Originally Posted by
justhere
Mom/Dad/Uncle John - how dare you die on a moment's notice? How am I supposed to plan in advance when you go and drop dead without warning.
You can get a passport in a day or two if needed but as you don't need one for a domestic flight, that shouldn't have any bearing on traveling domestically with a service (or ESA) animal. Two different things, two different regulations.
And last minute travel shouldn't mean you don't have to comply with the rules to justify the animal. If the only thing you cannot comply with is the 48 hours notice, do you really want to be the airline that denies travel for that reason and tried in the court of public opinion because someone didn't get to see their dying mother? I would imagine DL has some sort of process should last minute travel be needed. If I'm wrong, I'm sure it won't be long before that court convenes.
1. I am sure there are people in the DL hierarchy who can make an exception to the policy.
2. The law only requires a reasonable accomodation to people with legitimate disabilities. The notion that a 48 hour requirement would be considered unreasonable given both the fact that there has abuse of the ESA loophole and given the dangers of transporting uncrated animals in the cabin, seems highly unlikely to me.
3. DL's lawyers have vetted this policy.