Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Airlines say new 'emotional support pet' rules make flying safer, healthier
UPI ^ | January 30, 2020 | By Don Jacobson

Posted on 01/30/2020 8:33:21 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer

The airline industry pushed for new rules to restrict emotional support animals, but advocates say such a major change is "discriminatory," "burdensome" and "unconscionable."

Jan. 30 (UPI) -- The U.S. airline industry is praising a move by federal regulators that would allow carriers to disqualify untrained "emotional support animals" as service animals -- a change that could lead to airlines charging travelers who bring along their pets.

Airlines are among the chief supporters of the proposed rule changes this month by the Department of Transportation. Federal officials began mulling the change over concerns from carriers, flight attendants, airports and some of the flying public about a rising number of passengers with emotional support animals, or ESAs -- that are taken aboard flights by way of a law intended for trained service animals, like guide dogs.

Under the Air Carrier Access Act, airlines are required to allow emotionally impaired travelers to bring a support animal at no added cost. In most cases, the only requirement is that a passenger produce documentation from health and veterinary professionals citing a need for the animal. Passengers without such records must pay to travel with their pets.

Those favoring the rule change argue that more passengers are taking advantage of what could be viewed as a loophole in the system -- and more types of animals are being claimed as an ESA. In recent years, ESA-documented passengers have boarded flights with dogs, cats, rabbits, miniature horses, Capuchin monkeys, snakes and peacocks, among others.

(Excerpt) Read more at upi.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: airtravel; animals; supportanimals
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-84 next last
To: Oldeconomybuyer

emotional support fire ants-

emotional support blister beetles

emotional support gaboon vipers

emotional support rabid bat

emotional support scorpions

emotional support funnel web spiders

emotional support cone snails

emotional support lyme infested ticks

emotional support snapping turtle

emotional support velvet ants

emotional support toe biter

emotional support fire urchin

emotional support rove beetle

emotional support pirhana

emotional support giant asian centepede


61 posted on 01/30/2020 10:15:10 AM PST by Bob434
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SkyDancer

Never mentioned size in this thread...just facetious examples of snakes, bats, etc.

Miniature horse do indeed serve as blind animals.

No idea what the pig is doing so cannot speak to that *however*, many veterans are being helped with myriad issues, using dogs.

They are not technically “service animals”, per se, unless the vet is blind, also, but they serve an honorable purpose.

Other people have balance dogs, seizure alert dogs, diabetes alert dogs, etc and they’re not classified as “service dogs” in the same way as seeing eye dogs.

There is a balance between the ridiculous and the genuinely beneficial.

A line between necessary and just wanted...and I hate to see it being crossed out of hand just to be funny.

Don’t have a dog in this hunt as I have never and will never fly on a plane.

I do, however, know people with PTSD dogs, and not all of them veterans.

Some are little kids who have been physically and/or sexually abused.

The dogs make a world of difference but they are not “service dogs” in the strictest sense of the phrase.

Looking for a bit of balance amongst the absurdity, here.

I do not think I’m asking too much.


62 posted on 01/30/2020 10:21:14 AM PST by Salamander (Living On The Ledge....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: Bob434

A smart solution would be a separate part of the pane for those with animals.


63 posted on 01/30/2020 10:22:17 AM PST by Salamander (Living On The Ledge....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: Salamander
A smart solution would be a separate part of the pane for those with animals.

Cargo? : )

64 posted on 01/30/2020 10:23:51 AM PST by MD Expat in PA (No. I am not a doctor nor have I ever played one on TV. The MD in my screen name stands for Maryland)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: MD Expat in PA

I don’t think blind people would really like the cargo hold.

:D


65 posted on 01/30/2020 10:24:52 AM PST by Salamander (Living On The Ledge....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: MD Expat in PA

Your tagline....LOL


66 posted on 01/30/2020 10:25:44 AM PST by Salamander (Living On The Ledge....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: Salamander

Seeing eye dogs are not phoney “emotional support animals”. I would have and have had no problems seated next to a blind person with their seeing eye dog. You would hardly know the dog was there.


67 posted on 01/30/2020 10:30:27 AM PST by MD Expat in PA (No. I am not a doctor nor have I ever played one on TV. The MD in my screen name stands for Maryland)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: VanDeKoik

Love that scene. :)


68 posted on 01/30/2020 10:34:25 AM PST by Lizavetta
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: Salamander

how the bleepity bleep bleep did people ever fly for decades without support animals?


69 posted on 01/30/2020 10:45:42 AM PST by Bob434
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: JudyinCanada

Same thing with a friend’s daughter - seemingly normal girl gets a puppy, next thing you know it’s flying to Ireland with her as emotional support. What BS. And of course it goes to work with her. You can’t convince me someone caring for a dog at work is as productive as someone without one. It’s not a service dog by any means.


70 posted on 01/30/2020 10:46:00 AM PST by GnuThere
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Governor Dinwiddie

What the hell do you mean? Use the plural!!! It’s emotional support bats!
= = =

It’s the one I use to fly from China to back here.


71 posted on 01/30/2020 10:46:13 AM PST by Scrambler Bob (This is not /s. It is just as viable as any MSM 'information', maybe more so!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Scrambler Bob

How about my emotional support Bat?

I say yes!

But I’m taking the next flight. :)


72 posted on 01/30/2020 10:47:12 AM PST by samtheman (Trump Campaign Ad (hopefully): Look at Virginia. Look at NY. What Democrats do.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Salamander

A smart solution would be a separate part of the pane for those with animals.
= = =

Out on the wing. They can watch each other through the window.

Note I did not say which one was on the wing.


73 posted on 01/30/2020 10:52:54 AM PST by Scrambler Bob (This is not /s. It is just as viable as any MSM 'information', maybe more so!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: cnsmom

:)


74 posted on 01/30/2020 10:57:45 AM PST by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: MD Expat in PA

It was a joke son.


75 posted on 01/30/2020 11:05:54 AM PST by Salamander (Living On The Ledge....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 67 | View Replies]

To: Bob434

Got really drunk?

Just in case any of you ever see ME on an airplane, summon help for surely, I am being abducted.


76 posted on 01/30/2020 11:08:14 AM PST by Salamander (Living On The Ledge....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: GnuThere

The UK has really strict laws about dogs due to keeping rabies out.

How did she even manage that?


77 posted on 01/30/2020 11:09:57 AM PST by Salamander (Living On The Ledge....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 70 | View Replies]

To: Dilbert San Diego
I may be a minority opinion, but, if you are too fragile to get on an airplane without your emotional support peacock, maybe you are too fragile to get on an airplane in the first place to be let out of the insane asylum.

Fixed that for ya! You're welcome!

78 posted on 01/30/2020 11:59:57 AM PST by zeugma (I sure wish I lived in a country where the rule of law actually applied to those in power.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: fieldmarshaldj

Damn! So I can’t bring my emotional support bat on the airline? He’s small, doesn’t slobber much and rarely gets stuck in women’s hair.


79 posted on 01/30/2020 12:02:14 PM PST by Malsua
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Salamander

Not sure what was required.


80 posted on 01/30/2020 12:24:05 PM PST by GnuThere
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 77 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-84 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson