Posted on 05/21/2003 11:16:44 PM PDT by ContentiousObjector
Flight Attendant to Horse:
Why the Long Face?
Cuddles Caused a Bit of Stir in 1st Class,
But One Little Mishap Was Overlooked
Air travel can be a messy business, especially if you are flying with a horse. Take the following excerpt from an American Airlines passenger record last week:
"PAX WAS TRAVELING WITH A MINIATURE SERVICE HORSE IN SEAT 3A. HORSE HAD A BOWEL MOVEMENT ON THE CARPET OF THE BULKHEAD. CABIN SVC HAD TO DO EXCESSIVE CLEANING IN ORDER FOR AIRCRAFT TO LEAVE FOR THE NEXT FLIGHT. STRONG ODOR ALSO HAD TO BE AIRED OUT.?ORD CSM JP INCUSCI"
It seems the passenger -- "PAX" in airline shorthand -- was flying from Boston to Chicago for a taping of "The Oprah Winfrey Show." The man, Dan Shaw, is legally blind, and his seeing-eye guide, Cuddles, qualifies as a "service horse." Under U.S. Federal Aviation Administration rules, service animals may travel in the cabin with the passenger, and airlines accommodate all sorts of creatures. Since even miniature horses standing at just over 2 feet tall and weighing 70 pounds don't fit in the main cabin, they have to fly first-class.
The show, which was scheduled to air Tuesday, was appropriately titled "That's Incredible!"
The things airlines end up transporting often are a slice of the lives people lead. On the inanimate side, foreign visitors often turn up trying to check washing machines and television sets purchased on U.S. shopping trips.
Animals usually make for more interesting stories. Movie stars want first-class seats for their pets, and such arrangements have to be approved in advance. Airlines keep track of unruly Hollywood pets, as you might imagine. But the well-behaved ones are welcomed with open arms, so long as they are paying customers. Jack Lemmon's standard poodle, Chloe, had a wonderful reputation among airline folks, and the late actor always bought a first-class seat for her.
Just recently, the U.S. Department of Transportation clarified rules that had been applied mostly to dogs so as to include "service animals," saying airlines could be forced to accommodate all manner of beasts if mental-health professionals declare that they are necessary for relieving stress and flying anxiety. If a monkey is necessary to help a passenger get through a flight, the DOT said, then the monkey can come along.
"Animals that assist persons with disabilities by providing emotional support qualify as service animals," the DOT said, noting that "service animals also perform a much wider variety of functions than ever before."
The rules, published May 9, update guidelines issued by the DOT in 1996 that dealt mostly with dogs assisting passengers who can't see or hear. The new rules more specifically define what a service animal is and who can have one. They also spell out what steps airlines need to take, such as determining whether the animal poses a health or safety threat to others, or would disrupt cabin service, and when animals can legally be "refused carriage in the cabin." The new guidelines benefited from the suggestions of advocates for the disabled, as well as from recommendations by the airlines, the DOT said.
Mr. Shaw depends on his horse. He told Ms. Winfrey that he feared getting attached to a guide dog with a relatively short life span. Cuddles, he said, has a lifespan of more than 30 years. "I think the most incredible thing Cuddles has done for me is she made me realize that being blind ain't so bad," he said on the show. "She's the best friend I've ever had. It's like having a new life." Mr. Shaw's even devoted a Web site to her.
Nearly three years ago, a pot-bellied pig flew in the first-class cabin of a US Airways flight from Philadelphia to Seattle because her owner said she needed the pig's companionship to relieve stress. US Air classified the pig as a service animal. So it's true, pigs can fly.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
*This post is in compliance with the McCarthy memorial patriotism enforcement act of 2001
I say ban the first class section and give coach some more leg room.
Or maybe put them at the back of the plane.
-Eric
Preferably in her lap!
Expect gridlock on W. 47th St. between 6 and 8 tonight. Bill Clinton is due to speak at a Supper Club fund-raiser for his presidential library. On the list for the $1,000-a-ticket party are Wyclef Jean, Jay-Z and Beyoncé Knowles ...
Heaping, steaming mounds of dung!
You may not touch my Mon-Key!
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