Good Riddance (ESAs to be Banned)
 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-u...-idUSKBN1ZL22K

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Transportation Department on Wednesday proposed giving airlines the power to bar emotional support animals from cabins and limit the definition of a service animal to a trained dog.
The proposed new rules are aimed at preventing passengers from falsely claiming their pets are service animals aboard U.S. airline flights.Airlines have long complained passengers have been able to exploit the designation by bringing their pets and other exotic creatures on board with limited oversight and without adequate training.

Federal law allows passengers with disabilities to travel with service animals.

U.S. airlines including Southwest Airlines Co (LUV.N), Delta Air Lines (DAL.N), United Airlines (UAL.O) and American Airlines (AAL.O) have moved to limit emotional support animals in cabins to largely dogs and cats after a growing number of passengers were bringing a wide variety of exotic pets such as monkeys, pigs and various birds that could pose a safety risk. Airlines in recent years reported a big jump in travelers bringing animals aboard.

A trade group representing major U.S. airlines praised the proposal, saying it would ensure “only dogs trained to perform specific tasks for individuals with disabilities are allowed onboard aircraft.”

The department said the proposal “is intended to ensure a safe and accessible air transportation system” and will be open for public comment.

It also wants comment on whether it should allow miniature horses to serve as service animals. The department is not proposing to allow airlines to bar service dogs on the basis of breed or type.

Spirit Airlines Inc (SAVE.N) told regulators it lost “millions of dollars in pet carriage fees from passengers fraudulently claiming their ‘house pets are service or support animals.񻉝

Delta noted in 2018 that some passengers “attempted to fly with comfort turkeys, gliding possums known as sugar gliders, snakes” and spiders, while American Airlines in 2018 said it would not allow a wide variety of creatures on flights as support animals including goats, ferrets, hedgehogs, amphibians and reptiles.

The administration’s proposal would consider “a psychiatric service animal” like any other service animal and require the same training and treatment as others.

Airlines could require passengers to submit a completed U.S. Transportation form as a condition of transportation, which could potentially subject them to criminal or civil penalties if passengers made false statements.

Airlines would be able to require forms developed by the Transportation Department attesting to a service animal’s good behavior, certifying the service animal’s good health, “and if taking a long flight attesting that the service animal has the ability to either not relieve itself, or can relieve itself in a sanitary manner.”

Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Nick Macfie and Diane Craft

Good to hear. I can already see the lawsuits vs the airlines over this coming though. Some idiot judge could turn this upside down unfortunately.

I can’t imagine sitting next to an emotional “support turkey...”

The lawsuits wouldn't be against the airline, they'd be against the government. But as ESAs aren't considered service animals or under the ADA and are not required to be allowed anywhere EXCEPT aviation, there's not much danger to the airlines here.

Well there goes my emotional support porcupine. At least I will still be able to bring on board my seeing eye lion. I still get a double take from the FO.

If you’re crazy enough to need a support__________, then you don’t belong on an airplane.

I went pretty far into this before, ESAs ARE considered service animals, although they have a few different requirements and the airlines have a little more power with them, they are included in the law as a subset of service animals. It's always referred to as ESA/PSA in the law. That's one of the big hangups currently, and yes, they are also supposed to be trained. The airlines can request records of their training to be sure they won't pose a threat to other people in the cabin, but the airlines tend to not train their people and enforce these rules much, passing it off to the cabin crew.

Go into the previous Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Final Rule comments on the current transportation service animal law, this is where the above information comes from.

Hmmmmm .....

Intercom comment from a FA on a flight last month.

”The woman’s emotional support Pomeranian is having an all out panic attack itself. I can’t see how that would be helping her.”

Fortunately, there was a door between me and the chaos.

This is how weak society has become, people need “emotional support” animals because they are too immature or uneducated to handle the stresses of life. This is what happens when you give everyone participation trophies and tell them they are all equal in outcome. I love my dog more than the next person but if you need an emotional support animal on a flight, you need some serious mental help.

Most people who bring ESAs don't really need them. It's just a convenient excuse to bring your pet for free. Glad the FAA and airlines are trying to crack down.