Delta Air Lines Passenger Trapped With Two “Service Dogs” In Their Row

by Gary Leff

A Delta Air Lines passenger flying from Atlanta to Houston this week found themselves sitting in coach besides not one but two support dogs.

Two separate passengers seated beside each other in the same row, in the window and aisle seats, brought on support animals. These were two dogs that did not know each other prior to the flight. It’s risky enough to sit two passengers next to each other that do not know each other in the confines of a coach seat in a metal tube (and sometimes riskier when they do know each other!). Putting two stranger animals beside each other with behavioral screening first could go very awry.

Delta responded that the passenger should “speak to crew to see if they can reassign you to another location” as though the woman wouldn’t have thought of this?

“We did,” she said. “It’s a full flight and they didn’t make an effort to try and have us accommodated.” Ironically the woman was “seated in Comfort+” and this wasn’t exactly… comfortable.

The Department of Transportation started allowing airlines to crack down on emotional support animals on board but they took the view that these animals couldn’t be banned on the basis of breed. And passengers just have to certify that the had a service animal (not merely an emotional support animal) but this involves self-certification and advance paperwork. That means planes can still be Noah’s Ark with two of each creature as long as proper procedure is followed.

Just because you see a dog on a plane now doesn’t make it a legitimate service animal. If it remains in the carrier underneath the seat it’s probably a ‘pet in cabin’ following those rules (and paying the requisite fee, and by the way this takes the place of your carry on). And if it’s out, well, then the passenger has successfully navigated the bureaucracy. It’s still easy to spot a fake.

Here are some pretty good standards by which we can tell if you’re not seeing real emotional support animals. Service animals aren’t ‘pets for someone with emotional challenges’ they are trained working animals.

  • They’re being fed treats, and not just meals
  • Their owner speaks to them in baby talk
  • The animals rest on pillows
  • And there are two animals per passenger

Fortunately all that happened here is that the dogs interacted in the aisle, and their behavior didn’t escalate to displays of dominance, fighting, or climbing on other passengers – though it easily could have. You don’t usually see two dogs in the same row and this probably shouldn’t be allowed.

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  2. And another thing, I am sick and tired of the preference dogs get in society, period. I have lived in a neighborhood of selfish, ignorant dog owners who care nothing for their dogs except to disturb the peace of others in their own homes. Dogs have more rights than people now and nowhere can I walk where I don’t feel like I’m walking through a kennel. The last place I want to encounter them is on an aircraft! Sorry, Gary, you definitely hit a nerve with me. What about emergency evac if you have to stumble over mutts.

  3. This was an error by the gate agent. He should have NEVER sat them in the same row! Also as a former airline agent this support animal situation is out of control. It is used as a means to transport animals without paying fees for pet on board and for animals
    Too large!

  4. All airlines prescreen for the support/service animals. Why do they not also screen for those allergic to these animals? It would be easier to rearrange sets in advance rather than after boarding. I have no problem with the idea of such an animal on a plane, but I can’t sit next to one due to my allergies. Have only once had to ask on an American flight to move me or the passenger with the animal. This was done with no fuss or problems.

  5. Whoever wrote this article clearly hasn’t ever watched or witnessed trained service animals while they’re working.
    Trained service animals (especially those younger in age) ARE provided with “treats” while working. Different kinds of breeds are spoken to in a different tone depending on what is responded to while their training is going on (alot of which is not witnessed by the dogs guardian/handler long term.) Service animals have a “place” and that is where they stay. Sometimes it’s a pillow, a blanket, or some sort of space that differentiates from the floor. Also, a handler can absolutely have two service dogs that provide service in different ways. Sometimes they have a service dog and a regular pet in a carrier. THATS NOT OUT OF THE ORDINARY. Not all service dogs are k9 unit police dogs or act as such. So before you publish something that has false information, review your sources and actually ask qualified individuals.
    SECOND- this is an airline issue. 2 service dogs with different handlers should never be on the same row. Ever. And the fact that they wouldn’t change the woman’s seat in the middle is a problem. Someone should have swapped either one of the handlers or the middle occupant. Delta failed. Delta planes are not conducive to medium or large size service dogs even in the bulk head seats (comfort+) number one so they need to make it VERY clear to disabled passengers. THIS needs to be made aware and Delta should compensate all 3 individuals for the lack of professionalism and care shown on this flight. Not just lambast the ones who need dogs or try to make it out like every person with a hidden disability is “trying to pull one over on airlines”. The comment section and the article writer sound ignorant as all hell.

  6. I have three dogs. I love my dogs, I do not take them most places as they are not SERVICE dogs. Emotional support dogs, I feel the person needs therapy.

  7. That’s a ridiculous standard and not mentioned anywhere in the ADA. There’s nothing about pillows or baby talk that would invalidate a dog’s training. Especially if it was trained with them. And treats are specifically part of the training program for food motivated dogs.

    Of course the airline should have separated the dogs, but please don’t jump on that to spread misinformation about service dogs.

  8. Why is the dog in your foot area? This is beyond absurd. They should be directly in front of their owner. Very inconsiderate.

  9. Lol…if this was my biggest concern for the day, I would certainly be blessed. Bottom line, an imaginary dog fight did NOT happen, but you managed to complain. Everyone is a victim of something these days…the reason I choose to live around zero people.

  10. @Kate. No dog fight YET. Are you one of the people who tempts fate? An untrained dog in a metal tube at 35,000 ft that can’t run around, seriously? And what if there were a dog fight. What would you do, stop the plane like a bus and let them off?

  11. I would have been real unhappy to be seated like this after paying extra for a Comfort + seat. Delta is my go to airline and normally no problems.

  13. How inconsiderate on the bonehead to the right making their dog take up the space of the adjacent paying customer. Delta should have made him hold his dog is in lap.
    How about no more service animals on planes, buses, etc. where theirs intimate seating. If you are so far gone that you need a dog to keep calm, you shouldn’t be on public transportation anyway. You and your service animal will be 2 hindrences to everyone on board should a disaster strike. If you can handle the stress of check-in and TSA, you don’t need a service pet.
    Take your own car, or book a cruise.

  16. I am sorry dear “journalist” and prime example of uninformed but loud crowd you got a snicker out of this brain fart.

    I fully agree that this seating arrangement is beyond respectless to the person in the middle and I am sorry that person had to deal with this. I would have had an issue too.

    But your scribble here does nothing positive, offers no solution and is just sensational in the most stupid way.

    I am in need of a support dog. Mine is well trained. Since medcine developed some solutions for my particular situation I do not need him all the time around me, but for extended periods I do. So for short trips of less than two weeks I let him with a trainer to help younger pups to train and for him to have less travel stress.
    Yes also out of respect to other travelers. Because the oh so common “don’t inconvenience me, but I will happily inconvenience you” is very much out there. I am not doing that.

    But you dear ” journalist” should do the same. Don’t spew bs. Research before write or better, look for a new job. As a human as well as as a journalist…if you dare calling yourself that.

    Do better…or shut up.

  18. If you really do need a dog as you say, then have him certified as a service dog. Support dogs have no legal standing and as you see cause problems.

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