Popular Airline Tightens Rules For Onboard Service Pets

Passengers traveling on Delta Air Lines are in for some changes that start on March 1st. Any passenger that has a support dog will need more documentation to fly on Delta.

The documents include proof that the dog has been trained and vaccinated, and that why the person needs the animal. The paperwork needs to be submitted 48 hours before the flight is scheduled to depart. Delta has reported a 150% increase in service animals that have boarded planes with people having disabilities since 2015. There was also a sharp increase (84%) of incidence like urination, biting, and even defecation on planes by the dogs.

Delta believes that all of this has occurred because there is no regulation in training screening and health for service animals. This all leads to an unsafe situation onboard aircraft. According to Yahoo!, Delta flies around 700 service animals every day. Other passengers have tried to board planes with snakes, spiders, turkeys, or other unusual pets claiming that they are ‘comfort’ animals.

On the heels of this announcement, American Airlines said they are also looking over their regulations about support and service animals on planes. United Airlines may also look into revising their regulations as well. No doubt flying on a plane with an untrained animal is a real safety issue. It may not be a bad idea for passengers to prove that the animal is trained so everyone can have a safe and comfortable flight.

Feature Image Source: Pixabay