Emotional support animal crackdown

[Mattg]

Delta is cracking down on emotional support animals on its flights. Animal owners will soon be required to prove the animal is not dangerous and that it is actually required.

I understand that US laws require airlines to accept passengers' service animals, but it looks like the system is pretty open to abuse.

I have no issue with guide dogs etc. on planes, but I've heard some ridiculous stories about emotional support pigs and turkeys flying around on US carriers...

The day of the service duck and emotional support chicken on airlines may be drawing to a close.

Delta Air Lines Inc. said Friday it will more thoroughly vet passengers’ efforts to fly with all manner of unusual animals, which often board U.S. airlines under the guise of psychological or medical support.

“Customers have attempted to fly with comfort turkeys, gliding possums known as sugar gliders, snakes, spiders and more,” the airline said Friday in a news release. “Ignoring the true intent of existing rules governing the transport of service and support animals can be a disservice to customers who have real and documented needs.”

As of March 1, Delta customers traveling with a service or support animal must show proof of the animal’s health or vaccinations 48 hours before a flight. Besides the current letter signed by a doctor or licensed mental health worker—which can be easily obtained on the internet—those with psychiatric service or emotional support animals must sign a form to attest that the animal can behave.

“These measures are intended to help ensure that those customers traveling with a trained service or support animal will no longer be at risk of untrained pets attacking their working animal,” Delta said.

Delta flies about 700 service animals per day—a 150 percent increase since 2015. The Atlanta-based company said reported “animal incidents” have increased 84 percent since 2016, including on-board problems with urine, feces and aggressive behavior. In June, an Alabama man was taken to an Atlanta hospital with facial wounds after a dog lunged at him on a California-bound Delta 737. A police report said the dog was issued to a U.S. Marine for support.

Your Emotional Support Duck Is Not Welcome in Seat 15C

 

[Quickstatus]

Unfortunately for the US airlines, the “cat is out of the bag”. Much like the screeching at the tennis.

I don’t think anything meaningful can be done now. Proposed changes over at DL are just tinkering around the edges

 

[Franky]

Unfortunately for the US airlines, the “cat is out of the bag”. Much like the screeching at the tennis.

I don’t think anything meaningful can be done now. Proposed changes over at DL are just tinkering around the edges

Probably the same with wheelchair abuse..

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Unfortunately for the US airlines, the “cat is out of the bag”. Much like the screeching at the tennis.

I don’t think anything meaningful can be done now. Proposed changes over at DL are just tinkering around the edges

I'd prefer they made a priority the screeching at the tennis.

 

[drron]

The problem in the US is the system is rorted.You can go online and get your animal a certificate as an Emotional support animal without any examination of the person or animal.The proces is one that should be regulated and certification must be genuine.
The funniest incident I have seen was a fellow trying to access a DFW Admiral
s Club with his emotional support pig.When he was denied entry he acted in a typical US way saying he was going to sue and support animals are allowed to fly by law.
The agent was a gem saying -yes your pig can fly but an Admiral's Club is a private club which has never been known to fly.A private club under the legislation can refuse the right of entry of a pig.
Right in many ways.

 

[Denali]

There was a guy on a SFO flight that had a egg tray on his lap the entire flight.

Emotional support chicken eggs?

 

[trooper]

.I like the affirmation the pax has to sign attesting to the training/behaviour of the animal.... presumably that makes the PAX responsible!
The very fact that someextra "hoop jumping" is now required MAY (hopeful ain't I?) eliminate SOME of the problem.....genuine folks will make the effort.....

 

[Quickstatus]

And of course...
Weirdest carry-on luggage ever? 'Saudi prince' books plane tickets for 80 hawks

 

[Strategic Aviation]

A private club under the legislation can refuse the right of entry of a pig.

On a tangent (unrelated to when pigs fly), there's some interesting history to US airline lounges and exclusivity.

US Airlines Didn't Always Charge for Lounge Access. Why the US Approach Has Diverged from Europe and Asia - View from the Wing

Designed primarily for business travelers, the clubs date from the 1930's, one of the first being American Airlines' Admirals Club, founded in 1938. The clubs remained relatively exclusive until the mid-70's when, after a series of anti-discrimination cases, the Civil Aeronautics Board issued rules governing them.

In an order dated Feb. 12, 1974, the board decreed that the carriers had the choice of opening the clubs to all people, or of opening them to all passengers or all passengers traveling in a particular class, such as first class, or of opening them to members of a club, provided that anyone who requested membership in the club and paid the membership fee, if any, could join. Certain exceptions were permitted: The lounges could be used by handicapped, elderly, ill or delayed passengers who were not club members and by eminent people and public figures whose appearance in a main waiting area might create a disturbance or by groups needing an assembly point.

 

[Hvr]

There was a guy on a SFO flight that had a egg tray on his lap the entire flight.

Emotional support chicken eggs?

Sounds like a bad yolk.

 

[cove]

Don’t think I will get a miniature pig now as my support animal. Our friends miniature pig has grown and grown.i think he may be 300 kgs now and really loves food.

 

[Hvr]

Don’t think I will get a miniature pig now as my support animal. Our friends miniature pig has grown and grown.i think he may be 300 kgs now and really loves food.

And it was a result of people abusing these policies by taking a pig on a plane that has lead to the current crackdown.

A classic case of you reap what you sow. I imagine the flying owner may have also been a bore.

 

[Strategic Aviation]

Was Australia Day swapped with April Fools Day?

Angry Birds – service animal rules to tighten as in-flight Penguin battle forces aircraft to divert – Blue Swan Daily

 

[drron]

Was Australia Day swapped with April Fools Day?

Angry Birds – service animal rules to tighten as in-flight Penguin battle forces aircraft to divert – Blue Swan Daily

The rare arctic penguin?
And I have never flown a Truck 33.
It does sound like an April 1 article mistakenly released early.

 

[Strategic Aviation]

It's definitely a satirical bit, but has a weird combination of humour ("the real identity of the two penguins is protected by the ancient glacial snow drift agreement of 1857"), intentional or unintentional errors (Nambian capital Windsoeck), made up stuff (Chinese built Truck-33) and real stuff (Greenland capital Nuuk, also Daniel Turducken Stinkerbutt and Hamlet the support pig).

 

[Denali]

Passenger Shaming posted a photo from yesterday, emotional support Peacock was denied boarding.

 

[astrosly]

Passenger Shaming posted a photo from yesterday, emotional support Peacock was denied boarding.

Story in SMH Traveller: Passenger attempts to take peacock on flight for 'emotional support'

 

[Hvr]

Passenger Shaming posted a photo from yesterday, emotional support Peacock was denied boarding.

Story in SMH Traveller: Passenger attempts to take peacock on flight for 'emotional support'

Obviously there's a big tale here.

 

[Quickstatus]

Peacock = metaphor for DYKWIA

 

[AisleSeat]

Student tried to take an emotional support hamster on Spirit Air and had to flush it at the airport as they denied it boarding.
Bad info from Spirit Air led me to flush pet hamster down airport toilet, student says