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Service Animal Fiasco
Was on a WN flight this week. Lady in row 1 had a small dog in a small duffel bag made for carrying small animals. Was allowed to keep the dog in the bag during take off/landing, on the floor in front of her feet (bulkhead).
On the next flight, new crew told her she could not have bag during to/landing, so after bringing in a supervisor, she was made to hold the dog on her lap for take-off, then could put it back in the bag until landing. all because it is against FAA rules to have any kind of bag out during take off? this bag was just a thin layer of material, nothing hard or sharp about it. delayed our flight about 15 minutes for that argument! |
:::biting my tongue about the legitimacy of most lap-sized dogs being "service animals":::
...and even if this little dog is truly a service animal, or comfort animal, how much help is it to the owner if it stays in its little bag for the entire flight, anyway? It makes much more sense for the dog to be out so it can "help", whether it is alerting the owner to an impending seizure or offering comfort. I think the flight attendant on the second flight was right, as there are not supposed to be *any* bags on the bulkhead row floor during takeoff or landing. In contrast, people who travel with "pets" are not generally permitted to sit in exit or bulkhead rows, because of traffic flow and carry-on stowing regulations. I have to wonder if this lady was just trying to fly with her pet for free and sit in a bulkhead row, to boot. |
Originally Posted by doctall41
(Post 16954264)
Was on a WN flight this week. Lady in row 1 had a small dog in a small duffel bag made for carrying small animals. Was allowed to keep the dog in the bag during take off/landing, on the floor in front of her feet (bulkhead).
On the next flight, new crew told her she could not have bag during to/landing, so after bringing in a supervisor, she was made to hold the dog on her lap for take-off, then could put it back in the bag until landing. all because it is against FAA rules to have any kind of bag out during take off? this bag was just a thin layer of material, nothing hard or sharp about it. delayed our flight about 15 minutes for that argument! Was travelling with my dad and his 2 Emotional Support Pug's, and the FA told us they had to be on the floor and were not allowed on are laps. After pointing out that they needed to be in the lap in order effectively do there job he went away, though he did come back about 15 minutes later and stated with all seriousness "I have read the manual, and it says you can only have Monkey's in your lap, but I have a call into Atlanta for clarification" he was never seen again. |
If it was in a small duffel bag, then it most likely was not a service animal. As such, she should not have been seated in the bulkhead as the animal and its container need to fit under the seat in front of her for takeoff and landing. A service animal would not.
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Originally Posted by geeprice
(Post 16954530)
"I have read the manual, and it says you can only have Monkey's in your lap, but I have a call into Atlanta for clarification".
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Originally Posted by ND Sol
(Post 16954542)
If it was in a small duffel bag, then it most likely was not a service animal. As such, she should not have been seated in the bulkhead as the animal and its container need to fit under the seat in front of her for takeoff and landing. A service animal would not.
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Cats and small dogs are permitted in the cabin.
http://www.southwest.com/html/travel...index-pol.html |
Originally Posted by eturowski
(Post 16954717)
Cats and small dogs are permitted in the cabin.
http://www.southwest.com/html/travel...index-pol.html |
Originally Posted by geeprice
(Post 16954530)
...and his 2 Emotional Support Pug's...
"Emotional support"? If you are that emotionally fragile, stay home. And he needed TWO? Yeah, those aren't pets.... |
Originally Posted by Always Flyin
(Post 16954839)
Give me a break. This crap has to be stopped.
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Originally Posted by Always Flyin
(Post 16954839)
Give me a break. This crap has to be stopped.
"Emotional support"? If you are that emotionally fragile, stay home. And he needed TWO? Yeah, those aren't pets.... |
Originally Posted by Ari
(Post 16954861)
If you feel that way, then lobby Congress to change the law or the FAA to modify the correspondig CFR (I don't recall the exact interplay of the ACAA and the FAA's CFR with respect to ESAs).
14 CFR Part 382 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. |
Originally Posted by Always Flyin
(Post 16955018)
I don't need to. It already exists:
14 CFR Part 382 TWO animals for emotional support? That is not in the regs and is a clear sign the animals are pets. In the hold they go and I hope the passenger is placed in a middle seat in the last row of the plane. My emotional support need is only fulfilled by an albino pygmy three toed sloth and a bottle of Xanax with me on each and every flight. Also, my sloth can only support my fragile emotional condition whilst in F. |
Originally Posted by Always Flyin
(Post 16955018)
I don't need to. It already exists:
14 CFR Part 382 TWO animals for emotional support? That is not in the regs and is a clear sign the animals are pets. In the hold they go and I hope the passenger is placed in a middle seat in the last row of the plane. |
Originally Posted by Always Flyin
(Post 16955018)
I don't need to. It already exists:
14 CFR Part 382 TWO animals for emotional support? That is not in the regs and is a clear sign the animals are pets. In the hold they go and I hope the passenger is placed in a middle seat in the last row of the plane. By the way if it makes you feel any better he is dead now, so no more worry's. |
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