Doggone it, some US airport customer service staff are furry

Denver

STEVE Cearley and his dog Shanti made their way down the airport concourse in matching blue plaid vests, prompting travellers to glance up from their computers and cellphones. After two airport employees stopped to fuss over Shanti, an 88 pound (40 kg) Great Pyrenees with long, white fur, Mr Cearley, a full-service dog handler, passed around a lint brush.

When "you're petting a dog, you're not thinking about other stresses", Mr Cearley said with a smile. "Like whether your plane is late." With the holiday travel season in full swing, bitter complaints about the state of air travel in America fill the air like Christmas carols. On blogs and social media, passengers rant about cancelled flights, long security lines, crowded terminals and appalling food.