DALLAS (AP) – Emotionally supportive animals are no longer free to walk through the Southwest Airlines cabin.
The airline said on Monday that it would allow passengers to bring trained service dogs into the cabin, but would no longer accept support animals as of March 1.
Customers wishing to bring a dog or cat on board as a pet will have to pay a fee, and the animal must be kept in a carrier that fits under an airplane seat.
The move follows a decision by the Department of Transportation to reverse regulation for years and allow airlines to ban animals that owners claim to provide emotional support. Airlines said some passengers abused the old rules to avoid pet taxes.
The Southwest is the last of the six largest airlines in the country to change its animal policy after the action of the Department of Transport.