Alaska Airlines announced Tuesday that it will no longer allow passengers to bring emotional support animals to its aircraft for any booking made after Jan. 11. The airline is the first to ban emotional support animals following the U.S. Department of Transportation’s new guidance on what kind of animals should be allowed to transport passengers on passenger planes.
The new rules will not apply to dogs that are trained to perform specific tasks, such as guide dogs for the visually impaired.. But the rules will apply to “emotional support” monkeys, peacocks and snakes, everything people have tried to carry on planes. the last few years.
“As of January 11, 2021, Alaska will only carry service dogs, which are specially trained to perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified person with a disability,” Alaska Airlines said in a statement. on line.
The Department of Transportation released new rules in early December they were celebrated by some people who complain that unscrupulous people had used “emotional support” as an excuse to carry their untrained pets or disciplines on planes without real need. But disability rights groups warn that the new restrictions could make it difficult for people with disabilities to enjoy equal access to the country’s transport infrastructure.
“Once again, in an almost systemic way, DOT has decided to prioritize the airline industry and corporate interests over the rights granted to people with disabilities under the law,” said Curt Decker, executive director of the National Rights Network with Disability, he said in a statement earlier this month after the Department of Transportation issued its new guidance.
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“While it’s no secret that we are still far from a truly accessible transportation system in this country, the DOT standard will only serve to exacerbate existing inequalities for people with disabilities who participate in air travel and will adapt almost exclusively to the interests of the airline industry, “Decker continued.
Alaska Airlines announced that passengers will now have to complete an online form swearing that their pet is a “legitimate service dog” and that it has been properly trained so as not to cause inconvenience on the flight.
Guests must complete a DOT form, which will be available on AlaskaAir.com beginning January 11, proving that their pet is a legitimate service dog, that they are trained and vaccinated, and that they will behave appropriately during the journey. For bookings booked more than 48 hours before the trip, guests must send the completed form by email. For reservations booked less than 48 hours in advance of the trip, guests must send the form in person to the customer service agent upon arrival at the airport.
There are there are still many questions on what kind of animals will be allowed on board for passengers with psychiatric conditions and Alaska Airlines has not yet been terribly specific in this regard. We have contacted Alaska Airlines for more clarity on the new rules and will update this post if we receive news.
Other US airlines have not yet announced changes to their official rules on service animals, but they are expected to do the same soon.
“This policy change is welcome news, as it will help us reduce inconvenience on board while we continue to accommodate our guests traveling with skilled service animals,” said Ray Prentice, Alaska Airlines ’director of customer advocacy. in a statement.