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.
The service dogs that aid PTSD sufferers ARE “emotional support animals”.
“The service dogs that aid PTSD sufferers ARE “emotional support animals”.’
—
Yes,and ANYONE who suffers from PTSD can get one,not just veterans.
If their stress is so bad that they can’t fly on a plane without their animal they can choose another means of transportation,or stay home.
.
YIKES! **EVERYONE OFF THE PLANE NOW! P E A N U T S!!!!
ALLERGY! POISON!*
No way! My support goat is gonna be mad. I even bought him a seat on Delta!
Please note that not everyone in an airport wheelchair cannot walk. Some are weak people who can walk just fine to the car from the entrance, but the very long walk inside the airport is too much for them. Maybe they are elderly or going through cancer treatment.
My son was an athlete when we pushed him through so airports on the way to a regional competition, which he ended up winning. His doc said he should stay off the one foot COMPLETELY so he used crutches and in the airport we did use a wheelchair. He was very healthy but stayed off that foot.
I had surgery in another city and was told to use the airport wheelchair service, so I did. Yes, I got up afterward and walked to the Uber.
I think the trained dogs from reputable organizations are only available to those who have actually been diagnosed; but that includes people who may not be veterans.
I realize that there are a lot of fakers out there, and that the fakers are the complaint of many posting here. But there are people who legitimately need these animals and exercise their privileges responsibly. You can’t always tell who they are, by looking.
Your concern about people too stressed to fly could be extended to ‘too stressed to ride a train or a bus’.
I’m not personally familiar with the training of PTSD dogs, but I suspect that a large part of their purpose is geared toward sensing stress/anxiety and boosting confidence:
http://canines4hope.com/mobile/ptsd-service-dogs.html
” But there are people who legitimately need these animals and exercise their privileges responsibly. You can’t always tell who they are, by looking.”
—
Agreed,but being in a plane is different from other modes of transportation.
Six hours in the air would be quite stressful sitting beside a dog if you don’t like dogs,or one that may also be stressed. Other modes of transportation would be different.
I can understand the airlines making changes.
.
I can understand the airlines demanding prior planning and proper licensing. I was just making the point that there are lots of people who legitimately need ‘support’ dogs, and they aren’t all veterans.
(On the other hand, ANY dog, no matter how well-trained, can ‘go off’ at any time. It doesn’t happen frequently with well-trained dogs, but it happens. I wouldn’t restrict someone from having a properly trained and licensed support dog on a plane, because of that outside chance.)
A Peacock? Absolutely not :-)
I have seen 4 dogs in 3 different grocery stores in the last 2 weeks. Two were last week in the Charlottesville Wegman’s at the same time, an Aussie puppy with a woman and a Chihuahua with a boy in a wheelchair. Neither was wearing a support dog vest or had anything visibly identifying support dog status.
No more miniature horses then either, huh? Does a person with a miniature horses support animal get to take it into a restaurant, like the lady who sat down by me in Chilis, with her frou frou dog in her lap? Maybe they’re “counting” horses, and can add up the check and figure the tip...
Para and quadraplegics often have service dogs.
You sort of missed my whole point.
Google it- there are numerous example of people buying tickets online and specifying that they need wheelchair access. The airlines go out of their way to cart these lazy fat-asses around, and get them through all the lines without waiting. Only to have them magically cured when they land.
These airport miracles cost everyone more in ticket prices.
Does this mean I can’t bring my support honey badger and wolverine anymore?
I really need them in order to feel safe. Not having them might trigger me to do something drastic like commit suicide or pull my hair out by the fistful. Seriously!! This is outrageous discrimination against a special needs person like me, and I am not going to take this lying down.
I’m going to sue!! Time to lawyer up again, Delta Airlines!!
I’m sure it happens. Not a huge problem, and I was giving you examples of how the wheelchair can be used legitimately even if it doesn’t look like it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.