When We Lost A Dog..

I joined KLM Royal Dutch Airlines as a Cargo Planner, but I was soon reassigned to IGI airport to learn flight operations. Those who have worked in cargo know it’s not as simple as tossing boxes into an aircraft. The loading process, where each shipment—whether weighing a few grams or several tonnes—travels many miles, often with multiple stops, demands precision and is a tedious affair. Our responsibility included ensuring superior-quality packaging, accurate labeling, and meticulous inventory. Additionally, we faced the challenge of loading correctly to maintain a minimum of 3000 kgs at the front nose of the aircraft, with lighter cargo towards the latter half. Another complication was the potential offloading of cargo, especially in Delhi’s searing heat, which could cause fuel expansion or a payload drop of 20 tons due to runway changes caused by winds. All these factors had to be addressed during the planning and palletization phase.

After a year in Ops, I became an expert, handling the more complex Boeing 747 combi flights on Tuesdays and Thursdays from IGI. These 30-43 tonne payload flights were stressful, with shipments arriving until 8:00 pm for a 2:00 am departure. Loading, securing, and transporting cargo, plus an hour to offload and load 12 pallets, could become a nightmarish experience.

During one such flight, we transported an AVI (code name for an animal)—a dog from the US embassy. Handed over to us at 6:00 pm, the consignee completed all checks and formalities, mentioning a kennel door issue. Due to ‘diplomatic’ pressure, it was accepted. Despite a peaceful Sunday night shift, all loading for Sunday flights is usually completed on Saturday. KL 872 landed on time, cargo and passenger offloading was smooth, and cargo loading had no issues, except for a pallet bulge fixed through some adjustments. The dog was transported on a tractor dolly (a unit attached to a tractor for cargo or suitcases, lacking shock absorbers) to the aircraft, 30 minutes before departure. The engineering team set the temperature, and it was time to check the kennel. To my shock, there was no dog! One latch was loose, and the dog had run away in the dark of the night within the IGI Airport premises.

A diplomatic cargo, a dog, missing just 20 minutes before flight departure—far from an ideal situation.

I had no choice but to find the dog; the flight had to leave on time. Multiple airlines and vehicles joined the search supported by searchlights, jeeps, and search parties. The entire airport complex was searched from 2:00 to 7:00 am, but no results emerged. The morning shift came in at 9:00 am and was briefed on the incident. By then, I was exhausted, my uniform dirty, and stained, eyes filled with anguish and worry, making my suffering worse as a dog lover.

I was pushed out of the office and asked to go home and rest while others took over. Good news came around 10:30 am—a dark-haired dog was spotted in a storm drain by Air India staff. The team recovered the dog, completed custom formalities, and rushed it to a hospital for checks and recuperation. The dog’s strong and quick recovery allowed it to catch the next flight out of India, escorted by an airline staff.

From this encounter, I learned a few things:

• Never compromise on regulations, regardless of a person’s authority. If deviations occur, document and share. In this case, no action was taken against the airline as we documented the faulty kennel.

• Friends are everywhere. During a crisis, reach out within your network with an honest and passionate appeal. You’ll be surprised by the number of people willing to assist.

• Prioritize urgent actions; documentation can wait. In this case, finding the dog took precedence over post-flight paperwork.

• Teamwork is crucial. Support each other, back each other up, be willing to take the fall together, and build a strong character.

• Do your job well and be passionate about it. This ensures you go home smiling every day and wake up looking forward to an excellent day with colleagues, teams, and clients.