Have comfort animals gone too far?
Feb 16, 2017, 6:23 am
#91
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 921
When you step ahead of everyone in the Southwest line, make sure you shout out that your disability is you sneeze due to allergies.
Feb 16, 2017, 6:57 am
#92
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
I realize that ADA doesn't apply to air travel, but severe allergies are absolutely a disability under ADA.
Yes. In both the ADA and Section 504, a person with a disability is someone who has a physical or mental impairment that seriously limits one or more major life activities, or who is regarded as having such impairments. Asthma and allergies are usually considered disabilities under the ADA
Feb 17, 2017, 6:10 am
#93
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 921
What a completely ignorant statement.
I realize that ADA doesn't apply to air travel, but severe allergies are absolutely a disability under ADA.
http://www.aafa.org/page/asthma-alle...ities-act.aspx
I realize that ADA doesn't apply to air travel, but severe allergies are absolutely a disability under ADA.
http://www.aafa.org/page/asthma-alle...ities-act.aspx
Feb 19, 2017, 10:55 am
#95
was jgoggan
Join Date: Jan 2012
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To note it, the other person's issue does NOT have to be considered a disability when determining if it is an "undue hardship" or "reasonable accommodation."
In other words, yes, you certainly may be able to ask the disabled person with the Service or Emotional Support Animal to move to a different seat if the animal could not be reasonably accommodated in the normal seat due to a problem from someone nearby (such as a severe allergy or fear of dogs that does NOT have to be officially classified as a disability to still be considered when it comes to "undue hardship" or "reasonable accommodation").
So, yes, the airline needs to make reasonable accommodations for the animal and will do so. But that might involve moving the person -- or the people nearby -- to other seats when necessary.
- John...
In other words, yes, you certainly may be able to ask the disabled person with the Service or Emotional Support Animal to move to a different seat if the animal could not be reasonably accommodated in the normal seat due to a problem from someone nearby (such as a severe allergy or fear of dogs that does NOT have to be officially classified as a disability to still be considered when it comes to "undue hardship" or "reasonable accommodation").
So, yes, the airline needs to make reasonable accommodations for the animal and will do so. But that might involve moving the person -- or the people nearby -- to other seats when necessary.
- John...
Feb 19, 2017, 9:08 pm
#97
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Now I kind of want a comfort duck...
But really, the airlines are fully to blame for the abuse of this. If they made the in-cabin pet fees even close to reasonable, people wouldn't be so actively trying to circumvent the rules. Paying between $190-$250 round trip for my 15 pound dog to take up exactly the same space, and replacing the carry-on I'm already allowed, is tough to swallow. It's an offensive fee, that has no relation to any real cost for the airline (of course, that's true of many of the stupid airline fees).
I pay the fee for my dog, because that's the type of person I am, but I actually don't really blame others for telling the airlines to F off with their stupid charges.
But really, the airlines are fully to blame for the abuse of this. If they made the in-cabin pet fees even close to reasonable, people wouldn't be so actively trying to circumvent the rules. Paying between $190-$250 round trip for my 15 pound dog to take up exactly the same space, and replacing the carry-on I'm already allowed, is tough to swallow. It's an offensive fee, that has no relation to any real cost for the airline (of course, that's true of many of the stupid airline fees).
I pay the fee for my dog, because that's the type of person I am, but I actually don't really blame others for telling the airlines to F off with their stupid charges.
What REALLY pisses me off is the airlines that say that the pet counts as your carryon. Fortunately the few times I've flown with a cat the gate agent hasn't said anything about me having a rollerbag with the cat. I don't understand how an airline can justify charging an absurd fee and then saying the pet is your carryon when the pet is going on the seat in front of you. The pet isn't taking up bin space. When someone is travelling with a pet the last thing they want to do is wait for their carryon and if the flight is delayed or cancelled and I am flying with a pet I want to get on the first flight that will get me home and it's a lot easier to get on another flight if you don't have a checked bag.
Feb 19, 2017, 9:40 pm
#98
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Yes, they've gone too far. I have also had a negative experience with someone's cat. The cat (next to me) was shredding and shrieking the entire flight and the cat owner put the carrier in her lap so that she could stroke the cat's fur, which just exacerbated the situation. I think the airlines need to have the same kind of consideration for animal allergies that they do for food allergies. The flight attendants (I was on United) were of no help whatsoever.
On Delta I have had three occasions where someone has complained about my cat and the FA offered to help in all three.
One time my upgrade didn't clear and it was before the days of C+ and I offered to move if it was an aisle to another aisle and my seat mate must of truly had allergies because she said she was fine moving to another middle seat. The flight was full and there was a NRSA sitting further ahead in the plane that took a misconnects seat and she had him switch with me. Worked out great, she didn't have to sit next to a cat and I was off the plane faster (which is nice if you are travelling with a pet).
The other two times were in first class. One time was a long flight and I used a SWU and my seat mate was a complimentary upgrade. FA said I was on a paid upgrade I could keep my seat and told my seat mate she would be happy to find out who the next person was on the upgrade list and have them switch seats. Suddenly my seat mate was able to tolerate a cat next to her on a long SFO/DTW flight even though she was demanding I be moved due to her severe allergies a few minutes earlier
The other time was a complimentary upgrade and the FA told the passenger there were empty seats in coach and it was a pretty empty flight but F was full and she even offered him an exit row seat or entire row towards the back so he could be as far away from the cat as possible. He wanted her to make me move but since I was a higher status she said my upgrade took priority. Again he was suddenly able to tolerate a cat next to him.
Feb 19, 2017, 10:23 pm
#99
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
[QUOTE=jamesteroh;27932143]It would be pretty easy on Southwest to accommodate people with allergies. Just allow people with pets to preboard. They are already paying an absurd fee so that would help soften the blow of that fee being able to precheck and if the GA enforces the rule of no carryon they won't be taking bin space and they can't sit in an exit row or bulkhead so they wouldn't be taking up a coveted seat. If someone boards with a pet allergy they can avoid people with a pet and if someone has boarded before them with a disability I'm sure the pet owner won't mind sitting a few seats back.[QUOTE]
1. There is no fee for a "comfort animal".
2. If the flight is full or nearly full, there may not be alternate seats availible.
3. We were not talking about "pets".
4. Allowing people with "pets" and "allergies" to pre board would not resolve all issues with through pasengers or late boarding passengers.
5. Passengers with actual pets recieve no special accomidtion.
1. There is no fee for a "comfort animal".
2. If the flight is full or nearly full, there may not be alternate seats availible.
3. We were not talking about "pets".
4. Allowing people with "pets" and "allergies" to pre board would not resolve all issues with through pasengers or late boarding passengers.
5. Passengers with actual pets recieve no special accomidtion.
Feb 20, 2017, 9:46 am
#100
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[QUOTE=rsteinmetz70112;27932214][QUOTE=jamesteroh;27932143]It would be pretty easy on Southwest to accommodate people with allergies. Just allow people with pets to preboard. They are already paying an absurd fee so that would help soften the blow of that fee being able to precheck and if the GA enforces the rule of no carryon they won't be taking bin space and they can't sit in an exit row or bulkhead so they wouldn't be taking up a coveted seat. If someone boards with a pet allergy they can avoid people with a pet and if someone has boarded before them with a disability I'm sure the pet owner won't mind sitting a few seats back.
1. There is no fee for a "comfort animal".
2. If the flight is full or nearly full, there may not be alternate seats availible.
3. We were not talking about "pets".
4. Allowing people with "pets" and "allergies" to pre board would not resolve all issues with through pasengers or late boarding passengers.
5. Passengers with actual pets recieve no special accomidtion.
People with allergies are going to have the same issue regardless of if the animal is a service/emotional support animal or in my case a pet where the fee was paid. I know allowing people with animals to preboard won't solve all the problems (such as a late connection or someone with a pet that just doesn't get to the gate early and you could also have someone with a high c boarding pass with allergies and the only seat available is by someone with a pet), but I think my suggestion would help quite a bit with someone with pet allergies getting stuck to a pet.
People should also keep their cats in the carrier the entire flight unless they ask the seat mate if they have an issue with the cat coming out. I'll allow my cat to peek his head out of the carrier mid-flight and give him a few treats if he isn't sleeping but I'll never remove him unless I know my seat mate is fine with it and even then it's only for a few minutes. Fortunately most of my seat mates I've had like cats and the last time I flew with my cat was coming home from a pet show and the guy next to me was asking all kinds of questions about the breed (I have a Burmese) and wanted the name of the breeder and never knew a cat could be so friendly.
1. There is no fee for a "comfort animal".
2. If the flight is full or nearly full, there may not be alternate seats availible.
3. We were not talking about "pets".
4. Allowing people with "pets" and "allergies" to pre board would not resolve all issues with through pasengers or late boarding passengers.
5. Passengers with actual pets recieve no special accomidtion.
People should also keep their cats in the carrier the entire flight unless they ask the seat mate if they have an issue with the cat coming out. I'll allow my cat to peek his head out of the carrier mid-flight and give him a few treats if he isn't sleeping but I'll never remove him unless I know my seat mate is fine with it and even then it's only for a few minutes. Fortunately most of my seat mates I've had like cats and the last time I flew with my cat was coming home from a pet show and the guy next to me was asking all kinds of questions about the breed (I have a Burmese) and wanted the name of the breeder and never knew a cat could be so friendly.
Feb 20, 2017, 6:16 pm
#101
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
The Pet Fee exists purely as a deterrent. It costs noting for Southwest to accept a pet, and they provide zero services in exchange for the fee. It's designed specifically to keep people from bringing a pet on board. While abuse of the Emotional Support Animal policy is increasing, Southwest's hands are tied as to any limitation of the numbers of pax doing so. Lowering the Pet fee could possibly have the result of moving those pax from ESA to Pet, but since Southwest will allow up to 12 Pets (6 carriers, max 2 pets each) per flight, I'm not sure the net result would be all that meaningful.
Additionally, ESAs receive a number of perks that Pets do not, including not having to travel in a carrier, and acceptance on international flights (except Jamaica), further adding to the perceived desirability.
Additionally, ESAs receive a number of perks that Pets do not, including not having to travel in a carrier, and acceptance on international flights (except Jamaica), further adding to the perceived desirability.
Last edited by ursine1; Feb 20, 2017 at 6:31 pm
Feb 20, 2017, 9:09 pm
#102
Original Poster
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If somebody really needs a support animal to fly, I would feel very uncomfortable flying on the same plane with them if they did not have their support animal. In fact, it seems to me the airline would be subject to some liability if they allowed a person so diagnosed to fly without their medically necessary animal.
Hence, I feel all airlines should be required to keep a unified confidential list of such passengers and deny ticketing to them on any future flight unless they provide a note from a licensed health care professional attesting to their improved/cured mental condition and fitness for solo flying.
This would protect everybody.
Hence, I feel all airlines should be required to keep a unified confidential list of such passengers and deny ticketing to them on any future flight unless they provide a note from a licensed health care professional attesting to their improved/cured mental condition and fitness for solo flying.
This would protect everybody.
Feb 21, 2017, 12:10 am
#103
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
If somebody really needs a support animal to fly, I would feel very uncomfortable flying on the same plane with them if they did not have their support animal. In fact, it seems to me the airline would be subject to some liability if they allowed a person so diagnosed to fly without their medically necessary animal.
Hence, I feel all airlines should be required to keep a unified confidential list of such passengers and deny ticketing to them on any future flight unless they provide a note from a licensed health care professional attesting to their improved/cured mental condition and fitness for solo flying.
This would protect everybody.
Hence, I feel all airlines should be required to keep a unified confidential list of such passengers and deny ticketing to them on any future flight unless they provide a note from a licensed health care professional attesting to their improved/cured mental condition and fitness for solo flying.
This would protect everybody.
Traveling with Animals
Getting documentation, unfortunately, is very easy for anyone who may or may not qualify, but pays a small fee online (less than paying the Southwest pet fee once).
Feb 21, 2017, 12:23 am
#104
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Hence, I feel all airlines should be required to keep a unified confidential list of such passengers and deny ticketing to them on any future flight unless they provide a note from a licensed health care professional attesting to their improved/cured mental condition and fitness for solo flying.
