[NAGDU] Specifics of D.O.T. flying rules proposal, to make commenting easier

[Peter Wolf]

Hi all, 

Melissa Allman at The Seeing Eye provided this to the other list I’m on.  Thanks Melissa if you are reading.  I am forwarding this very helpful document to fellow NAGDU members.  

Hey everyone,  
This document lists very specifically, point by point, what the proposed changes to flying rules would be.  Please check in on each of the points, and weigh in for your comment.  I’m forwarding it, because I think that it can help each of us to give a clear, specific, grounded input, which can go simply point by point.  

I like a lot of it.  But I have conflicting consideration about a requirement for D.O.T. certification forms.  They propose that a health certification form be filled out by a vet.  That costs time and money, which ordinary passengers never get singled out for.  And, will this form end up as an annual requirement, just to be flashed at boarding, or does it require us to check in, even if not necessary with only a carry on bag… or would it require that we cough up the time and money every single time we get on a plane?  For me, that could be monthly.  Not acceptable.  The other two forms they propose are that we certify our dog can either hold it, or appropriately eliminate in a sanitary way if necessary for any reason on a flight of 8 or more hours.  Duh, of course they can.  They are trained.  


The third form they propose is to attest to training and good behavior.  No brainer, we are trained.  

Now, for a little devil’s advocate:   

1.  We have never been challenged, and in fact frequently complemented, on good behavior.  There has never been a need for a form.  But, this scare off or discourage people from faking a service dog.

2.  It has happened, outside of the U.S., at a check-in counter flying back home, that they required us to show them a relieving pad in our carry on baggage.  They weren’t under U.S. rules.  I happened to have read about this in advance.  And, so what the heck, I bought some and stuffed one pad into each of our bags before we left home.  I also had read about a requirement in other countries for flying, that you write a note attesting to appropriate holding, or emergency sanitary relieving, on longer flights.  So I wrote one and also slipped that into each of our carry-on bags.  Result?  They smiled and thanked us at the counter when we flashed them, and off we went.   But…what if on one particular flight you had a poor connection getting to the airport and had just sufficient, but limited time like anyone else…and on this particular day, the person you deal with happens to be overly officious, or having a bad day?  There’s where the ‘what the heck, just flash it and go’ advantage, helps. 

Another point I find troubling, is a suggestion to require us to come an hour early.  I may have misunderstood this as simple to be a normal hour early for a flight.  Heck to make a plane these days, an hour and a half is better anyway.  Or, did they mean we get singled out to come (another) hour earlier?  That would be unacceptable as discriminatory.  As it is, we generally check in, and they simply note during it that we have service dogs and what they do, have a nice day. 

The last devil’s advocate point is… we really do need teeth, somewhere, to stop fakes.  Forms being required in some way attesting to trained behavior, and actual purpose, with stated federal penalties ought to help this issue.  

What say you all?  Let’s get cracking on our input comments.  We have short time to get our comments in.  

Finally, outside of NAGDU and GDUI, to whom else might we forward this information and the call for action to submit comments?   

Best,
Peter

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