Alaska Airlines announced on Tuesday that it will no longer allow passengers to bring emotional support animals on its aircraft for reservations made after January 11th. The airline is the first to ban emotional support animals following new guidance from the US Department of Transportation on what kind of animals should be allowed on passenger planes.
The new rules will not apply to dogs that are trained to perform specific tasks, such as guide dogs for the visually impaired.. But the rules will apply to “emotional support” monkeys, peacocks and snakes – all the things people have actually tried to bring to the planes. recent years.
“Beginning January 11, 2021, Alaska will only carry service dogs that are specially trained to perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified person with a disability,” Alaska Airlines said in a statement. online.
The Department of Transportation launched new rules in early December were celebrated by some people who complain that unscrupulous people had used “emotional support” as an excuse to bring their untrained and undisciplined pets to planes without a real need. But disability rights groups warn that the new restrictions could prevent people with disabilities from enjoying equal access to the country’s transport infrastructure.
“Once again, in an almost systemic manner, DOT has decided to prioritize the airline industry and corporate interests over the rights of persons with disabilities under the law,” said Curt Decker, Executive Director of the National Network on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. said in a statement earlier this month, after the Department of Transportation issued its new guidance.
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“While it is no secret that we are far from a truly accessible transportation system in this country, the DOT rule will only exacerbate existing inequities for people with disabilities who participate in air travel and instead adapt almost exclusively to the interests of the airline industry, ”Decker continued.
Alaska Airlines announced that passengers will now be asked to complete an online form swearing that their pet is a “legitimate service dog” and has been properly trained not to cause in-flight disturbances.
Guests will be required to complete a DOT form, which will be available on AlaskaAir.com beginning January 11, attesting that their pet is a legitimate service dog, that it is trained and vaccinated, and will behave appropriately during the trip. For reservations booked more than 48 hours before the trip, guests must send the completed form by e-mail. For reservations booked less than 48 hours before the trip, guests must send their personal form to the customer service agent upon arrival at the airport.
Are Lots of more questions about what kind of animals will be allowed on board for passengers with psychiatric disorders and Alaska Airlines has not yet been terribly specific in this regard. We have contacted Alaska Airlines for more clarity on the new rules and will update this post if we hear back.
Other US airlines have not yet announced changes to their official rules on service animals, but expect to follow suit soon.
“This regulatory change is welcome news as it will help us reduce on-board disturbances as we continue to accommodate guests traveling with qualified service animals,” Ray Prentice, director of advocacy, said in a statement. for customers at Alaska Airlines.