[nagdu] why do we have to let airlines know that you have a dog

Wed Apr 14 13:42:46 UTC 2010

Steve, this bit of law pertains to emotional support and psych service
animals, not guide dogs.  I'm a bit confused why you think it's relevant
to whether or not we have to tell the airlines we're travelling with a
guide dog. Perhaps you're pointing out the differences between kinds of
service animals?
I'm with Marion; I don't tell them.
Tracy

> Cheryl, taken from the updated Air Carrier Act of 2009:
>
> .Requires 48-hour notification that a customer is bringing an emotional
> support animal or psychiatric service animal on board the aircraft.
>
> Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals
> The definition of service animals includes guide dogs, signal dogs,
> psychiatric service animals, and emotional support animals.  Air carriers
> are required to allow service animals traveling with persons with
> disabilities to sit with them in the cabin of the aircraft.65 Passengers
> traveling with pets, as opposed to service animals or emotional support
> animals, do not have any rights under the ACAA. To determine whether a
> passenger with a disability is entitled to travel with a service animal,
> air
> carriers may ask questions and request documentation in certain
> circumstances. The questions that may be asked and the level of
> documentation that may be required will vary depending on the individual's
> disability and the type of service animal. The purpose for the variation
> in
> requirements is because 1) many people traveling with a service, comfort
> or
> psychiatric support animal may have a have a hidden disability so the need
> for a service animal is not apparent and 2) the reason an individual with
> an
> obvious disability requires a service animal is not always evident.
>
> As evidence that an animal qualifies as a service animal, an air carrier
> must accept identification cards, other written documentation, presence of
> harnesses, tags, or the credible verbal assurances of the passenger with
> the
> disability using the animal.66 If an air carrier is not certain of the
> animal's status, even after being told that an animal is a service animal,
> additional questions may be asked, including: "What tasks or functions
> does
> your animal perform for you?," "What has the animal been trained to do for
> you?," and "Would you describe how the animal performs this task or
> function
> for you?''
>
> For emotional support or psychiatric service animals, air carriers may
> request very specific diagnostic documentation 48 hours in advance of a
> flight. The documentation must be 1) current (not be more than one year
> old); 2) be on letterhead from a licensed mental health professional; 3)
> must state that the person has a mental or emotional disability recognized
> in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV); and
> 4) state that the animal is needed as an accommodation for air travel or
> for
> activity at the individual's destination. The documentation should also
> state that the health professional is treating the individual and include
> the date and type of the mental health professional's license and the
> state
> or other jurisdiction in which it was issued. It does not need to state
> the
> individual's diagnosis.67
>
> Unusual animals such as miniature horses, pigs, and monkeys may be allowed
> to travel as service animals.68 To determine whether the animal will be
> allowed in the cabin, the air carrier may take into account the animal's
> size, weight, and whether the animal would pose a direct threat to the
> health or safety of others, or cause a significant disruption in cabin
> service. If the animal would pose or cause any of these things, the animal
> may have to travel in the cargo hold. In addition, if there are
> restrictions
> on any of these animals at the final destination point of travel, the
> animal
> may not be allowed to fly at all. Other unusual animals such as snakes,
> other reptiles, ferrets, rodents, and spiders may be denied boarding as
> they
> may pose other safety and public health concerns. Foreign carriers are
> required to transport only dogs as service animals.69
>
> Service animals cannot be denied passage because other passengers are
> offended or annoyed by animals.70 Any service animal may be denied
> boarding
> privileges if the animal barks, growls, jumps on people or misbehaves in
> ways that indicate the animal has not been trained to behave properly in
> public settings, poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others,
> or poses a significant risk of disruption of cabin service.71
>
> People with disabilities can sit in any seat with their service animal
> unless they block an aisle or an area designated for emergency evacuation.
> If they cannot be accommodated in a requested seat, then they must be
> given
> the opportunity to move to another seat within the same class of service.
> A
> person with a disability may request a bulkhead seat or another seat that
> better suits their needs. 72 A person traveling with a service animal may
> ask to pre-board.
>
> Air carriers are not required to make modifications that would constitute
> an
> undue burden or would fundamentally alter their programs. In order to
> accommodate a service animal, a carrier does not have to ask another
> passenger to give up all or most of the space in front of their seat (This
> is rarely necessary, since most service animals fit comfortably at the
> feet
> of the handler, beneath the seat in front of the handler.) Carriers may
> try
> to find someone willing to share their foot space. Carriers can
> voluntarily
> reseat a person traveling with a service animal to a business or
> first-class
> seat to accommodate a service animal, but are not required to do so.73
>
> In-flight services and facilities do not have to be provided to service
> animals. Individuals traveling with the animals must provide for the
> animal's food, care, and supervision.
>
> In the terminal, air carriers must provide animal relief areas. They also
> must provide escort service to individuals traveling with service animals
> to
> these areas, upon request.74
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of cheryl echevarria
> Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2010 6:26 PM
> To: nagdu
> Subject: [nagdu] why do we have to let airlines know that you have a dog
>
> On GDF conference call they are saying that we need to let airlines know
> we
> have guide dogs with us.
>
> Why, that is not so.
>
> Cheryl Echevarria
> Independent Travel Consultant
> C10-10646
>
> http://Echevarriatravel.com
> 1-866-580-5574
>
> http://blog.echevarriatravel.com
> Reservations at echevarriatravel.com
> Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel
> CST-1018299-10
>
>
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