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

Thu Apr 15 16:14:11 UTC 2010

Steve,
    You are correct, as far as I know, that the Air Carrier Access Act 
(ACAA) applies to the airplane, while the terminal is covered by Title III 
of the ADA.

Fraternally yours,
Marion

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Johnson" <stevencjohnson at centurytel.net>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2010 8:31 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] why do we have to let airlines know that you have a dog


> Cheryl, I am not sure if Marion responded, but I believe the ADA applies 
> in
> the terminal and more specifically title 3.
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of cheryl echevarria
> Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 7:50 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] why do we have to let airlines know that you have a 
> dog
>
> correct and if I remember and Marion was speaking of this, and don't
> remember what he said about the ATA
>
> IF you can enlighten us again Marion.
>
> 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
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Steve Johnson" <stevencjohnson at centurytel.net>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 8:47 AM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] why do we have to let airlines know that you have a 
> dog
>
>
>> Just one more quick point of clarification, remember, the aDA does not
>> cover
>> air transportation accessibility; the Air Carrier Act does.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>> Behalf
>> Of cheryl echevarria
>> Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 4:38 AM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] why do we have to let airlines know that you have a
>> dog
>>
>> That is from the ATA.
>>
>> Thank you.
>>
>> 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
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Steve Johnson" <stevencjohnson at centurytel.net>
>> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2010 9:34 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] why do we have to let airlines know that you have a
>> dog
>>
>>
>> > 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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>> >
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