Flying with Service Dogs and Emotional Support Animals

It is unlawful for airlines to charge a fee for a service animal or ESA.
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) allows for Service dogs and emotional support animals to travel in the cabin of the aircraft as long as the dog does NOT obstruct an aisle or any other area used for emergency evacuations.

Although general in-flight rules will always be enforced by every airline company, the processes of actually making reservations, passing the ticket counter, luggage check in, security checkpoint, and gate may vary slightly, depending on the airline and airport. By reviewing the websites for individual airlines, you'll learn most of their guidelines, including that all request and require service dog and ESA identification and identifying apparel.

What To Expect At the Airport
• Flying with a service animal or ESA for the first time can be very anxiety producing, but in reality, the experience is actually easy and low-stress for prepared handlers. It is a very good idea to contact the airlines or consult their website a week or more before the flight (or at the time tickets are purchased) to find out what the requirements are for flying with a service animal or ESA. Most airlines now require advance notification and some, like Frontier and Midwest Airlines require special forms to be completed, in addition to the letter of prescription.

• At the airport and on the plane, the animal should wear an easy identification photo ID tag attached to the leash or harness. All airlines strongly encourage this because it makes identifying your dog as a service dog or ESA much easier and will prevent unnecessary confrontations (this is also true for all other settings in which you may be accompanied by your dog).

• When you arrive at the ticket or baggage check-in counter, make sure the airline representative is aware of the service animal/ESA. Airline personnel have typically seen and managed many passengers with service animals, and have a specific process they must follow before a passenger with a service dog can proceed without delays.

• First, you'll be asked questions to determine if the animal is a working service dog or an ESA. If the animal is a working service dog, the airline representative will ask what task your dog is trained to perform for you because of your disability. You, as the passenger, must be able to provide credible verbal evidence at this point (that means you need to be prepared to convincingly tell airport personnel what task your dog performs specific to your disability.

• If the animal is an ESA (emotional support animal), then you must tell the airline representative that the dog is an ESA. You will be required to produce a formal letter of prescription for a service dog or ESA from a licensed mental health professional. A letter from your medical doctor will NOT be accepted, as the letter must be written by a licensed mental health professional (psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist, counselor, social worker). There is no way around this. In addition, it is becoming increasingly common for airlines to require you to submit a copy of this letter several days prior to the flight. Some airlines (Midwest and Frontier, for example) actually require you to have your therapist or licensed mental health professional complete one of their third party verification forms.

• Once you're on your way to the boarding gate, the next step is to pass through the security checkpoint. This is easy, and your dog may walk or be carried through the scanner with you, but the dog's leash, collar, harness, or anything else with metal in or on it must be removed prior to going through. So we highly recommend non-metal ID Badge/tag to eliminate the hassle. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer may also ask about your dog, but it's just a formality.

• Having arrived at the boarding gate, it's a good idea to let the attending airline personnel know that you are being accompanied by your service dog or ESA, although it isn't required. Often, they will allow you to board first and be seated ahead of others out of convenience for you, as well as other passengers.

• Once you have boarded the aircraft, most airline policies state that your dog must be on the floor between your knees and the seat in front of you. Most of the time, however, flight attendants rarely seem to mind if small a service dog or ESA sits on your lap.


ID4Pet wish you a pleasant flight.


Source: AAA ebook
ADA

DOJ's efforts to enforce Americans with Disabilities with Service Dog

The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently released a status report detailing their efforts to enforce Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In this report there are 14 instances involving the denial of access to services or discrimination against a person with a disability because they were accompanied by a service animal (dog) during a period from July 2010- September 2010.

On July 19, 2010, the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska entered a consent decree resolving a simultaneously filed lawsuit against QuikTrip Corporation, a company that owns and operates more than 550 gas stations, convenience stores, travel centers, and truck stops in the Midwest, South, and Southwestern United States. Under the terms of the decree, QuikTrip will remove barriers over a three year period at its current stores to achieve compliance with ADA accessibility requirements; ensure that at least two gas dispensers at current stores and all gas dispensers at future stores are accessible to individuals with disabilities, including the dispenser controls, self-service payment mechanisms, and call buttons for customers who need assistance; adopt, implement, and train store employees on policies for providing refueling and other types of assistance for people with disabilities, serving people who use service animals, and maintaining accessible features, such as accessible parking and routes; upgrade and maintain call buttons for customers with disabilities requesting assistance; and implement and maintain an ADA comment line and a complaint resolution process to resolve ADA-related complaints received from customers. QuikTrip will also design and construct future stores to comply with ADA accessibility requirements and will make its website accessible. In addition, QuikTrip will create a $1.5 million compensatory damages fund for individuals who were victims of discrimination and will pay a civil penalty in the amount of $55,000.


On July 14, 2010, the owner and operator of the Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel in Sacramento, California, entered into a settlement agreement resolving a complaint by a hotel guest with a disability who was required to pay a pet deposit and was assigned to the pet floor because she was accompanied by her service animal. In the settlement, the hotel agreed to adopt an ADA-compliant service animal policy, write to 33 other Sheraton hotels around the country encouraging them to ensure equal access for guests with disabilities who use service animals, and pay $500 in compensatory damages to the complainant.
On July 19, 2010, Blockbuster, Inc., entered into a settlement agreement with the Department resolving a complaint filed by an individual with a disability who was denied access on multiple occasions at different Blockbuster stores when she attempted to shop while accompanied by a service animal, even after contacting Blockbuster, Inc., and receiving assurances that she would be allowed to shop at Blockbuster stores with her service animal. The agreement requires Blockbuster to adopt and implement a comprehensive service animal policy, provide training to employees at more than 3,000 retail stores throughout the United States about the policy, post its service animal policy and signs welcoming service animals in each of its stores, and establish a toll-free number and a grievance procedure for resolving ADA complaints from customers. Blockbuster will also pay $12,000 in compensatory damages to the complainant and a $10,000 civil penalty to the United States.

continue reading, click here.