Comments

1. In my experience ranking adults, children and animals, animals are by far the best behaved (and most pleasant to travel near) of the 3 groups. Adults squeak by children for 2nd place on the whole, though frankly if you eliminate children under 10 or so, adults would rank last.

2. I really do not believe airline have any loyalty to any passenger in this day and age.
   No matter what class of travel we are all just cattle and the future of air travel and good customer service look bleak. I am no longer loyal to any one airline myself anymore.

3. My opinion pets should not never ever be allowed in the cabin area of any commercial transportation.

   Second these emotional support animals are a crock of shit, they are the persons pets.

   A proper service animal such as blind or epileptic should not be smelly and not the size of a toaster or a house.

   Someone with severe allergies is going to die one day and then the rules will change, but it will take someone dying and being posted all over youtube.

4. What is with the large dogs on planes this week. I was on a couple short hauls through DFW this week to places in Texas and back home to Kansas City. I saw at least half a dozen large dogs with vests on which I assume means they are service dogs. I had three large dogs on flights I was on. Weird.
   I don’t blame this lady. If I was this person I would be contacting another airline with my story to see if they will match my status and no longer fly AA. Problem is that they are likely just as bad. She went over the line with the comment but FA’s need to grown some thicker skin on this stuff. You can say that they shouldn’t have to and that they have a tough job but it’s their JOB to deal with people all day long.

5. It is ultimately the airlines’ responsibility to protect customers from animals, but I don’t understand these animal owners either. All the animals I’ve encountered (I’m not allergic) have been well behaved and well controlled by their humans and the humans have always been aware of their responsibility to the other people around them. Every cat and dog I’ve flown near has been a sweat addition to my flight. I don’t understand why the owner of the dog would have taken such an excitable creature on board and why he or she executed such poor control over the animal.

   I’m very sorry for this woman. The airline completely mistreated her in favour of a passenger who was imposing his or her animal on other passengers by not controlling it.

6. If you have an allergy to peanuts, you’re rights are guaranteed. Allergic to animals, then you are the one that gets kicked off the plane.

7. “I am no longer loyal to any one airline myself anymore”: you said a mouthful. Too bad the airlines are not listening, just trying to see how many more people they can cram into coach. And unfortunately, airline service personnel, customer relations and upper management seem oblivious to this.

8. Ironic, after campaigns against gulf airlines (even banning laptop) and lessons from Dao incident, flight attendants as the frontline to customer cheering a “kicked” bussiness class passenger. Notwithstanding cultural or social norm in the US, are they even educated? Amazing……

9. As much as I like dogs too it’s sad that they’re more important than other human beings in these situations. If the dog truly jumped on her, it obviously isn’t a service dog. With that said, the airline should’ve kicked that owner off the plane.

10. Up until recently when I finally achieved Executive Platinum status, I assumed that status meant something and the elite flyers were treated as something slightly more dignified than cattle. Unfortunately, as this one story among many and my personal experience indicates, there is apparently no customer service attitude being transmitted from the airline to their employees.
    At least with status in high end hotels one generally gets treated quite well. Perhaps someone in an airline could take some notes from those guys.

11. I call BS on her story, particularly where the crew applauds. Something just doesn’t add up.

12. I don’t want to open the whole “are corporations people” debate. But this story indicates that, in fact, it is possible for a corporate entity to become insane.

13. For a dog to be excited is one thing but the airlines also should make sure they please pet owners and the customers. The dog has it’s right to be in the cabin but should have been on a shorter leash buckled into to the seat second it was where it needed to be. Secondly if allergic to a on board pet I hate to say this but your exposed to the dander the second you get on after the dog. It’s called take an allergy pill and suck it up.

14. I’m not allergic to dogs, but I am very allergic to cats. Years ago, I started sneezing halfway through a ORD-LAX flight & my eyes started getting itchy. I was lucky to have an antihistamine with me and I was feeling somewhat better in an hour. Turns out there was a cat in the row ahead of me & the FA said the passenger in my seat IAD-ORD had flown with a cat. The plane hadn’t been vacuumed between flights. I wrote the airline after my flight, wondering why it wasn’t possible to note in a passenger record that they were allergic to cats – and once they had a seat assignment, not to let someone traveling with one be seated next to them. Or vice versa – if you’re traveling with a pet, you need to declare that when booking your trip. The person who books first has priority. Once you pick a seat, it shows up on the seat map as “traveling with cat or dog.”. I see it and know to pick another part of the cabin, a different flight, or pre-medicate. The reply was that it would be “too difficult” — but that was what United also said when I asked why they couldn’t throw MM Golds a bone & prioritize their records so autoupgrades cleared before other Gold. (If they can do it by fare code within FF status, why not that?).

15. Shouldn’t there be a protocol in place whereby someone with severe allergies can provide documentation to an airline and ask that no animals be boarded in that cabin? I have never heard of a person being severely allergic to animals but I am sure they exist. Most animal allergies can be controlled by oral antihistamines. I note that the woman said the dog “tried” to jump on her. That sounds like a judgment call. I am also suspicious about the fact that the FAs applauded. If that is the case, I suspect the woman made quote a scene onboard. Something just doesn’t add up in my mind. I also thought most airlines restricted the number of animals in any one cabin. Is that not true anymore?

16. When did we become such a selfish nation of people? We no longer look out for anyone but ourselves. Control your animal, or better yet leave it at home. We all need to be ashamed over this story.

17. I feel like there is more to this story. There are absolutely bad crews out there but I have a hard time imagining them clapping if the story played out exactly as told

18. I have also noticed a greater number of dogs in the passenger compartment. I fly twice a month and this trend is growing. Pets belong in stowage not with the owners. What are the owners going to do, walk. FAA needs to regulate this practice. We did not have all this unrest when the airline we regulated. Maybe we need to return to those days.

19. As an employee of a major airline I have to say thank you for this article. I agree with most everything said here and, while I also want to ensure our passengers worth disabilities are accommodated, we are often forced to accommodate pets over people.

    Over the years I have learned to discern what a true emotional support/service animal is as they come on, are extremely well behaved (as are their owners who typically are very concerned with the well being of other passengers) and do not make any kind of situation. Sadly we live in an age where anyone can obtain required documentation with ease and bring their family pet on with ADA protections which result in situations like this to occur. Something needs to be done to fix the system, but airlines hands are pretty tied. No matter how you handle situations like this, someone is going to be upset.

    I recently had one on a full flight from Europe to the US where the passengers sitting next to the dogs had to lift their feet off the floor for an entire 8 hours. Completely unfair in my opinion. But if we removed the passengers with dogs we would have violated ADA, and if we removed the affected passengers we would be on the 5 o’clock news. So who is truly at fault? The passengers with dogs, the affected passengers, or the airline?

    I really appreciate the objective nature of this article, though. We are all (airlines and passengers) responsible for working together to change issues like this.

20. These airlines need to get their act together regarding dogs. If a dog bites a passenger, that airline is now in a liability position.

21. Yes really it’s the self righteous people who bring these large dogs as fake service animals. It really is out of control. Any dog over 25lbs in the cabin that is not a bona fide service dog for someone blind etc is one of these fake service animals/companion animal. The airlines need to grow a spine and start pushing back at the lax regulations.

22. Before the merger, there was a US Airways flight that had to make an emergency landing because a large dog pooped twice in the aisle. How much did it cost the airline to divert because a passenger was to cheap to pay for passage for their dog.

23. I think I’d rather sit next to a dog vs a DYKWIA

24. Again, immediately when asked to deplane, she should have asked for the AA Complaint Resolution Officer at MIA, and asked for an immediate resolution of her discrimination complaint, including a lie-flat seat on the next flight, and other accommodation to her schedule. Allergies are a disability under the ADA if they affect basic life skills, such as breathing. My wife and I carry documentation from our allergist of her disability when we fly. BTW, whether an allergy can be controlled by medication is not determinative of whether it is a disability under the ADA.

    Now, she should file a discrimination complaint with DOT.

25. There are dog harnesses that can be used to restrain the animal into the seat similar to the way child seats are.

26. Come on everybody- do you really expect glorified waiters and waitresses to use critical thinking!

27. A seeing eye dog is legit. An emotional support dog is BS!
    If you need that much support drive!

28. I think we’re on the verge of seeing a crackdown on fake “service animals”. We’re already seeing businesses here in Colorado post signs saying they require documentation of service animal status.

    And I think we’re going to see the most support for this from people with real service animals. A friend’s son has a peanut and nut alert dog and another friend has a seizure sniffing dog and they’ve both said they’ve received negative responses to their animals thanks to bad behavior by people with bullshit support dogs.

29. Why exactly did they kick her off? Was it because she made a perceived threat? Was she just speculating that she hopes something doesn’t happen with one of the dogs to cause an unscheduled landing? I’m on her side, but it’s a bit of an odd thing to say.

    Regarding Executive Platinum, when I first made it 5 or 6 years ago, it did get you a tad bit of extra consideration in unusual circumstances, but now it means absolutely nothing. I”m not even convinced that the EXP desk is staffed with anything more than inexperienced USAir reps. There are a few good AA reps but rarely do I get them. It’s really a joke. I recently had a flight with a medical emergency over the Pacific and had to turn around and fly back to Alaska, then on to my destination TWO days later. They refused to count the extra 5000 miles I flew as elite qualifying even though I actually flew those BUS.

30. The dog was most likely a self-proclaimed “comfort” or “therapy” dog and is not covered by the ADA rules for public transportation. Unlike a disabled individual’s professionally trained service dog, the airline can refuse transport of a “comfort” or “therapy” dog. A service dog will never “jump up” on a person while wearing their vest. It is ingrained in a service dog’s training that once the vest is put on, they are working and as such, have a very calm and serious disposition. A “comfort” or “therapy” dog is most likely a pet and, more often than not, lacks the training to prevent them from acting like an excited dog in a public place. My wife is deaf and has a hearing service dog who goes everywhere with her, including on planes. The dog, a golden retriever, never approaches other people and once boarded lays across the floor of my wife’s row, usually at the bulkhead and remains there, with little movement, until their destination is reached. I implore both passengers and airlines to distinguish between real service dogs, protected by the ADA, and “comfort” or “therapy” dogs whose legitimacy is suspect and travel is at the approval of the airline.

31. 1. Has anyone with animal allergies ever filed a complaint under the ADA?

    2. I’d love to see someone with PTSD from an animal attack file a complaint saying they require an emotional support animal-free cabin.

    3. I have often joked that there should be a separate cabin behind economy for children, animals, drunks, Kettles, etc. I still think it should exist, but I’m no longer joking.

    4. I’m actually surprised some animal lover hasn’t made a fiery comment containing the term “furbabies” yet.

32. I would applause as well. I think she just didn’t want to be near a dog as opposed to being actually medically allergic to one. Dogs fly on planes all the time and never once has their been an incidence of someone suffering a medical emergency due to one.

    Another example of a snobby 1%er who thought they were better than an animal.

33. Just a matter of time before a pair of these counterfeit service animals go at each other tooth-and-nail in the cabin at 30,000 feet. Here’s hoping no human appendages get savaged in a bloody melee out of “White Fang”.

34. Devil’s advocate here, just want to add a little to the conversation.

    This woman claimed she was allergic to dogs. Allergies have become a major red flag across the corporate service industry landscape in the last several years. If a passenger is truly allergic and has a full blown reaction on a transcon, that will guarantee a diversion and major service delay. An allergic passenger cannot be safely seated (within acceptable risk) in the same cabin as a dog.
    Now, if the dog was visibly misbehaved, there is a documented policy concerning the removal of that animal and passenger. Similarly, if a passenger’s health is a potential safety concern, there is also a policy in place for that passenger’s removal.

    If the passenger is not allergic but is saying she is to get increased attention, this opened her up to being the greater risk on the flight, and as such her method clearly backfired. If she’s truly allergic, the airline rightly should’ve removed her for safety reasons, but I agree she should’ve been reaccommodated. If she wasn’t truly allergic, I suggest “that dog is clearly misbehaving” or even “I don’t really like dogs, do you think someone would trade seats with me?” instead of defaulting to “I’m allergic!”

    Note: I work in hotels and restaurants and, after years of making special accommodations for “allergic” customers who in truth just don’t like the thing, I may be a little bitter. I’m NOT accusing this specific passenger of lying about a medical condition to get increased attention. It is however something I see people do as a near-daily occurrence, and something that has caused major policy changes in my industry.

35. It sounds like her comment of “I hope we don’t have to make an unplanned stop” was viewed as a threat that she might cause drama on the flight and force an unplanned stop.

36. I cruise about every 6 months. Just came back from a Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas 14 day relocation cruise from San Juan to Europe. About 2000 people and 15 DOGS on board! DO THEY REALLY HAVE TO GO TO THE MEAL SERVICE WITH THE PASSENGER?! I love dogs, but this is too much. Never saw a dog on HAL or Celebrity. Is this something new or just this cruise line?

37. The emotional support animal phenomena needs to be stopped by the airlines; the sooner the better. They are not legitimate service animals; please, airlines, put a stop to it.

38. These so called “emotional support animals ” has gotten out of control. Pigs,cats, dogs, turkeys, it’s a zoo. How in the world did they manage to fly without their animals in the past? Well, they did and the airlines have let things get out of control. As an employee of an airline, I agree with this female passenger. She needs to find another airline who will appreciate her concerns and business, try Delta! Because American had become to big and unconcerned with their passengers and their employees!

39. In Australia a service dog has to attend a 6-12 month training course away from its owner at a cost of over $12,000.

    Airlines in the USA should require proof of completion of this – and a letter from both a medical specialist and the passenger’s employer listing the disability requiring a service dog to be on board.

    In the absence of both proof of training and proof of disability, both the pet and the passenger should be flown in a crate in the hold.

40. Just more Gestapo behavior from FA’s with too much discretionary power.

41. Support animals are total Bull Shit! If you can’t fly without an animal…take the bus! Flying is not a right. It is a form of expedited travel. One day, an airline will put passengers ahead of the politically correct nonsense. As someone already noted, peanuts are now a no-no because of allergies. Sometime in the future, an airline will realize that animal induced allergies can have an adverse effect on passengers and punt the fur balls off the plane. The sooner that day comes, the better for the flying public. :p

42. What a terrible story and anyone can just make up what they want with airlines having nothing to defend.
    Just because she has status doesn’t make it ok to make such statements anyways.

43. NC, as an airline employee, you need some basic ADA training. Only service dogs for the disabled are protected by the ADA. “Comfort” and “therapy” dogs are not protected by the ADA and the decision to accommodate them on public transportation is up to the carrier.

    Malthus, according to the ADA laws and regulations, asking for documentation for a service dog is not permitted. A service dog is not required to wear a vest or have a special colored collar or leash. Only two questions are permitted to be asked under the ADA: “Is the animal required because of a disability?” and “What work or task has the dog been trained been trained to perform?” Although most service dog owners carry documentation, any place of public business or public transport requiring documentation is in violation of ADA regulations and could be fined or sued.

44. I agree with Take Away that most service animals are pets. I Amin the hospitality business and I have only seen one or two that I felt were true service animals. It is not fair to those who are allergic to animals.

45. I’ve *never* had a bad incident myself, been flying for 50 years. But between constant news of inappropriate escalations and all the stories about dealing with customs, we’ve decided to take a driving vacation this year, not flying at all. (we typically make 1-2 international trips per year and 1-2 domestic. And with so much noise about American, I’ve shifted almost all my spending from Citi AAdvantage (Executive World Elite) to Chase Sapphire Preferred. The Chase card is probably a better deal anyway, but the idea is to cast my consumer vote and decrease revenue to American. (I’m assuming they get a cut from Citi)

46. I travel with a letter from my pulmonologist regarding my asthmatic condition. Hopefully it grants me a little more priority over an alleged comfort animal.

47. @Arcanum says:

    “I’d love to see someone with PTSD from an animal attack file a complaint saying they require an emotional support animal-free cabin.”

    That would be pretty ironic if it was a soldier’s PTSD support dog. 🙂

    But seriously, true service dogs cost thousands of dollars or require some sort of financial aid. It would be easy for airlines to require documentation ahead of time like a bill or aid statement along with a letter from the foundation that trained it.

    I doubt most owners of “therapy” dogs (excluding PTSD dogs) could provide this kind of documentation.

48. I had no idea my allergies were covered under the ADA. This is good to know, because I think that means when an airline refuses to reseat me (or kick the emotional support dog off the plane), they’re violating it. I have no issue with service animals, my issue is with pets people bring on, and that airlines seem to have decided the medical condition of those people (psychological need to be near their pet or some such) is more important than my medical condition, severe dog and cat allergies.

    I hope this woman gets some better treatment from American, or is able to change airlines.

49. Another example of the media piling on with a negative story about airlines and their employees! Quit your bitching! Walk a mile in their shoes! We see endless stories of airline problems since the guy was dragged off the plane in Chicago! How many of these stories are really newsworthy?

50. I thought most airlines had a protocol where the airline can make notes when someone with an animal allergy is flying, so that they can arrange for proper seating of those traveling with pets. Certainly there is a system for tracking the animals as most carriers have limits as to the number of dog & cats in the cabin.

    Based on these facts I’d assign 90% of the blame to the airline – they clearly did not do enough to reseat the passenger (e.g. ask for volunteers, which happens all the time) and then played the “security” card after the passenger complained. However they did find the passenger another flight in F so I’m not sure there was much more they can do if there were no more flights with lie-flat seats.

    I’d assign 10% to the passenger – this was not her first rodeo and if her allergies are that problematic then she should be calling the airline at least 24 hours before the flight to see if there are animals on board, and then again checking at the gate. Once you are on the plane it is difficult to fix anything as we’ve all seen from recent events.

    Finally I agree with Nick the fake service animals need to go. DOT needs to get tough and start requiring people to apply for licenses and impose significant penalties for the fakers, that would curb a lot of this nonsense.

51. Perhaps it’s time for foreign companies to start operating domestic routes. Americans clearly have no concept of service anymore.

52. Details are being left out –
    Why would the crew applaud her leaving? Why does AA say they owe her no compensation?
    I was EP for 2 years and 1K now for 2 years. I have been more than fairly compensated for bumps, mishaps, delays. I have sat in the back of the plane between two huge people more times per year than most people fly in their lifetime. I have sat next to unruly parents and children more than unruly dogs.

    My seasoned guess: she acted entitled and treated the crew terribly.

53. I’m fully in favor of actual service animals – they are actually needed, and they are always well behaved.

    But an “emotional support” animal? How ridiculous is this becoming? Can I bring an “emotional support” firearm onto a plane? No – because it could be harmful to other passengers. Same rules should apply here.

54. Saw a lady at Tampa airport with three therapy poodles. I love animals but was happy she wasn’t on my flight. Three seemed a bit excessive. If there’s that much anxiety, perhaps it’s time to consider Xanax.

55. I guess when the airlines quit killing animals in the hold then they can better restrict animals in the cabin…

56. …or, better yet, passengers can leave their non-service animals at home, where they belong.

57. This new “emotional support” classification of animals is just a way for the flyer to make sure
    their pet travels in the cabin and for free. I wouldn’t want to sit next to a dog if I was allergic.
    If you need to travel with your emotional support animal, then let’s get it federally licensed, registered and make them pay for it. That will stop all this bs. I was waiting for a flight in Austin and saw a woman walk up to the gate agent, ask her a few questions and her little dog proceeded to pee right there in the middle of the area on the carpet. Who needs to put up with that stuff? It is getting out of hand and hurting those people that really need it.

58. To Mark S. It is obvious you have no concept of just what a thearpy animal does…
    I hope you not any member of your family ever needs one…but if they do, I hope you remember what a stupid statement you and your prejudice uttered.
    I agree they should all be well behaved and trained as mine are.

59. My sister is deaf and is on her second service dog… This little spitfire weighs 9 pounds (her first weighed 38). We traveled from Boston to San Diego without incident. Service digs are required to wear a “gentle lead” when in public – a muzzle of sorts, as a preventative for biting. Service dogs do come in all shapes and sizes. Before my niece passed away she had an emotional support dog. – my niece had juvenile Huntington’s disease and this dog was allowed anywhere in public with her. It was however not allowed to attend school with her. There are some emotional dogs that would be in a different situation and would be allowed to attend school with a child. This dog would also be allowed on a flight and would have a Gentle Leader muzzle the entire time it was in public. I think there needs to be a defined list given to Airlines of actual programs that are considered ADA compliant. We are required to provide proof of documentation when checking-in and I think it would help the airline’s tremendously with this sort of situation. It is difficult if someone is highly allergic I think there needs to be prior notification of the possibility of animals on a flight it would cover the airlines and people could make executive decisions on whether to fly or not and that particular flight. It will be impossible to please everyone but I feel that both passengers and crew lack kindness and patience these days. That in of itself is a huge disappointment.

60. Planes are for people.
    The animals pose a safety risk. They aren’t buckled in and become a hazard should turbulence occur.
    Passengers and animals alike are safer if the animals are created in the hold.
    No to mention allergies and there is no bathroom facility for the animals.

61. Claiming to be “allergic to animals” seems pretty sketchy. And why would the cabin crew applaud if her version of the prior events told everything?

    Perhaps this was just stunt marketing for the newly announced fifth season of Arrested Development. Very Bluth.

62. This happened to me when flying with my daughter. Going from SFO-LHR xPHL She said that she was feeling a bit nauseous to me and I asked a flight attendant for some water before we took off. She asked why and I said that my daughter was not feeling well after having eaten too much candy and will likely want it (which is true). The drink went down the wrong way and she had a little cough and all was fine. Within 5 minutes, ground staff were there to clear me and my family off the plane due to ‘illness.’ Because we were using points, we were left with no assistance to get any flights to continue our journey and directed to a payphone since I had no mobile phone that worked in the US (I explained this to them). The ground crew waved at me as they were closing up the area and the airport was closing. I was on endless hold and forced to find a hotel on short notice. She was not sick and never got sick. I have 2MM with AA and I have not flown them since, except where I had no choice. The new AA is absolutely terrible, but unfortunately air travel has become a race to the bottom for customer service.

63. Airlines bend over backwards to accommodate food allergies (peanuts, etc). How is an allergy to pet dander any different? I sense a movement of treating “pets as people” which, beyond a point, is asinine.

64. what does the law says??

65. Why are dogs on planes? This isn’t the third world- we shouldn’t be letting animals on board.

66. story doesn’t add up…biz class on 777-300 doesn’t have seats where a dog would be sitting “next to her” and she has to shield herself from the dog. But the seats have dividers and footwells and if the dog is sitting on the floor or even occupying a biz class seat itself, it’s not like it’s “next to her” you know what I mean?
    This lady seems to be just a grouchy stuck up one percenter who didn’t want to be anywhere near a dog and was finding fault with the accommodations the airline offered.

67. LovePrunes from FT she was in row 3, dog across aisle in row 4

68. I know 2 people who will get anaphylactic reactions to dogs/cats–one is my daughter. So….airlines won’t allow peanuts on their flights anymore for fear of provoking allergic reactions, but no prob with these “emotional support” dogs (or any dogs for that matter).

69. If a person is unstable enough to require an animal as a security blanket. Then that person is unstable enough to be a security risk, especially should an emergency arise.

70. This ALL heresay, The passenger said the dog tried to jump on her, she said the crew clapped as she deplaned, etc
    Sounds,as if the crew tried to rearrange her seating, she became allergic to economy. According to the rules the complaining party gets to be removed , not the passenger traveling with an accredited service animal.
    If she is allergic to economy and animals then rent a plane

71. Michele, there is no requirement for a service dog to use a gentle leader. It does not work as a muzzle or prevent biting, as you state. A gentle leader is a sort of power steering for better control and direction for leading a dog. My wife’s service dog prefers a gentle leader; she feels more secure with it on.

    As for traveling with a service dog, you do not have to provide documentation. You must be prepared to answer the only two questions the airline can legally ask you according to the ADA: “Is the animal required because of a disability?” and “What work or task has the dog been trained been trained to perform?” The only documentation you must provide is an inter-state vet’s travel certificate stating the dog is healthy and has all of its required vaccinations. The vet’s certificate must be dated within 10-14 days of the start of the trip. Every animal traveling by air must have this health certificate. Airlines do have clear guidelines regarding ADA compliance for disabled passengers traveling with service dogs. The issue is with poor training of airline personnel on the ADA and a lack of willingness to turn away or enforce animal travel requirements for passengers with “comfort” or “therapy” dogs not covered by the ADA. Abuse of airlines’ willingness to accommodate “comfort” or “therapy” dogs by people like the lady with three caped poodles makes it very difficult for those with issues not covered or considered by the ADA as a disability to travel with their dog.

    Just for everyone’s information, only two animals, dogs and miniature horses, are eligible to be a service animal under the ADA rules. No pigs, cats, ducks, turkeys, or any other type of animal qualifies. Please read the ADA requirements for service animals at https://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm

72. This is terrifying to me, as I am allergic to anything with fur.

    I had no idea that I could potentially be seated next to a dog, or that I would have to worry about sitting in a seat that a dog has been in. I don’t go into anaphylactic shock, but break out into hives with potential eye swelling.

    Anyone allergic to animals should not have to worry about this when flying.

73. Everyone is missing the key part where the FA may have mistakenly assumed the passenger made a threat about the flight going down. Obviously the passenger was referring to allergic reaction but wording and tone is key.

74. if i haD a peanut allergy the airline woukd be REQUIRED to accomodate me by banning OTHER passengers in my row and the rows ahead and behind from using any product containing​ peanuts.

    why not the same for animal allergies?

75. The passenger mentioned “I hope we don’t need to make an unscheduled stop”. That sounds threatening to me, or at the very least, she is deathly “allergic to animals”. The woman is obviously misleading people. If she was as easy going as she claims, the crew would have no reason to applaud her removal. “Large pets” aren’t allowed in the aircraft cabin, only small animals in carriers that fit beneath the seat, so it was service animal. I also find it hard to believe that the only other seat (in economy, which obviously she’s too good for anyways) was next to another dog. She very easily could have swapped with someone else (coach or first class) if she’d actually been willing to. If no one was willing to swap with her, then clearly she was just being a huge pain in the ass to start.

76. Airlines take precautions with food allergies, they should also take into consideration animal allergies. Why wasnt the passenger with dog relocated to back next to other passenger with their dog. If these dogs was indeed service animals, then they would have been trained animals, then should not have had any problem sitting next to each other. Problem solved.

77. Sorry if you can’t fly without Fido then maybe you shouldn’t be getting on a plane. Enough is enough. I love animals but there are some people who are allergic. I don’t see why other paying passengers should have to be removed from the flight when someone brings their pet on. Its a big plane you would think they could re-accommodate the passenger. That being said I believe airlines should ban pets in First and Business class. That way anyone with a pet allergy can buy a premium ticket if they are that concerned and these situations can be avoided. If pet owners want to fly premium then they can leave the animal at home or make other arrangements. This emotional support garbage needs to stop. They can bring a frickin teddy bear onboard if they have to.

78. Had dogs in the cabin when I flew to Vancouver last year. These were not therapy dogs, but were pets traveling in the cabin. I asked the flight attendant if I could get my inhaler out of my carryon as we were getting ready to push back. She allowed me to do so. I guess I’m lucky I wasn’t kicked off the flight. The women traveling with their dogs were highly irritated when they realized that I needed my inhaler because of their pets. Some folks are highly allergic. The airlines need to consider this and quit treating people who are allergic like second class citizens and therapy pets as first class passengers.

79. Obviously legitimate service animals are the exception to the rule.

80. I don’t know that they were applauding her being removed. Maybe she misconstrued what they were applauding. If they were in fact applauding her being removed then the only acceptable action by AA would be termination of said employees. I mean how is that even remotely appropriate? If some cabin crew did that to me I would NEVER fly that airline again no matter what. This is a woman who spends a lot of money with AA. You would think the airline would show more concern.

81. Passengers requesting to travel with any type of animal for any reason in the cabin should be “subject to”. If their request to travle with an animal inconveniences another passenger(s), the passenger traveling subject to must take a different flight.

82. My emotional support animal is Ativan. 😉

83. I suffer from pretty bad agoraphobia and very rarely travel. I have 2 dogs, live in Hawaii and pretty much have to fly to get anywhere. Emotional Support animals are a bit excessive and just and not xcuse to not pay the pet fee and nodded in the case of Hawaii, get out of $400-$700 fees to get blood work, vet clearance at home, vet clearance at arriving Hawaii airport and most important the quarantine applied to other dogs. They think they are slick avoiding all this, it will end up getting regulated andnndirportvoidingnd bringing your lap dog on board will carry a cost.

84. The Captain is legally responsible and essentially liable for the safety of all crew and passengers. If a passenger makes it clear that something may compromise the ability to fulfill that responsibility (I.e. you declare an allergy to something that the captain can’t control), the passenger may be asked to leave. Take a train or ship or drive. I’ve seen this happen numerous times and I’ve always spoken to the Captain and reassured them.. as they usually hate making that call.

85. There are 3 types of animals that can be in the cabin. One is a service animal which is usually a dog to help out with a person with disabilities and medical issues. These animals do not need to be in a carrier and they are registered as Service animals. The second is an “emotional support” animal. These can be any type of animal, a dog, cat, pig, small horse, turkey, chicken, duck, etc. (I know, it’s crazy). All you need to do is get a Dr.’s letter stating that the passengers needs to fly with this animal for emotional support. The airlines can only ask to see this letter and legally can not ask any other questions about the animal. There are very few passengers that actually need to have an emotional support animal to fly. Most of the passengers get their doctor to write this letter so they don’t have to pay the fee from the airlines to bring the animal on. This animal also is not required to be in a carrier. The third is an animal that the passenger brings on board and as required to pay a fee and the animal must be kept in the carrier under the seat in front of them. The issue is passengers know how to work the system with this emotional support animal and not pay the airline fee, that is the real problem here. Airlines have their hands tied with this issue and have to be very careful legally in dealing with these types of situations. The emotional support animal is way out of control and consequently these things are going to happen over and over again Maybe if you are so emotionally unstable that you can’t fly without your animal, you should drive instead of inconveniencing everyone else on the plane.

86. Emotional support animals are bullshit, I agree with the people making those comments. However, I am STILL in the process of having my Basset Hound declared an “Emotional Support Animal” simply because it makes my life easier. If I could fly economy and book the entire row of seats for me and my dog – I wouldn’t bother. But the alternative, is that she flies in the hold – And that’s not happening. If airlines had reasonable ways for people to travel with their pets, even at the cost of buying the entire 3 seats, or even an extra one – The amount of these support animals would be greatly lessened. However, you work with the system as it exists. Hence, I’ll soon have my dog traveling for free.

    As for the woman in question: She is obviously well to do financially, and my guess is that she probably came across as overly arrogant and snooty. The flight attendants probably jumped at the chance to kick her off and give her something of a comeuppance. Hence the applause. If she were legit allergic, and was even somewhat polite – It most likely wouldn’t have ended with her removal. Treat people like dirt, and they will in turn find ways to fuck with you. You can be surprised at how much power, even the “little people” have.

87. Trained support animals are trained not to jump on people. It sounds like that dog was not trained as an emotional support animal. If so, then the passenger who was trying to put one over on AA should’ve been kicked off instead.

88. That almost happens to me.and my wife a year ago with SouthWest. We were coming back from Chicago and because my wife has a knee that doesn’t bend from being run over by a drunk, we got on and sat on the right front where more legroom was. The steward said we couldn’t have anything blocking the isle because of FAA rules.
    The plane loaded and a guy came on with a dog that sitting down is over three feet high and they seat him next to me. I said “oh no”. I explains I was allergic to dogs and a few months before I was comming back from Alaska and a dog was brought onboard. I had an allergic reaction an hour and a half later at 1:30 in the morning where my eyes rolled back and I had passed out. They had all the cabin lights on and was going to look for a place to land in Canada. I got a mask, water and pills and said I thought I’d be ok to go on to Denver. They were all anxious but we did and they met us at the gate with EMS and took my wife and I to the hospital. Twelve hours later and thousands of dollars later we finally got out leaving AMA.
    The gate master asked if I had a letter from a Doctor. I said “No”. He said then we’d have to get off the plane.
    What??? The dog is blocking the isle with the sign that says nothing can block the isle and is not tagged as special at all. It looks part wolf. My wife says– so let me get this straight… you’re willing to kick off two handicapped people off for a dog?
    He emphatically said “yes, unless you are willing to move to the back of the plane.”
    The steward was embarrassed and got me a mask and we found a seat on the isle my wife’s leg could stick out.
    Pretty rude. I now carry a medical letter and wristband.

89. “TC says:
    May 19, 2017 at 3:25 pm
    if i haD a peanut allergy the airline woukd be REQUIRED to accomodate me by banning OTHER passengers in my row and the rows ahead and behind from using any product containing​ peanuts”.

    IN RESPONSE: I am a flight attendant so let me tell you what the FAA says about the issues of animals & allergies:

    Animals are classified as 1) service animal 2) emotional support animal or 3) cabin pet.

    1) service animals and emotional support animals are required to be able to sit/lay/curl up at the feet of the disabled passenger. They cannot be in an exit row, extend into the aisle or the foot space of another passenger who does not wish to share that space. A disabled passenger seated in a row that will not accommodate the animal may be reseated to a row more suitable. A lap held animal may be held in the passengers lap for all phases of flight. If service animal is too large to fit in the disabled passengers floor space move that passenger to a seat with a vacant seat next to it (if available), in no vacant seats exist refer the PASSENGER WHOSE SPACE IS INFRINGED UPON TO A CSA.

    In other words, a passenger with a disability and their service animal take higher priority than a regular passenger when the regular passenger is inconvenienced because of the service animal.

    Pertaining to animal allergies: if a passenger advises they have a life threatening allergy to an animal, attempt to reseat the allergic passenger as far away as possible. If this is impossible notify a CSA. SERVICE ANIMALS ARE NOT TO BE RELOCATED OR REMOVED FOR LIFE THREATENING ALLERGIES.

    Pertaining to peanut allergies: (My airline) does not serve peanuts on our flights. However we do not consider our airline to be “peanut free”. We cannot guarantee that the aircraft is 100% free of peanuts, peanut material or peanut products. We will not prevent passengers from bringing their own peanuts or peanut products onboard and consuming them during flight.

    Basically you are on PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. We cannot be expected to accommodate food and animal allergies because they are so widespread and vary greatly from person to person. People with disabilities are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you get on a plane and take issue with a service animal or someone near you eating peanuts…..maybe you should consider driving to your destination.

90. Unfortunately the Airline’s hands are tied in many of these circumstances, and ultimately it is the employees’ job to deal with the issues of passengers SAFETY above all else. What does this mean? It means that if YOU have an allergy to ANYTHING that could make you sick onboard the plane – an animal, a peanut, perfume, or even the airplane itself, it’s not the Airline’s job to accommodate YOU. It IS their job to make sure everyone onboard the flight is SAFE. So if you announce that you might get so sick that we could have to divert, you will be removed. Your safety cannot be compromised to the degree that it will compromise the entire flight and every other passenger. The ADA has rules in place that make it nearly impossible to take any action against a handler when it involves a Service Dog or Comfort Dog. We are not even permitted to ask to see any type of certification for the animal. And I say ANIMAL, because as a Flight Attendant I can assure you that we were told in Training that we must accommodate everything from a goldfish, to a parakeet, to a pig, or a pony. It doesn’t matter if they are somewhat unruly, make noise, or relieve themselves on the plane. We have NO CHOICE. We are not permitted to ask questions, and they are permitted to fly. Those are NOT Airline rules. They are ADA and FAA rules and regulations. We do our best to work with the passengers who tell us they are allergic (we cannot require proof of allergies either, and trust me, some people just don’t like animals). But you just can’t always make everyone happy. And when it comes to a situation like this one, sadly, the big federal laws trump anybody’s feelings or allergies. In other words, you may be offered to be reseated. But that’s pretty much the extent of what can happen. And you’re NOT going to be “compensated” in any way for the inconvenience. And, if you pitch too much of a fit over it, YOU will be removed. Think of it like this – modern day air travel is much like riding a city bus or subway in the sky. That’s about the level of expectation a passenger should have regarding the experience. Sadly, most people still expect to be treated like Airlines used to treat passengers back in the 60s – as if they were royalty. But that’s just not how it works these days. You should consider yourself lucky if you get from point A to point B within a reasonable amount of the alotted time designated for your flight. And you are truly blessed if you got a beverage. That’s the truth about the current state of air travel. People need to stop feeling so entitled, and stop believing that the Airline “owes them something” for the screaming kid; the dog that peed (or worse); the overweight, smelly guy; or the peanut eater who is seated next to them. Airlines are a CARRIER. They are indeed there to transport people; and animals, and cargo, and whatever. If whatever the situation is makes you that miserable or sick, then don’t fly. It’s your right. But that’s pretty much where your “rights” end when it comes to flying. And as previously stated, if your discomfort, allergy or illness is potentially going to cause a major disruption to the flight, or put every other passenger on that plane at risk – of getting sick, or of being diverted in flight- sorry, but it’s YOU who will have to go.

91. And yes, all Service and ESAs are indeed trained for their jobs – but they are still ANIMALS. Sometimes, even in spite of their training, they still behave like animals. Sorry. They’re not perfect. And Airlines have no way of regulating or controlling that onboard. Flight Attendants are there to do their best to regulate and control the human passengers. Believe me, that’s hard enough. Which is why the difficult ones are removed. Human passengers, that is – not the animals.

92. David L.

    My story/situation involved a service animal, which as you said is covered under ADA. Before you attack someone you should make sure you have your facts straight. Never once in my comment did I say that emotional support animals are covered under ADA. Don’t make assumptions; I am VERY familiar with ADA law.

93. Also for the lawyers on this thread who say that animal allergies are protected under law, in situations where you either kick off the service animal or kick off the person with the allergy…who do you think deserves to be kicked off? I would love to know which of the two individual YOU deem as more deserving to fly.

94. I have been on planes where there have been 100 pound service dogs. The dogs did not sit under the seat and intruded into the neighboring seats.

95. I have a Therapy Dog. It does not matter the size under seat on lap on floor next to feet. They have to be well behaved….As for her allergies hmmmm. If she is truly allergic it dies not matter where the dog is it will effect her. So her comment about having to emergency land is what got her kicked off. Nothing else but her attitude. The dog probably brushed passed her and she got stupid….and if she has that much money maybe she should consider hiring a charter plane next time…..

96. I think the fact that people need emotional support animals is getting a little out of hand… and is just another way for them to travel with their pets for free because if they are close with the doctors he will write a note regardless of the their, condition…..people with allergies to animals should be prioritized accordingly and the people with emotional support animals should take a backseat….if they are that unstable when they travel on an airplane then maybe they should take a Xanax,,,,it works for me…..and if the person really needs an emotional support animal then it should be a non-allergenic dog weighing no more than 15 to 20 pounds ……and the passenger should have documentation from at least two doctors

97. If I was the crew and a passenger said she was so horribly allergic to dogs that the plane would need to be diverted due to her health issue, since it sounds like there were two dogs on the plane, I probably would suggest she deplane and take another dog-less flight, for the passenger’s own safety and the airlines legal liability if the bumped passenger was telling the truth (which I suspect she was not).

    I agree with others here . . . this sounds like a bumped passenger’s alternative facts.

98. Dear Leap, you are incorrect as to the number of types of animals legally required to be allowed on a flight; there is only one, not three. Service dogs for the disabled are the only type of dog guaranteed trave under the ADA. There is no registry for service dogs and as I have mentioned in two previous posts, only two questions are permitted by law to be asked to ascertain the legitimacy of a service dog. The travel of other dogs, and for that matter, other animals in the cabin is left to the decision of the individual airlines and, ultimately, to the aircraft captain. This includes “comfort” and “therapy” dogs and paying dogs, cats, and any other animal traveling in an under the seat carrier or in the cargo hold. Notes from doctor’s regarding an individual’s need to travel with an animal for therapeutic reasons are again left to the individual airline and their captains’ discretion. Airlines are under no obligation to provide transport for any animal outside of a service dog specifically trained to perform a task or tasks for a disabled individual, as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act and subsequent Amendments of said Act.

99. For everyone mentioning the ADA, it doesn’t apply to passenger aircraft. Air travel is covered under the ACAA.

100. Miami – LA in first – I can imagine the entitlement on all sides here – dog owners and the passenger.

     esa needs to change.

101. The comfort / emotional support dogs are a problem everywhere. I see them in baskets at grocery stores. I mean really? This is insanitary. Before you go crazy with hate mail, I have two dogs myself and am a health care provider. I clearly understand service dogs for blind, deaf, other disabilities. As someone else stated there are medications for psychiatric conditions and anxieties, so take them. The comfort dogs are frequently poorly trained, do jump on people, do make messes etc and this whole thing is out of control. Further is it a real slap and disservice to the disabled with genuine trained and working service dogs. Who minds a real well trained quiet service dog who sits quietly and is completely obedient vs a nut job dog who is comforting someone by jumping on others, barking, seeking attention or messing on the floor

102. My son travels often on business, is anaphylactic allergic to cats, and has been very polite if ever encountering a seat partner with one. Most times, he’s able to switch with another passenger, but I can only imagine, shudder to think what could happen to him if not. It’s a very serious problems, for airlines to find a balance to suit everyone.

103. I can not imagine that a flight crew would “applaud” as a passenger left the aircraft. They would be fired. Contrary to the media blitz on flight crews attitudes , they do not applaud when someone is removed. They may look very relieved, but do not applaud. If there is concern that someone is not able to make a flight due to illness, it is always best to err on the side of the passenger’s safety and remove them, rather than delay care in an emergency. It takes approximately an hour and a half to get someone to emergency crews on the ground for care if in flight. There are only limited emergency supplies on an air craft to support a doctor or medical situation.

104. Side note on Emotional Support Animals: It’s not an issue of training. There is *NO* training required. It literally just requires a letter from a Psychiatrist, Therapist, or Mental health social worker type. The letter has to be “current”. Which usually means within a year or two timeframe, and on official letterhead.

     @David L. – You are wrong regarding the emotional support animals. They are covered, and an airline *IS* required to accommodate a passenger who has one. Their hands are tied. As long as the documentation is legit, they can be sued if they refuse, and they will lose.

     Another Side Note: Right now, there are two big reasons for the proliferation of Emotional Support Animals. The first one is obviously the pet policy on airlines. As I mentioned before, I’d have no problem paying for an extra seat so I can bring my Basset Hound certain places. I’d even go for the entire row if necessary. I will not put her in the cargo hold, and my revulsion to this is increased even further after the United Rabbit debacle. Bad airline policies regarding pets, has helped spur the growth of ESA’s. I see the loophole, and I will use it. The second reason, and this is one that people may not be aware of – Is that if you rent an apartment, the landlord is required by law to waive any pet fee’s. Also, if the building in question don’t allow pets or dogs – They (again by law) are required to allow yours. Retail businesses, still have the ability to block ESA’s at their discretion. These two carve-outs exist pretty much just for airplanes and rentals. I’m not sure if they also apply to hotels, since I’ve never looked into it. (Those few times I travel with my dog, I just find a pet friendly hotel, and pay the extra fee.)

105. I guess the Thought Leader is going to post these stories at every opportunity?

106. I don’t live in the US, and when reading stories about how “emotional support animals” are given preference over passengers with (at times life threatening) allergies I am flabbergasted. So, someone who could die from an allergy is second to a passenger who wanted to bring their pet. Obviously, the issue is not about real disability animals that are properly trained. The problem isn’t with the airlines but with this particular law, and the culture leading to this law.

107. The problem here is not essentially the ESA but American’s total disregard for their loyal flyer. Of course they should have looked for an alternative solution. And if they couldn’t find one on that flight they shroud have shown their loyalty to her by offering some loyalty gesture, not money, but points or an upgrade voucher.

     Whilst it is right that the airlines have to take ESA passengers and their animal, surely they can limited the number in each cabin.. There are limits to the numbers of passengers needing oxygen that will be accommodated on any one flight, why not the same with animals?.

108. You lost my sympathy by stating that dogs should be placed under the seat?! Service dogs are generally labs and shepherds for a number of reasons. Also “small” dogs at times could be puppies in training and need to be exposed to varied settings.
     AA staff could have been busy and pressured before take off although clapping was unwarranted. That should have been left to the passengers. At my advanced age I would rather be seated next to a dog than a human in any conveyance.

109. I know too many people that do not have an emotional support need but use that to get their dogs on board with them regardless of their size. That’s the first process that needs to be evaluated. People with real service dog needs are the ones that will ultimately lose out here.

110. This person is an FAA inspector and should have asked for another flight, instead of causing havoc and possible delay. She knows better.

111. When is the insanity with people and their pets going to end? Oh I know: when someone dies in flight or gets seriously attacked by pets that aren’t trained like service animals. Once again, when almighty buck enters the picture.

     American: Take heed or you’ll get the press that United recently got.

112. I have had dogs for over 40 years but feel this emotional dog issue has gotten out of hand. The person with the dog or other animal should have a letter from a mental health clinician which states the mental illness by number as stated in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual which is the accepted classification for mental illness. If the person needs the dog for other specialized reasons such as epileptic seizures, the letter must come from a neurological specialist not some GP. The same standard would apply for each reason an animal is needed. I read one report where there were 10 dogs in plane. What happened to the rule of two dogs per cabin? If someone wants to bring an animal on board and there are already two reserved, it seems that third person would have to find another flight. I can’t begin to imagine the smells in a cabin with 10 dogs.

113. Does anyone question the accuracy of this ‘allergic to economy’ rich lady’s statement? How many dogs are there in the business class? It’s possible that she feels that nowhere in the business class can be far enough away from that one dog. It’s hard to imagine that the attendants would applaud upon her removal. And if she exaggerated this, is it possible that exaggerated or omitted some important details? And even if the attendants really did clap hands, why would they be so happy?

114. When ALL ES animals are required to fly First/Business with their owners you will find out how emotionally supportive the animal is.
     Smaller cabin, fewer passengers and more room would be suitable for all ESA’s.

115. Dear Ms. Grossberg, you’d rather fly with dogs than humans, eh? Well, I can assure you that the feeling is mutual. We’d rather you did too. Heck, I’ll go further and hope that your pilot is a dog too. Happy Travels.

116. I’ve been bitten twice by unfamiliar dogs – once right after the owner said ‘Oh, he doesn’t bite.’ I’ve got the scar to prove he does! So now I get anxious around unfamiliar dogs – I sure don’t want to be stuck in a small space inches from one for hours and hours! Why is it okay for someone to do something that’ll ease their anxiety when it raises mine? Lots of people have gotten bit by dogs – hundreds of thousands, and those people, like me, fly on planes. Why don’t our rights matter?

117. Humans should have the right not to share space in an airplane if they so choose with someone else’s animals. This pet on board situation is ridiculous and out of control. I love dogs, but it is too much.

118. I absolutely love animals but am very allergic. Flying back from Houston to Chicago yesterday on United, I experienced for the first time the feeling that I would be removed from the plane because I wasn’t able to sit next to a shitzu that was on someone’s lap next to me for 2.5 hours. Coming online and researching, I see that I would’ve had to find another flight if another passenger had not been nice enough to switch with me. Absolutely ridiculous that this is the way it is now. I would be completely understanding of a service dog should I have been removed, but the fact that anyone can bring any dog on a plane and they take precedence over someone with severe allergies? When did animals become more important then people?

119. I love uppity rich white women. This woman was probably my mother. To the offenders: um, throw the beast in the cargo hold. It’s your own fault for wanting to travel with a dog. If a dog is bigger than the maximum size of a carry on, euthanize it (blow it away), check it ( stow it away), or say goodbye to it (throw it away). If your dog *really* WANTS to be with you, it will figure out a way to find you. The dog in Homeward Bound : The Incredible Journey figured its way home. I’m sure this mongrel can too; if not, Natural Selection did its job yet again and yet I’m sure will go unthanked, yet again. Also why has nobody brought up the fact that dogs can be trained to kill people, quite effectively, by the way, and yet we allow them on to planes, but not dildos or cologne? Maybe the next terrorist attack will be some trained, ruthless german shepherds posing as harmless emotional support animals, who within minutes have torn the jugulars from half the cabin.

120. I think that airlines have a responsibility to tell passengers before boarding that they will be seated next to a passenger with a service animal.They are potentially putting themselves in a legal nightmare (especially if nearby seatmates are allergic to animals) by not disclosing this information ahead of time.

121. Wow, who could have seen this coming??? Oh wait – ME!! As soon as corporations bought in to this “I’m scared, I need an animal” crap this was sure to happen.

     If you aren’t blind – it’s not a service animal.

122. Has nobody noticed that this woman ‘threatened’ the crew by saying that she hoped there wasn’t a need for an unplanned stop’ after she saw the dog? The flight crew was totally in the wrong by not ejecting the ‘large dog who jumped on her’. Odd that nobody else noticed this, don’t you think? Of course the ’emotional support’ thing has gotten insane … requiring those pax to purchase a seat up front for them and their pet is about the smartest solution I’ve heard. If you’re too nervous and upset to get on an airplane by yourself, then you should find alternative means of transportation. Yeah, yeah, I know, a politically incorrect statement … as well as a clear-eyed look at the situation. Do we really want to continue on this path until a human is severely injured by someone’s pet?