Exec_Plat

I find it interesting that my 20 lb computer bag or wifes 8 lb purse are 'dangerous projectiles' when sitting on the floor of a bulkhead, yet an 80lb dog is AOK.

Just another example of airplane nonsense, IMO. Like electronic devices being dangerous on planes, depending on the airline you are on....now resolved.


BTW, I love dogs. Years ago I took a dog on a trip...my wife and I could hear her in the hold yelping and whimpering, which caused my wife sitting in F to sob. Never again. But I would never play the 'support dog' game.

The system is being abused, and will ruin it for those with true needs. Simple as that. There are people that truly need it, and are outraged to be challenged- but within the system there are narcissistic AHs that dont mind being declared emotionally disabled so their dog can travel with them.

Oh, I was on a flight out of DFW that was delayed...an arriving pax had an Afghan Hound that took a dump on the jetbridge. Nice.

Anyone listen to adam carolla rant on this?

Ready2Go

Oh, just Google "emotional support animal letter." There are hundreds of them, and most will do their "evaluation" over the phone or by way of an online fillable form. For some, this appears to be their entire practice. It's very easy money.

BStrauss3

From https://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInform...iceAnimals.jsp

lizs

I know multiple people who have claimed anxiety to doctors so they can bring their dog on the plane with them and not keep it in a carrier. It's a disgrace and incredibly rude and insensitive to those who actually need one.

pssteve

Wonder if an 80 lb dog would have impacted the evacuation of that plane which landed in the Hudson a few years back?

krlcomm

This is the most ridiculously easy letter to obtain and everything can be done 100% online, the "Travel Plan" costs $149... check this site out and there are many, many more just like it:http://thedogtor.net/

twtrvl

Abuse of the laws on support animals and service animals is rampant.

"According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, it’s a federal crime to use a fake service animal to take advantage of privileges reserved for those who genuinely need the assistance of such pets." ---

http://business.time.com/2013/10/12/...o-be-disabled/

.
"Technically, it’s a federal crime to walk around with a pet impersonating a service animal, but a hard one to enforce." --- http://consumerist.com/2013/10/10/fa...store-carpets/


http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/...rowing-problem

http://www.sfweekly.com/sanfrancisco...nt?oid=2172980

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2014/01/1...owing-problem/


http://www.kpbs.org/news/2013/dec/19...ise-san-diego/

http://www.petsadviser.com/service-a...ice-dog-fraud/

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/...service-animal


Then there are the passengers who need so much emotional support that they must have multiple (three in this case) "emotional support animals." ---

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politic...e-dot.html.csp

Airlines must start enforcing the requirements for valid and timely documentation.

Prosecuting a few of the fraudsters would help put a halt to all these fake ESAs, etc, as well.

ericgdukie44

A few problems with these brilliant ideas:

1. Discriminating against actually disabled people is a terrible thing to do, we should err on the side of not embarrassing them or singling them out.

2. Many "regular" looking people have serious and legitimate medical reasons for traveling with an animal. Even if they treat them like pets, it's usually because they've come to love their companion. After all, they spend all their time together.

3. The law simply says a "credible" verbal response is enough to allow a service animal to travel. Do we really want to force blind people to carry documentation with them for their animal?

Instead of concerning yourself with all the abuse, try to look at all the good that comes from the legitimate service animals, and just accept that we have to take the bad with the good. As someone who is closely involved with guide dogs and their work, I must say it is truly amazing the difference a service or support animal makes in the life of a disabled person. If that means some other people get to game the system and travel with their pets, it's a small price to pay for enormous good.

twtrvl

No one suggested discrimination.

There are different laws for service animals and emotional support/psychiatric-service animals. AA requires arrangements for ESAs be made at least 48 hours in advance, with the reservations department. AA also requires valid, verifiable documentation for the ESA be faxed or emailed.



Why settle for accepting abuse/bad/illegal, along with the good, when much of it can be avoided.

C17PSGR

I know less about the ACA compared to the ADA. Under the ADA, for example, a facility (library, restaurant, etc.) may only ask two questions: (1) is this a service animal and (2) what work has the dog been trained to perform. They are not permitted to ask for certifications or documentation to confirm these questions. I presume the ACA is fairly similar.

Ready2Go

They are definitely allowed to ask for documentation on emotional support animals (which is of course not to say that such documentation isn't absurdly easy to come by):

"With respect to an animal used for emotional support (which need not have specific training for that function), airline personnel may require current documentation (i.e., not more than one year old) on letterhead from a mental health professional stating (1) that the passenger has a mental health-related disability; (2) that having the animal accompany the passenger is necessary to the passenger’s mental health or treatment or to assist the passenger (with his or her disability); and (3) that the individual providing the assessment of the passenger is a licensed mental health professional and the passenger is under his or her professional care. Airline personnel may require this documentation as a condition of permitting the animal to accompany the passenger in the cabin. The purpose of this provision is to prevent abuse by passengers that do not have a medical need for an emotional support animal and to ensure that passengers who have a legitimate need for emotional support animals are permitted to travel with their service animals on the aircraft. Airlines are not permitted to require the documentation to specify the type of mental health disability, e.g., panic attacks."

Source: Guidance Concerning Service Animals In Air Transportation

Always Flyin

But they are not allowed to ask for documentation for service animals.

Two different categories.

C17PSGR

And ... if the person says its a service dog, they have to take the passengers word for it. So ... the distinction between the two is really meaningless.

twtrvl

There are significant differences.

No need to presume. Here are links to read the ACAA itself and gov't info about it:



http://airconsumer.dot.gov/rules/382short.pdf

http://search.usa.gov/search?query=a...ffiliate=usdot

http://www.disability.gov/resource/f...cess-act-acaa/


AA rules:

http://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInforma...iceAnimals.jsp

Ldcorrado

In addition to assisting the blind, providing emotional support and companion to psychological conditions; Dogs are now trained to smell either spikes or drops in blood sugar to diabetics, alert when a seizure is coming on and a number of other amazing things.
Did the person look like a diabetic? No.....diabetics don't look any different.
Did the person look like an epileptic? No......epileptics don't look any different.
Since you were sitting next to this person for a flight that was long enough for your allergies to trigger, why didn't you ask him? Maybe it would have raised your awareness instead of your anger.
My son has High functioning autism and I would love to have had our golden retriever trained as a companion dog and bring him places but my husband wouldn't let me because he didn't want to deal with people who didn't understand's reactions.