FWAAA

According to the FAA, the location of the animal really doesn't matter when it comes to allergies:


Casts some doubt on claims that crated animals don't trigger allergic reactions and that non-crated animals do trigger them.

skywalkerLAX

Some might say they need an emotional support animal after having an emotional support wife

trilinearmipmap

Not sure why the dog owner's mental health needs are more important than the OP's allergy problem.

No doubt if any given "mental health professional" refuses to document the need for a so-called "emotional support animal", he gets fired and the next "mental health professional" will write the required letter. Hardly objective when the person documenting the "health need" is in the employ of the person with the imaginary health need.

I am not a dog lover. Even if I were I would not want dogs loose in an airline cabin where they can crap all over the place, bark, bite people, and generally annoy the traveling public.

PTravel

Very interesting question. Mrs. PTravel has a severe phobia of cats. When we're outdoors, we have to cross the street if she spots one, and she'll never visit the homes of any of our friends who have cats unless she has assurances at the door (while standing behind me) that the cat is locked up securely in a bedroom.

I'm sure our doctor would write a letter certifying that Mrs. PTravel's mental health needs require that she fly in a cat-free cabin.

So who wins?

dayone

Thank you, doctor.

Fraser

There is a picture of the horse.
Riding in F.
In what looks like the 757 seat on AA.

skylady

Whoever makes the reservation first wins.

PTravel

That would be fair, but I really wonder what happens. Next time my wife sees our doctor, I'll ask her to get a letter from him.

kiwicanuck

The person who requires the animal would win, as refusing the disabled person to fly would be descrimination under the ADA

The person who requires the abscence of the animal is not covered by the ADA, and hence would be reacommodated on the next flight if they are unable to travel in the cabin with the service animal

lili

I know it's only one case, but ....
http://www.10news.com/news/744925/detail.html

This man brought his support dog to work in our office, demanded an enormously oversized chair to accommodate his oversized body, claimed the dog prevented his panic attacks, and was eventually let go due to non-performance of duties. (He was hired as a reporter, but he never wrote anything. And apparently had never heard of Xanax.) He sued the local library for 1.5 million, called in a bomb threat to our newspaper causing evacuation of the building for four hours, and eventually disappeared after suing the newspaper for failure to meet his ADA needs. The hugely expensive desk chair is still held by HR for the ensuing court case.

I know he isn't representative of people who truly have emotional issues, but he used his mental issues in an abusive way and took advantage of California law bringing our HR group and his workgroup to a standstill for 6-9 months.

I'm still wondering who actually hired him (it was just prior to my time). Google <name deleted>.

If you have emotional issues and need a dog for companionship perhaps you need to tailor your life to your emotional needs. Sort of like I'm small, old, and have a compromised arm so I have to check what would be a carryon bag lest some 20-yr old FTer would be pressed into hoisting my 20 lb bag into the overhead.

Life isn't perfect, and laws don't necessarily make things better. That said, it might be fun to travel TATL with a small puppy in case the movies are truly boring.

PTravel

First of all, the ADA doesn't apply to commercial airlines. However, why should the person with the animal win? My wife would then be denied carriage because of her disability. And is there really such a thing as an emotional support cat? Sounds like an oxymoron.

Again, it's the ACAA, not the ADA that applies to commercial airlines. However, you are wrong -- airlines are required to make reasonable accommodations necessary to transport a disabled person safely.

Sorry, but you're both legally and logically incorrect.

sfoeuroflyer

Given the choice between a large segment of the population and any dog I can think of, I take the dog.

If you are that sensitive, stay at home.

Let's go over the reasons why you should worry more about people than dogs: 1. Diseases don't pass from dogs, but a person with the flu next to you will infect you; 2. Dogs generally are not obnoxious; 3. Dogs don't scream in the cabin as I have seen some pax, causing the captain to go back to the gate; 4. They don't cry all flight long like little kids; 5. They don't run in the aisles like little kids.

So on average, I see far more problems with many pax than dogs.

In the US we are unreasonable when it comes to dog restrictions. I have been in some of the finest restaurants in Europe where people bring their dogs. How civilized. One three star Michelin, even brought out a water dish for the pup and a couple of snacks. No one minded. No one even asked for confirmation that it was an emotional support dog.

So get over it.

skylady

This is close to the peanut allergy. AA does not claim to be peanut free, or dander free. I have been around plenty of perfume wearers that have made mide sinuses go crazy, but am not entitled to any restitution.

kiwicanuck

I am not a lawyer and in my haste to post I forgot it was the ACAA and therefore happily defer to your legal opinnion.

However the only question I would pose is whether your wifes disability is recognized under the relevant statute as a disability. It is very clear that the need/rights for people requiring service animals are recognized, I have never heard of a persons phobia being recognized so as to require reasonable accomdations.

I see this situation being somewhat similar to a person with a nut allergy, where the person with the allergy will be reacommodated if they are unable to travel in the provided environment.

However, back to the OP point, it does seem that the people and emotional support animals were pulling a fast one, and abusing the legal rights granted to people who have a genuine need.

PTravel

Phobia is, I believe, a listed condition in the DSM4 (or is it DMS? I don't recall). It is certainly as valid a condition as anxiety.

Most airlines will eliminate a nut service in such situation, and will also make an announcement. I don't see why my wife should be reaccommodated and the person with the emotional support cat shouldn't. Both have recognized conditions. However, the difference is that the emotional support cat person is asking for special dispensation to bring something into the cabin that would not normally be permitted, whereas my wife is asking for nothing more than the usual rules and regulations, i.e. if you bring on a cat, it's in a cage and you don't take it out.

Definitely. Did you read the linked thread about the emotional support dog that was completely untrained and caused havoc on an international flight?