Posted on 12/11/2018 9:08:04 AM PST by Simon Green
2018 is not a great year if you’re an emotional support animal. Southwest, American, Spirit, JetBlue and even Royal Caribbean have all clamped down on emotional support animals, but it’s Delta that has thrown down the hardest. Back in March, the airline began requiring that all passengers traveling with a support or service animal provide additional documents, outlining the need for the service animal as well as proof of the animal’s training and vaccinations, 48 hours prior to departure.
Several months later, it increased restrictions once more, limiting passengers to “one emotional support animal per flight” and forbidding “pit bull type” dogs altogether. This week, it’s taking yet another step by banning all emotional support animals on any flight longer than eight hours, while banning all emotional support animals under four months of age, regardless of flight length
Delta’s updated policy follows an “84% increase in reported incidents involving service and support animals” between 2016 and 2017, including “urination/defecation, biting and even a widely reported attack by a 70-pound dog.” Delta asserts that the “updated support and service animal age requirement aligns with the vaccination policy of the CDC, and the eight-hour flight limit for emotional support animals is consistent with the principles outlined in the US Department of Transportation’s Air Carrier Access Act.”
The new limits take effect on Dec. 18, 2018, though customers with tickets purchased prior to Dec. 18, who have already requested to travel with an emotional support animal will be allowed to travel as originally ticketed. Regardless of booking date, emotional support animals will not be accepted on flights longer than eight hours on or after Feb. 1, 2019.
Earlier this year, the Association of Flight Attendants surveyed 5,000 flight attendants across 30 airlines on the impact of ESAs. The survey revealed that 61% of flight attendants said onboard emotional support animals have caused some sort of inflight disturbance, with more than half describing these disturbances as aggressive or threatening behavior by the animal.
Is that Cobi the Cobra?
Was he in that movie ‘Snakes On A Plane’?
It’s about darn time. Ban all animals in the passenger cabin. I’m saying this as life long dog owner.
I don’t worry about non-handicapped people claiming to be handicapped just to get a wheelchair ride and preferential boarding. I’ve seen people of all races doing that, and it really doesn’t hold things up. They’re usually so fat it would take them a long time to board anyway and the staff actually gets them seated and out of the way faster.
But I had a hellacious ride to Europe one time in premium with a 40-something white woman and her large, smelly, badly behaved “emotional support” dog. The thing crawled up on the seat and then onto the passenger next to the owner. So guess what? The flight attendants moved the seat mate out of premium and to some other seat when she complained, and the freak and her dog got to keep two seats. And you could smell the dog all over the cabin. Finally, to top it off, the freak turns around and grins when the dog starts whimpering and says, “Actually, I’m his emotional support animal.”
I think these fictional “emotional support animals” shouldn’t be allowed at all, and I congratulate Delta on at least taking this step to control the situation.
Those are service animals. Service animals for blind should be allowed anywhere.
Not always. I’ve personally known vets who came back from war horribly injured and/or with serious emotional issues. For some of them, their support dogs have been a great help. There are groups now that specialize in dogs for vets:
https://neads.org/service-dog-programs/service-dogs-for-veterans/
HAHAHAHA! Have you ever heard the scream when a peacock *talks*...I would imagine it would empty out the whole airport w/ its blood curdling scream.
Also known as the Jetway Jesus phenomenon.
Banning emotional support elephants is discrimination isn’t it?
Many “needing” emotional support animals should self-commit to the nearest mental hospital.
To the few who actually need emotional support that humans can’t always provide, sorry.
There are flight options besides Delta whose new motto ought to be ..
‘Delta, I hardly Smelt-ya’ ..
It’s the usual scenario,, those that abuse the system destroy it for those who genuinely could use it and do so in a respectful manner.
I once sat next to a passenger with a dog on a plane. The dog was quieter and better behaved than its owner.
Seeing-eye dogs, period. The rest is BS.
Have you ever heard of a seizure dog, or a hearing-ear dog?
People can have disabilities that aren’t visible, like vets suffering from PTSD.
“Have you ever heard of a seizure dog, or a hearing-ear dog?”
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They are trained guide dogs,emotional support animals aren’t trained for anything.
Big difference.
.
A couple of years ago, I watched the local college basketball star ride around in one of the handicapped carts at Walmart. The next week, he was drafted in the first round of the NBA draft. I guess they didn't know about his "injury."
Just last month, I watched a couple with an emotional-support pit bull in the same Walmart. That was one skiddish dog who didn't want to be there anymore than the other customers didn't want him there. The owners were oblivious to the dog's obvious discomfort and its potential to lash out. At least, the dog was on a leash but neither of the people would have been able physically restrain the dog had it decided that it was going to act. I did my shopping at the other end of the store.
If someone’s prone to seizures, they shouldn’t be fling public airlines, where one hundred plus travelers, could have their agendas completely disrupted by one traveler.
There are plenty of transportation alternatives.
flying...
My support animal is a python actually named for a young male horse. He sleeps in a bed of leather.
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