she can fly inside the cabin. She got all checks done and was issued a boarding pass,” Shenoy said. “The pilot, Captain Chopra, denied entry to us or that is what was told to us.”

Responding to the allegation, Air India tweeted,“Sir, we love our furry friends as much as you do. Our Bengaluru Airport team had extended all support to ensure your Fluffy could fly with us on board.” The airline also offered an explanation of why the dog was not allowed on board, stating that “commander of the flight was not fully satisfied with the cage and muzzle of the pet.”

As the protests on social media grew, the airline also offered the family a revalidation of their tickets as a “goodwill gesture”. However, the family declined the offer, saying they were not contacted directly, and that Air India only posted their response on Twitter in response to public outcry.