Alaska Airlines Tightens Regulations on Emotional Support Animals

Alaska Airlines is joining Delta Air Lines and United Airlines on increasing standards for support animals. Starting May 1, 2018, flyers must provide additional evidence prior to departure, including an animal behavior form and health advisory form.

Alaska Airlines is rolling out new regulations for emotional support animals, requiring flyers to provide more information about their companions prior to departure. In a press release, the Seattle-based carrier rolled out the new rules, which will go into effect on May 1, 2018.

Flyers will be required to submit three forms to the airline 48 hours in advance of their flight. Required information includes an animal health advisory form which must be completed by a veterinarian, a mental health form signed by a doctor or mental health professional, and an animal behavior form which requires owners to certify their animals have been trained to act appropriately in public settings.

In a FlyerTalk investigation into airline emotional service animal regulations, both psychiatrists and veterinarians agreed that carriers are too loose with emotional support animal rules and called for sweeping changes to how and when to allow emotional support animals in the cabin.

“Alaska is committed to providing accessible services to guests with disabilities and ensuring a safe environment for all flyers,” Ray Prentice, Alaska Airlines’ director of customer advocacy, said in the press release. “We are making these changes now based on a number of recent incidents where the inappropriate behavior of emotional support animals has impacted and even injured our employees, other guests and service animals.”

According to Alaska, nearly 150 emotional support animals fly aboard their aircraft daily. The rules were drafted in consultation with disability advocacy groups and the airline’s advisory board and will not be applied to traditional service animals. Those who fail to complete the required paperwork prior to travel will have the option of storing their pets in either the cabin or the temperature-controlled cargo cabin under current pet travel rules.

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