Southwest Airlines has made the choice to no longer permit psychological support critters in their flights after a determination by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) a month to update the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) regulation on the transport of service creatures.
In accordance with Southwest Airlines, emotional support animals will likely probably be prohibited in their own flights in March 1, 2021.
“With this revision, Southwest Airlines will just allow service dogs which are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the sake of a skilled person with a disability to travel with the Client,” Southwest Airlines stated in a statement published on Monday evening. “The kinds of disability contain a physical, neurological, behavioural, intellectual, or other psychological handicap and dogs will be approved (such as those for psychiatric support ) — no additional species will likely be considered a trained service animal”
The airline said that customers who do journey with trained service dogs should now present a finished Service Animal Air Transportation Form issued by the DOT in the gate or ticket counter in the airport and have to contain details on the creature’s health, behaviour and training.
“Southwest Airlines has been encourage the ability of competent people with a disability to deliver trained service dogs for traveling and stays committed to providing a positive and accessible travel experience for each our clients with disabilities”
Southwest stated that passengers might still traveling with a few critters for a fee, that is a normal part of the current pets program, however these creatures must satisfy all needs seeing in-cabin stowage and therefore are limited to dogs and cats only.
The U.S. Department of Transportation altered the ACAA at a statement on Dec. 2, 2020 stating that passengers were abusing the chance of psychological support animals and the clinic had”eroded the public confidence in valid service creatures.”
The DOT said that it had been motivated in part by a rise in travelers”fraudulently representing their pets as support animals” to prevent charges for transporting pets.
The final rule announced today addresses issues raised by people with disabilities, airlines, flight attendants, airports, other aviation transport stakeholders, along with other members of the general public, seeing service animals on aircraft”