[NAGDU] any news on airlines??????

[Sunshine]

Mike H and all: Below is the letter I received in my email today. It's good news in the sense that anyone with service animals, guide dogs, and emotional disability dogs have to follow the same rules.

I wrote much more in my message, but they just cited a snippet. Also I called and was told I would receive a call, and just received an email response. This message arrived, today, Saturday, Februbley 24th.

'Begin forwarded message:

> From: "dotdlcare at delta.com" <dotdlcare at delta.com>
> Date: February 24, 2018 at 5:43:41 PM CST
> To: "ruthmtipps at gmail.com" <ruthmtipps at gmail.com>
> Subject: GG2018010114 - (RUTH TIPPS) MW1377 [refcc_00D1aally3afdd_5001aW5SDWCCREF]
> 
> Hello Ruth,
> 
> RE: Case 00654818
> 
> We've received your message sent to the United States Department of Transportation. Thanks for writing and sharing your feelings about the changes to our Service Animal (SVAN) and Emotional Support/Psychiatric Animal (ESAN) policies that will go into effect on March 1, 2018. 
> 
> We understand these changes to our policy will have an impact on your travel experience, since you travel with a guide dog. As you mentioned, you feel the requirements to present documentation your guide dog's vaccinations and the additional check-in restrictions would make the entire travel experience much more difficult for travelers and their service animals. That said, please know that since the original announcement of the policy changes, we have listened to customer feedback and have made some adjustments to the requirements for passengers traveling with Service Animals.  
> 
> Customers traveling with trained service animals are encouraged but no longer required to submit documentation 48 hours prior to flight via delta.com. However, they are still required to travel with the animals Veterinary Health Form and/or immunization record (current within one year of travel date), but would no longer be required to have a distemper vaccination. These customers may check-in via delta.com, the Fly Delta mobile app, airport kiosks or with an airport agent.
> 
> For complete details on this policy, please go to Delta.com to become familiar with our most up-to-date information and recent changes to our guidelines. Our website has some valuable information for those who need additional assistance, including our section on traveling with service and support animals, which you will find under "Special Concerns".
> 
> It is also important to mention that the changes we have made to our policy comply with all applicable laws and regulations and supports our top priority of ensuring the safety of our customers, employees and the legitimate service and support animals that fly on Delta. We believe that the lack of regulation in both health and training screening for ESANs is creating unsafe conditions in air travel and we have worked with our Advisory Board on Disability to come up with solutions that support those that legitimately need to travel with an animal. We have made these changes in response to customers who have reached out to us, including many from the Disability community, to take action in this regard.
> 
> For any additional questions you may have, feel free to call our Disability Assistance Line at 404-209-3434, which is devoted to helping with whatever the concern may be either before, during or after traveling with us or for assistance with the documentation forms. 
> 
> We understand your feelings surrounding this issue and we are grateful you took the time to share your concerns. Your comments have been shared with the responsible leadership teams and your feedback will help us to better serve all of our customers.
> 
> I appreciate the opportunity to review your email. Thanks for writing.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Megan Buchanan
> Delta Air Lines
> 
> [refcc_00D1aally3afdd_5001aW5SDWCCREF]
> 
> 
> ----------

Sunshine and my sweet, loving, playful, wiggling serious-working Tse black labradorable Velvet 

----- Original Message ---------------
> From: dotdlcare at delta.com [dotdlcare at delta.com]
> Sent: 2/13/2018 10:18 AM
> To: ruthmtipps at gmail.com
> Subject: GG2018010114 - (RUTH TIPPS) MW1377 []
>  
> Hello Ruth,
> 
> RE: Case 00654818
> 
> We've received your voice message sent to the United States Department of Transportation. They have asked us to respond to you directly. Emails, voice messages, and letters are answered in the order they are received. We appreciate your patience while we review your concerns. 
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Customer Care
> Delta Air Lines
> 
> 
> []
> 
> 
> --------------- Original Message ---------------
> 
>   
> Case Number: GG2018010114
> Consumer Information
> Inquirer Type	Name	Address	E-mail Address	Office Phone	Home Phone
> AH	Ms. RUTH TIPPS		ruthmtipps at gmail.com		918-938-7014 
> Complaints Information
> Complaint Code	Carrier Name	Flight Date	Flight Itinerary
> MW1377	DELTA AIR LINES		
> Description of Problem/Inquiry
> Ns, Tipps called DOT consumer line regarding DL new ESA policy. See attach




Begin forwarded message:


From: "dotdlcare at delta.com" <dotdlcare at delta.com>
Date: February 24, 2018 at 5:43:41 PM CST
To: "ruthmtipps at gmail.com" <ruthmtipps at gmail.com>
Subject: GG2018010114 - (RUTH TIPPS) MW1377 [refcc_00D1aally3afdd_5001aW5SDWCCREF]


Hello Ruth,

RE: Case 00654818

We've received your message sent to the United States Department of Transportation. Thanks for writing and sharing your feelings about the changes to our Service Animal (SVAN) and Emotional Support/Psychiatric Animal (ESAN) policies that will go into effect on March 1, 2018. 

We understand these changes to our policy will have an impact on your travel experience, since you travel with a guide dog. As you mentioned, you feel the requirements to present documentation your guide dog's vaccinations and the additional check-in restrictions would make the entire travel experience much more difficult for travelers and their service animals. That said, please know that since the original announcement of the policy changes, we have listened to customer feedback and have made some adjustments to the requirements for passengers traveling with Service Animals.  

Customers traveling with trained service animals are encouraged but no longer required to submit documentation 48 hours prior to flight via delta.com. However, they are still required to travel with the animals Veterinary Health Form and/or immunization record (current within one year of travel date), but would no longer be required to have a distemper vaccination. These customers may check-in via delta.com, the Fly Delta mobile app, airport kiosks or with an airport agent.

For complete details on this policy, please go to Delta.com to become familiar with our most up-to-date information and recent changes to our guidelines. Our website has some valuable information for those who need additional assistance, including our section on traveling with service and support animals, which you will find under "Special Concerns".

It is also important to mention that the changes we have made to our policy comply with all applicable laws and regulations and supports our top priority of ensuring the safety of our customers, employees and the legitimate service and support animals that fly on Delta. We believe that the lack of regulation in both health and training screening for ESANs is creating unsafe conditions in air travel and we have worked with our Advisory Board on Disability to come up with solutions that support those that legitimately need to travel with an animal. We have made these changes in response to customers who have reached out to us, including many from the Disability community, to take action in this regard.

For any additional questions you may have, feel free to call our Disability Assistance Line at 404-209-3434, which is devoted to helping with whatever the concern may be either before, during or after traveling with us or for assistance with the documentation forms. 

We understand your feelings surrounding this issue and we are grateful you took the time to share your concerns. Your comments have been shared with the responsible leadership teams and your feedback will help us to better serve all of our customers.

I appreciate the opportunity to review your email. Thanks for writing.

Regards,

Megan Buchanan
Delta Air Lines

[refcc_00D1aally3afdd_5001aW5SDWCCREF]



--------------- Original Message ---------------
From: dotdlcare at delta.com [dotdlcare at delta.com]
Sent: 2/13/2018 10:18 AM
To: ruthmtipps at gmail.com
Subject: GG2018010114 - (RUTH TIPPS) MW1377 []
  
Hello Ruth,

RE: Case 00654818

We've received your voice message sent to the United States Department of Transportation. They have asked us to respond to you directly. Emails, voice messages, and letters are answered in the order they are received. We appreciate your patience while we review your concerns. 

Regards,

Customer Care
Delta Air Lines


[]



--------------- Original Message ---------------

  Case Number: GG2018010114
Consumer Information
Inquirer TypeNameAddressE-mail AddressOffice PhoneHome Phone
AH Ms. RUTH TIPPS  ruthmtipps at gmail.com  918-938-7014 
Complaints Information
Complaint CodeCarrier NameFlight DateFlight Itinerary
MW1377 DELTA AIR LINES   
Description of Problem/Inquiry
Ns, Tipps called DOT consumer line regarding DL new ESA policy. See attach