“Air France Will Just Find an Excuse”: Dog Killed by Conveyor Belts at Calvi Airport Sparks Outrage

A family vacation ends in tragedy

A family from Orléans returned from their Easter holiday in Corsica with heartbreak instead of memories. Their dog Brookie, a white Samoyed, was placed in a transport crate at Calvi-Sainte-Catherine airport, preparing for an Air France flight. Moments later, they were called outside by airport staff — and faced a nightmare.

Crushed between two conveyor belts

“They told us she was trapped between two conveyor belts,” said Denis, the dog’s owner, in an interview with Ouest France. “Firefighters were already on the scene. We tried everything to reach her.”

Only Marine, Brookie’s primary caretaker, was allowed into the restricted area where the dog was dying. According to witnesses, a second belt reportedly collapsed onto the crate, crushing it.

“A dog is not a suitcase”

“Air France says it’s just an ‘incident’,” Denis added bitterly. “But a dog is not a suitcase.” He said the family is devastated: “I haven’t slept in two nights. My daughter is inconsolable. This kind of thing destroys a family.”

No official response from Air France

As of now, Air France has made no public comment about the fatal incident. Internally, staff at Calvi airport say the situation is being widely discussed. The family, meanwhile, has launched a petition for safer animal transport on airlines, which has already gained over 8,500 signatures.

Legal action considered

Denis says he expects no accountability from the airline. “They’ll just say it was a technical issue,” he said. But he is considering legal action and wants to make sure Brookie’s death leads to change: “She deserved better. Every animal does.”