Crossing the line? Rights of UA passenger when animals are on the flight.
Oct 31, 2017, 12:21 am
#76
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,219
Well the good thing is that on all the UA flights to Australia there will be no animals.
Unless the plan is you can do without the animal for a minimum of 10 days and for up to six months. Just ask Johnny Depp and Amber Heard what happens if you try and get round these rules.
As others think the right to carry pets in the plane is justified because they pay for the privilege, and privilege gives them superior rights I will need to look for another airline as dying to prove animal dander can bring on an asthma attack seems an extreme way to prove my point, although guess my heirs will be able to sue the airline and the owner of the offending pet. That is the American way after all - sue somebody rather than being proactive and try and fix the underlying cause/issue.
Unless the plan is you can do without the animal for a minimum of 10 days and for up to six months. Just ask Johnny Depp and Amber Heard what happens if you try and get round these rules.
As others think the right to carry pets in the plane is justified because they pay for the privilege, and privilege gives them superior rights I will need to look for another airline as dying to prove animal dander can bring on an asthma attack seems an extreme way to prove my point, although guess my heirs will be able to sue the airline and the owner of the offending pet. That is the American way after all - sue somebody rather than being proactive and try and fix the underlying cause/issue.
Last edited by Aussienarelle; Oct 31, 2017 at 12:30 am
Oct 31, 2017, 1:01 am
#77
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: LAS
Programs: 3 MMer
Posts: 458
Last Weds. SEA-SFO. I see him in the boarding area waving at the g/a for special handling. I'm 1st on and park in 1A. Last guy on an older gentleman around 75ish with his pooch plops into 1E. Ramp agent trots behind him and places the guys stinky, filthy portable kennel on top of my back-pack, in the overhead, and manages to squeeze the crap outta everything while crammin' the door closed!
Double dings, and I head to the lav where I am headed off at the pass and advised that I SHALL NOT approach that area until the green lav light comes on, at which time I explain that they still hadn't unlocked it after our takeoff maneuver.... and as long as we were on the subject of rules, how's bout the smelly, filthy kennel gets placed under a seat or since he's been assigned a bulkhead how's bout you put it in you closet on top of your personal stuff. One f/a turned out to be my buddy, but the other hall monitor was ticked and managed to put my backpack in her closet, but totally ignored my heartfelt "Thank you!" Btw, that was my last refill and we had just gotten airborne.
Anyway, I've had many dogs in my life time, but there is a place for them and it is not with their cute little heads on my arm rest, or meal tray. In fact they need to be in the kennel, under the seat, as far as I'm concerned.
Several state legislatures are presently addressing this problem, as it is totally out of control.
Double dings, and I head to the lav where I am headed off at the pass and advised that I SHALL NOT approach that area until the green lav light comes on, at which time I explain that they still hadn't unlocked it after our takeoff maneuver.... and as long as we were on the subject of rules, how's bout the smelly, filthy kennel gets placed under a seat or since he's been assigned a bulkhead how's bout you put it in you closet on top of your personal stuff. One f/a turned out to be my buddy, but the other hall monitor was ticked and managed to put my backpack in her closet, but totally ignored my heartfelt "Thank you!" Btw, that was my last refill and we had just gotten airborne.
Anyway, I've had many dogs in my life time, but there is a place for them and it is not with their cute little heads on my arm rest, or meal tray. In fact they need to be in the kennel, under the seat, as far as I'm concerned.
Several state legislatures are presently addressing this problem, as it is totally out of control.
Oct 31, 2017, 5:42 am
#79
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 16
When a pet was out of control licking me on a UA flight, the FA serving drinks pet the animal and then continued to serve food without watching her hands. Too bad for the passengers that were further back.
Oct 31, 2017, 5:45 am
#80
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 9
Service dog... or not.
As a trainer of "real" service dog and working with a number of person who actually have the need for service dog, I am applauded, but not surprised.
I also show dogs and very often these show dogs are flow across the country for events "cloaked" as service dogs. In Europe there is a process to register service dogs and so there is a system to verify these animals. However, since this issue is covered by the ADA, until the federal government gets involved, nothing will change.
This said, I would have asked that the dog get under control and out of MY space. The flight attendant should have gotten involved and corrected the situation. And yes, write United if the FA didn't get involved and try to help.
I also show dogs and very often these show dogs are flow across the country for events "cloaked" as service dogs. In Europe there is a process to register service dogs and so there is a system to verify these animals. However, since this issue is covered by the ADA, until the federal government gets involved, nothing will change.
This said, I would have asked that the dog get under control and out of MY space. The flight attendant should have gotten involved and corrected the situation. And yes, write United if the FA didn't get involved and try to help.
Oct 31, 2017, 5:56 am
#82
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM
Posts: 6,362
There's a lot of opinions floating around in this thread, with some lines being blurred about how and why the animal may be in the cabin.
United allows pets in cabins under various conditions to various destinations (including some international), such as:
- Paid in-cabin pet in a kennel
- Service animal
- Emotional support and psychiatric assist animals
Different conditions and rules apply to each.
Further reading:
https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...e_animals.aspx
https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con.../in_cabin.aspx
My position: United allows pets in cabin, and as such other travellers should accept this. These rules should not be abused though, and my guess is, eventually further restrictions will be put on pets-in-cabin because of the abuse of these rules by some few selfish persons.
United allows pets in cabins under various conditions to various destinations (including some international), such as:
- Paid in-cabin pet in a kennel
- Service animal
- Emotional support and psychiatric assist animals
Different conditions and rules apply to each.
Further reading:
https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...e_animals.aspx
https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con.../in_cabin.aspx
My position: United allows pets in cabin, and as such other travellers should accept this. These rules should not be abused though, and my guess is, eventually further restrictions will be put on pets-in-cabin because of the abuse of these rules by some few selfish persons.
Oct 31, 2017, 6:30 am
#83
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 50
I have had a horrible experience with being seated next to a passenger with a long-haired cat. The cat was brought on board as a pet in a carrier. As soon as the girl approached the row my eyes immediately started itching and swelling. I changed seats with my husband as soon as the girl sat down, but it wasn’t enough. I requested help from the flight attendants and they just shrugged their shoulders.
Thank goodness it was a short flight! The cat shrieked the entire time, and the girl put the carrier in her lap and opened it to try to comfort the cat. Fur was flying every place! I spent the entire two hours with my eyes closed and a jacket over my head in an attempt to try to keep the cat hair away.
I understand United was only allowing what’s within their policy, but I think it’s becoming a real problem. If you try to take a peanut within a mile of an airplane they’re going to call out the National Guard, yet animal allergies get a shrug of the shoulders? At the very least there needs to be a bona fide attempt by flight attendants to assist allergic passengers by creating some kind of a distance. Why should all the rights belong to the person who brought their pet and none of the rights belong to the person with an allergy?
In my case my allergy affects my eyes and makes me sneeze uncontrollably, but doesn’t affect my breathing. For many it does. What then?
Thank goodness it was a short flight! The cat shrieked the entire time, and the girl put the carrier in her lap and opened it to try to comfort the cat. Fur was flying every place! I spent the entire two hours with my eyes closed and a jacket over my head in an attempt to try to keep the cat hair away.
I understand United was only allowing what’s within their policy, but I think it’s becoming a real problem. If you try to take a peanut within a mile of an airplane they’re going to call out the National Guard, yet animal allergies get a shrug of the shoulders? At the very least there needs to be a bona fide attempt by flight attendants to assist allergic passengers by creating some kind of a distance. Why should all the rights belong to the person who brought their pet and none of the rights belong to the person with an allergy?
In my case my allergy affects my eyes and makes me sneeze uncontrollably, but doesn’t affect my breathing. For many it does. What then?
Oct 31, 2017, 7:21 am
#84
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,219
if you have a severe allergy to pets, contact the airline in advance and provide documentation of your disability and request accommodation that the flight be no animals. If your call comes in first, they will need to accommodate you.
When a pet was out of control licking me on a UA flight, the FA serving drinks pet the animal and then continued to serve food without watching her hands. Too bad for the passengers that were further back.
When a pet was out of control licking me on a UA flight, the FA serving drinks pet the animal and then continued to serve food without watching her hands. Too bad for the passengers that were further back.
Yikes on the inability of a FA to wash their hands before handling food - basic hygiene 101
Oct 31, 2017, 7:55 am
#86
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: LBA
Programs: KLM FB Gold, LH M&M
Posts: 454
What happens if one of these roaming dogs decides to "mark its territory"?
A human passenger that decides to urinate on their seat will likely be met by police on arrival. Would this happen to the dog owner?
A human passenger that decides to urinate on their seat will likely be met by police on arrival. Would this happen to the dog owner?
Oct 31, 2017, 11:15 am
#88
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: SAN
Programs: UA 1MM/1K, HH Diamond
Posts: 6,832
In our experience, UA is thorough and efficient with their rules and procedures. After booking our flights, we fax the required documentation. About a week later, we call to confirm that the documentation was received and applied to the PNR.
Before arriving at the airport, our dog gets a long walk and is not fed. She gets another walk and trip to the pet relief area at JFK, EWR or wherever we are flying from. At check-in, we present the original authorization document, at which point we get a gate pass for our dog that allows her to go past security. After this, no one asks anything.
In 20+ trips, our 20 pound Boston Terrier has literally never made a sound, had an accident, gotten away from us or been aggressive in any way. She basically sleeps on my wife's lap the entire way, which is her "job." We fly up front so that no one needs to sit in our row (among other reasons of course). No one has ever objected to being near us (to our knowledge), if if they did I'd be more than happy to move around to accommodate.
I understand there are horror stories, though we've never seen one. As I have said elsewhere, poorly trained dogs and irresponsible dog owners should not be allowed on planes, ESA or no. People who bring dogs (or any animal) on a plane need to go above and beyond in terms of being respectful and accommodating. The person the OP came across obviously failed miserably in this regard, no ifs ands or buts.
As for us, we are fortunate to have never experienced even one drop of the vitriol some have expressed in this thread. Personally this leads me to think that the ESA "problem" is way overblown. From the way some people carry on in this thread you'd think UA became a subsidiary of Pet Airways. To be crystal clear, I'm not saying dogs and their owners are angels 100% of the time. We've all read the stories, and there clearly are people who shouldn't be allowed to fly with their pets. But in my opinion that doesn't -- and shouldn't -- mean that "animals shouldn't be on planes."
Before arriving at the airport, our dog gets a long walk and is not fed. She gets another walk and trip to the pet relief area at JFK, EWR or wherever we are flying from. At check-in, we present the original authorization document, at which point we get a gate pass for our dog that allows her to go past security. After this, no one asks anything.
In 20+ trips, our 20 pound Boston Terrier has literally never made a sound, had an accident, gotten away from us or been aggressive in any way. She basically sleeps on my wife's lap the entire way, which is her "job." We fly up front so that no one needs to sit in our row (among other reasons of course). No one has ever objected to being near us (to our knowledge), if if they did I'd be more than happy to move around to accommodate.
I understand there are horror stories, though we've never seen one. As I have said elsewhere, poorly trained dogs and irresponsible dog owners should not be allowed on planes, ESA or no. People who bring dogs (or any animal) on a plane need to go above and beyond in terms of being respectful and accommodating. The person the OP came across obviously failed miserably in this regard, no ifs ands or buts.
As for us, we are fortunate to have never experienced even one drop of the vitriol some have expressed in this thread. Personally this leads me to think that the ESA "problem" is way overblown. From the way some people carry on in this thread you'd think UA became a subsidiary of Pet Airways. To be crystal clear, I'm not saying dogs and their owners are angels 100% of the time. We've all read the stories, and there clearly are people who shouldn't be allowed to fly with their pets. But in my opinion that doesn't -- and shouldn't -- mean that "animals shouldn't be on planes."
Oct 31, 2017, 11:51 am
#89
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 2
Allergies: not just a runny nose
I an allergic to animals. After my nose and eyes run, I start to wheeze. Into a long flight, my asthma may be bad enough to require a breathing treatment.
I have travelled safely next to a quiet, well behaved genuine service dog. But a furry, active dander spreader is another story. I have had a rash for weeks after being licked by a friendly dog. I have reacted badly to a dander filled car recently vacated by a German Shepherd. Is this not a protected disability?
I have travelled safely next to a quiet, well behaved genuine service dog. But a furry, active dander spreader is another story. I have had a rash for weeks after being licked by a friendly dog. I have reacted badly to a dander filled car recently vacated by a German Shepherd. Is this not a protected disability?
Oct 31, 2017, 11:55 am
#90
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: SAN
Programs: UA 1MM/1K, HH Diamond
Posts: 6,832
It seems to me certain people behave badly on planes; those who travel with ESAs are only a subset of them. My point is that the problem isn't animals, it's people, and extreme talk along the lines of "there's no place in the sky for animals" is not going to make things better. Why should I bother to engage someone who posts something as hateful as "Maybe I should start packing a zip lock bag of cocoa powder with me in my carry on bag. Just in case."?