Airlines Ban Emotional Support Animals

Dog owners speak out as airlines ban emotional support animals.

Airlines ban emotional support animals. In the years prior to this rule change all airlines were required by law to accommodate owners of ESAs with proper documentation from a licensed mental health. The year 2021 started with major news for ESA owners. Emotional Support Animals ESA are now considered pets not service animals when flying on US.

With tougher restrictions announced by the US Department of Transportation DOT recently Alaska Airlines has become the first company to step forward and ban all emotional support animals. Department of Transportation will define a service animal. Several major airlines have already announced a ban on emotional support animals including Frontier United Alaska Delta American and Spirit airlines.

WASHINGTON SBG Several major airlines are banning emotional support animals from the cabin following years of fraud and abuse of the system. Alaska Airlines is the first to ban emotional support animals. Emotional support animals will no longer be considered service animals on flights.

Hawaiian time opens in a new window because it may take up to 1 hour for the airlines to transport an animal to the Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility. That still allow ESAs in the cabin. The sudden banning of emotional support animals to fly for free may result in some passengers feeling unfairly disadvantaged said Shelley Tasker head of operations at Alternative Airlines a flight search and booking site that works with travel advisors and consumers alike to identify pet-friendly flying options.

All reservations booked prior to January 11 2021 or for flights on or before February 28 2021. Alaska Airlines will soon ban emotional support animals from flights becoming the first major US. United becomes the final Big 3 airline to ban emotional support animals Zach Honig 182021.

A new rule allows airlines in the US to ban emotional support animals from riding in the cabin ending a system that led to everything from turtles to pigs snakes and even turkeys riding alongside their owners. Unless it complies with the airlines pet policy. After more than a year of lobbying by US airlines Emotional Support Animals ESA may be departing the passenger cabin.