News and notes from around the interweb:
- The real problem is that these fake service dogs are large – and more than one – and they’re going to take up space from other passengers.
Rules supposedly cracked down on this, but airlines still rely on passengers to self-certify – which gets them bigger animals on board, without paying a pet in cabin fee, and they don’t have to stay in a carrier.
Maybe ’emotional support animals’ are less common than they once were, mostly because people bringing two of each animal on board aren’t great at doing advance paperwork in advance? But it’s not the airline that suffers from the animals it’s other passengers who give up already cramped space. What can be done?
What do we do about fake service dogs?
byu/Rukusduk11 indelta - Why airlines schedule more one-off ‘special event’ flights for things like the Kentucky Derby and Super Bowl than they used to.
- The first video review of the Delta One lounge at New York JFK after it opened? On this visit – a Wednesday night before a holiday weekend – the lounge was busy but hardly overrun.
The lounge looks great, their beverage program is unimpressive, and the customer was still flying Delta’s awful Boeing 767 business class seat… but for a mass experience the business class ground product looks very good. Yet the hype just doesn’t seem to scale.
My water glass was an empty for an hour in the restaurant and never got filled, despite two waiters saying they would get it for me.
- I’m a psychologist and here’s why the bizarre act of ‘rawdogging’ flights, where all entertainment is ignored, actually has MAJOR mental-health benefits Come on, people. Sitting face-forward on a plane and doing literally nothing isn’t new, and it isn’t a trend. People just like the word rawdogging because it seems vaguely transgressive and even sexual. And it doesn’t have “MAJOR mental-health benefits.”
- United Airlines does such a good job with these moments.
Flying any airline except the world’s #1 PREMIUM airline also has negative health benefits. Why don’t you report on that, Gary?
Relative to Service Dogs, it would seem that a consensus is building that anything that detracts from the personal space of adjacent passengers is off limits and must be avoided. Extended to Service Dogs, it suggests that the pax must also pay for the adjacent seat for their dog.
The Premium Airline is already cutting back service within their newly opened all everything nobody can beat it ultra swanky nose thumbing premium lounge – and it’s water!
When we travel with our “service” dog who is 30 lbs we get two first class seats in the bulkhead. She gets a mild sedative and sleeps on a blanket below our feet. We’ve only done it a few times and never had any problems on the plane or in the terminal.
When I had golden retrievers (the best dogs) I would have never imagined bringing them on a plane. Even when emotional support dogs were allowed,
True service dogs are very expensive and go through a great deal of training. Perhaps it is time for certification or licensing required. Without it, Fido either requires a ticket or goes in the luggage. I’m sorry it has come to this, but the situation has gotten out of control. People who have genuine service animals are suffering due to the self-entitled liars (and that is what the fakers are). It is similar to those using wheelchairs to get boarded first and then are miraculously cured as soon as they get aboard.
It is rather maddening the entitle nature of liars like “Al” that know there dog isn’t a service dog but bring it regardless assuming they’re above the rules, ruining it for those with a true need for one.
You really should be ashamed of yourselves for lying and pretending to be people with an actual need for a service dog, Al. Your dog belongs in cargo or at home if you’re flying. The weight doesn’t matter.
DL is all hype. SkyClubs are a nightmare, this new 360 club is 10 years late and offers less then Flagship or Polaris. DL “business class” is a hogepodge of outdated hard product, even AA’s forward/backward seats are better. I especially love their flight schedule, longest gaps between flights to maintain “on time”, which they never seem to be for me. All the “good press” can only uphold a reputations for a while, go check out the FT page, DL elites complain more then UA and AA combined. Like I say, their new slogan is Descending!
Our 1st born son is quad CP & cortically blind. He has a std poodle service dog. Last trip w/o our son we were in the delta lounge/eating & a couple sat across/in front of us w/a small dog who wore an “amazon” service jacket. If that was a service dog, then I am an Airdale. That animal was a nusiance and untrained. It was on a reel type leash so it could wander about. It was jumping onto their laps seeking food. It was looking at me and my food.
I was a bit vocal to them & to the Delta lounge employees who also complained about untrained dogs urinating and shitting in the lounge and going after the food.
Something needs to get done to stop the abuse by feckless people.
Quit your lieing you should be ashamed of yourselfs leave your so called service dog at home & quit making us miserable.
On my last flight I got a stern warning not to leave my 6×8” inch not in the aisle. Yet nearly anyone can claim a large dog is a service animal and have it take up the whole aisle. Isn’t that dog if untrained a serious danger in an emergency? They block passengers, may panic.
The video shown doesn’t mean that the service dog is “fake” — I have PTSD and I’m working on getting my dog trained to be a service dog (I’m going the legit route, with a doctor’s diagnosis and paying upwards of $6k for training, and got a breed known for its ability to be trained for this). Not all service dogs are calm all of the time, though, and it’s possible a service dog could act up at an airport, which is stressful for any living being.
You also can’t look at someone that you think appears to be healthy and say they have no need for a service animal. You can have service dogs for seizures, anxiety, PTSD, depression, etc., which you may not recognize in an otherwise “healthy” looking person.
That said, I agree overall that some people are abusing the law to get their dogs qualified as a service dogs and that some people aren’t respectful in purchasing the right seats (I was on a flight recently where there was large golden retriever who was in my space the entire flight — luckily, he was a very good boy).
Pretty simple. Create some real roadblocks so the jackasses are discouraged. Require a special license issued by each state’s DMV. Charge a hefty fee. Allow subsidization of that fee for real people with real disabilities who need a real service dog. People who are too nervous to fly without Fido can stop flying. Require in-person interviews to renew every 2 years. Keep that DMV department seriously under-staffed so it takes forever to even apply for the license. DMVs are already proficient with this concept. We need to stop trying to please small percentages of the population by aggravating huge percentages of the population. It is what it is, folks. Take a stand today and reap the benefits tomorrow, or at least next year. Make the sacrifice today to ensure that all animals aren’t banned from flights tomorrow.
The Only legitimate Service dog is for blind people .
@Alert – based on what ? There are a myriad of very legitimate needs that a properly trained service dog can address. Many of those are not the result of a visibly obvious issue. The issue is about the pets traveling as “service dogs”. That is a bad owner issue not a dog issue. Also while service dogs are highly trained but are still animals with a mind of their own and airports and planes are high stress environments for all involved.
Also you should spend 10 minutes looking into what it takes to get or train a real service dog. It costs tens of thousands of dollars and takes at least a year if not double that.
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Quit hating on people with service dogs. We travel with ours and at no point has he ever inconvenienced another passenger. In fact airline staff and fellow passengers regularly commend him on his exceptional behavior – he’s a trained service dog. How about focus your negative energy on people that encroach on other passengers space, children that can’t behave, excessive carry-on, or people that use the IFE like a punching bag.
Staring straight ahead on a flight may not be what it looks like. I use hearing aids which serve the same purpose as headphones. They are essentially invisible. So, if I am listening to Audible (or anything else) it looks like I am staring blankly.
Even if it is a legit service dog, the owner of a big dog needs to pay for enough space for the two of them. Maybe it could be done on the same basis as Southwest’s COS requirement to buy two seats if you can’t fit in one, and you will be refunded if it turns out there are empty seats on the plane. There needs to be a credential for legit service dogs. Conning the airlines is not the only place people do the service dog con. Landlords cannot require any sort of verification of training for a service dog, only ask two questions – What is is your disability and what service does your dog perform. It could be a broken toe that feels better when the dog licks it, you can’t say no. With the ESAs there has to be written verification of the need for an ESA by a medical or social work professional working in your state on letterhead. But it is mostly just a con for the same reason as on the plane, avoiding having to pay a pet fee, avoiding having to pay for an extra seat, avoiding Fluffy having to stay in her pet carrier under the seat.
I guarantee you that if someone brings a service dog onto an airplane, its because its legal to do so and they feel they can “get over” on people because of it. No decent human being that knew proper courtesy and decorum would EVER consider bringing an animal like that among hundreds of other passengers in a tight confined space like that, as it would be deemed inconsiderate and rude to do so unless absolutely, positively necessary
I have followed the rules thus far. Not following them has been tempting at times with the major airlines throwing more and more restrictions or simply not carrying animals at all unless service animals or military. It is quite frustrating to see the change from paying for a crate in the pressurized hold to (over the course of the last year) having that change with the big three to be cargo rates only (more than tripling the price with one airline and requiring additional expense and leg work with a customs broker that could be avoided if they had simply raised the fee)
If service animals were regulated then people would stop hating on passengers they believe are faking.
Let’s resolve this: They should have animal only flights. This will allow non-animal lovers, people with allergies, and people who do not love animals to be happy and have a pleasant flight.
This entitled behavior endangers service animals and people with disabilities.
“Screening out fake service animals also can help protect the safety of genuine ones, said Donald Overton Jr., executive director of the Blinded Veterans Association.
His guide dog, a German Shepherd named Pierce, was trained for years at a cost of thousands of dollars. After Pierce was attacked multiple times by untrained pets on planes and in airports, the dog eventually became too reactive and anxious to continue working as a service animal.
“In the blink of an eye, somebody who has just casually and carelessly decided that their pet should be out there can take all of that and destroy it,” he said.”
First the entitled whiners were judging and complaining about passengers in wheelchairs who they deem fit but scamming to get a better seat. Now they have turned to judging who has a legitimate service dog and who does not. One even went so far as to say “only” the blind need a service dog. I guess it will not be long before they start judging the clothing and shoes of the other passengers. Some of these whiners should really consider taking flying lessons and getting their own plane. We could all use a break from the whiners.
The so called “abuse” is merely a retaliation for the airlines abuse of passengers trying bring their pets with them on trips.
$250 permission fee for the pet?
regulate the service dogs. make them have a license insurance and papers to PROVE they are a ADA service dog. (Dog Drivers License with a Chip) None of these turkeys, pigs cats etc. ESA can pay $200 and stay under the seat. Dogs are legally property.
@Ryan “Not all service dogs are calm all of the time, though, and it’s possible a service dog could act up at an airport, which is stressful for any living being.” If the dog can’t stay calm, it is not a properly trained service dog. On other posts, some argue their service dog only needs to be trained to serve their service function. No, it must also leave other people alone, never be aggressive, stay out of other people’s space, etc.
@Flying kiwi. If you (re)read the posts, I think you’ll find the venom is saved for faux service animals here, except for a few. The other annoyances you mention get their share of disdain here.
@Al if you have to give your “service” dog sedatives it’s not a service dog.
The two (2) Golden Retrievers in the video are beautiful dogs but they are not “service” trained even at the basics level. If you require two (2) “service” dogs to be able to get through a flight then you should definitely consider another form of transportation. I no longer hesitate to point out to the owner’s of the pets that real Service Dogs are trained to keep “four on the floor” when around other people and do NOT leave the owners side.
I really don’t understand why the USA doesn’t move to certification. I have a service dog, and where I am in Australia, we have certification with a photo id like a licence that is issued by the government on completion of the public access test. The airlines ask for the id, and its done, easy. No arguments, no invasive questions, no doctor or psychologist letters, and no fake service dogs on the plane making the real ones look bad.
@Dave Wm thank you for saying what I was going out to Ryan. tonRyan. The other factor is a true Service Dog is discipline , when it does misbehave, and corrected. The “handler” made no attempt to do so.
You are right in saying that not only must a Service a dog be task trained but MUST aslo be trained for correct behaviour in public.
@Martin “The so called “abuse” is merely a retaliation for the airlines abuse of passengers trying bring their pets with them on trips.” This is a load of .BS as the airl8hes “abuse” started AFTER passengers started abusing bringing animals on board. I bet, you were on such passenger? What did you have an ESA peacock or an alligator?
I’ve had a service dog for the 12 years, and they both been great when we fly. They were both well trained, and I never had any trouble with them flying. Because of fake service dog, back in 2018, the airlines refuse to let certain types of dog from flying. Now my new service dog, has a “Service Dog Pass”, that tells the airlines he is truly a service dog.
The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) governs service animals. Carriers can require owners to provide both a DOT form attesting to the animal’s health, behavior and training and a DOT form attesting to the animals ability to relieve itself on flights longer than 8 hours. Carriers can refuse to allow a service animal to board if:
1.Violates safety requirements – e.g., too large or heavy to be accommodated in the cabin;
2. Poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others;
3. Causes a significant disruption in the cabin or at airport gate areas;
4. Violates health requirements – e.g., prohibited from entering a U.S. territory or foreign country.
Clearly the two animals in the video aren’t service animals and the carrier can refuse to allow them on board.
I have CPTSD, Hyperadrenergic POTS, osteoarthritis, and I’m generally a pain in the ass to be around. My Belgian Malinois is my service dog. She does threat assessment in public places since I’m a horrible judge of character. She makes me rest when a POTS episode is about to onset. She’s also an off-leash dog because of my knees.
I wouldn’t take her on a plane. If I need to go somewhere, we’re driving. I haven’t been on a plane since I rode a C-130 back from overseas. AATW, but forget it. I’m a ground pounder for life.
As far as service dogs being all calm and sitting by their owner all quiet like an end table… well. That depends on the owner and it depends on the dog. Mine does that when necessary, but most of the time she doesn’t. She doesn’t jump up on people, but she’ll make you throw her stick or ball when we’re playing. Why? Because you’re too close to me and she’s distracting you from me. If that doesn’t make sense to you then you need to say out loud to yourself that the picture is much bigger than you know.
P.S. anyone who’s seen my dog in action also knows that if you’re throwing her stick, she’s constantly checking on me even if she’s “playing” with you. The actuality is she’s keeping you busy because you’re a potential threat to me.
Simple solution…Service Animals have to be certified and trained. For flying the owner should have to show certification from an accredited agency. (Airlines could keep a list.) Someone can’t say “Oh, this is my service animal”. What they are showing is an emotional support pet which is not trained or certified and should not be in the cabin of a plane. Also, you can not just ban service animals as they provide safety for their owner and it is against the law. They may guide them if blind, or warn their owner for several health issues (low blood sugar, afib, anxiety/PTSD). Yes the ADA says you can not be asked for proof of certification and training. In this situation when flying and several people are affected, I think the rules need to be change (just for flying) for the safety of all on a plane. Also, the airlines when showed proof that it is a service animal, should allow the owner a free extra seat when booking their flight.
@Andrew F Burd
Thank you for saying something about service dogs not needing to stay by your side at all times! I have panic disorder and PTSD. My service dog is trained to be on alert for potential danger also and he is trained to interrupt nervous ticks/repetitive behaviors. Someone mentioned “4-on-the-floor” except my dog has to climb on to my lap to interrupt certain behaviors (also many diabetic alert dogs alert to changes in the smell of their owner’s breath), so having him unable to climb on my lap or jump up on my is ridiculous. He tells me when people are approaching from behind by a low grumble that most people mistake as a growl (due to the fact that he looks like a Doberman), but he is not aggressive. My biggest issue with his behavior in public is other people constantly talking to him, wanting to pet/touch/give treats to him, or otherwise distract him from doing his job and give me shit about my dog not being a real service dog. The reality is that he is very well socialized for pubic access, making him very friendly, otherwise people complain about the him looking aggressive.
Many airlines don’t fly pets in cargo anymore, so if you’re moving somewhere by air, making the pet a “service dog” is your only option. In that respect, the airlines are contributing to the problem.