Originally Posted by
codfather
My personal opinion is that animals should not be allowed in the cabin ... period. But unfortunately, AC does not fully agree with this viewpoint.
My personal opinion is that most domestic animals should be allowed in the cabin and that customers should be able to purchase a seat for their companion animal.
It is understandable that there is a 1 passenger 1 companion animal rule as the same conditions apply to that passenger as a person who wishes to travel with multiple infants or multiple incapacitated passengers. In the event of an evacuation, it is difficult if not impossible to safely evacuate multiple dependents.
Should an animal in the cabin present a medical risk to a passenger, the passenger should not be traveling. The reason is that a person who has a companion animal at home and who is in proximity to the passenger with the medical condition, presents a greater risk than an animal located several rows away. The passenger with the medical condition has no way of knowing if the adjacent passenger is covered in dander and animal proteins. The at risk passenger could have a medical episode inflight. Therefore, such a passenger should not travel unless that passenger is able to manage such a condition.