DALLAS (AP) – American Airlines is banning animals with emotional support in a move that will force most owners to pay extra if they want their pets to travel with them.
The airline said Tuesday that animals are only allowed in the cabin for free if they are trained service dogs. The change takes effect Monday, though passengers who have already purchased tickets can fly with a companion animal until Feb. 1.
The move follows a similar decision by Alaska Airlines and will likely be copied by other carriers. The U.S. Department of Transportation paved the way for repression against companion animals last month.
American said passengers with a service dog will need to complete a form of government for the health, training and temperament of the dog.
Other animals, including dogs that have not been trained as service dogs, can only fly in the cargo hold or in a cage that fits under a seat in the cabin. Either way, American will charge a pet fee ranging from $ 125 to a few hundred dollars.
Jessica Tyler, U.S. cargo president, said the rules would help passengers with service animals and protect employees at planes and airports.
The number of passengers flying with companion animals has grown rapidly in recent years, and some have said the animals help them overcome anxiety and other problems. Passengers only needed a note from a health worker, and a cottage industry arose to provide the notes along with jackets and other outfits for their animals.
Airlines and especially flight attendants have taken a more critical view, saying passengers use a loophole in federal regulations to avoid pet fees. In some cases, including some with serious injuries, companion animals bit other passengers.
Last month, the Department of Transportation settled the matter and mostly talked to the airlines. Carriers are said to be free to ban any animal other than dogs that have been formally trained to help people with physical or psychological disabilities.
According to the department, airlines will pay $ 59.6 million a year in pet fees under the new rules.
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David Koenig can be reached at www.twitter.com/airlinewriter