United Airlines is attacking people who are trying to get their pets flying for free

The number of badistance animals on flights has increased significantly in recent years. In addition, it was reported that people had obtained notes from doctors indicating that they needed emotional support with animals to accompany them so that their animals could fly for free.

Pbadengers flew with a variety of emotionally support animals, including a pig, a duck and even a turkey. However, United Airlines denied boarding a pbadenger who wanted to bring an emotional support peabad to his board last year.

Delta Airlines revised its badistance and support animal policy last month. Delta no longer allows badistance and support animals under the age of four months. In addition, the airline has banned emotional support animals on flights longer than 8 hours.

New United guidelines

Following in the footsteps of Delta Airlines, United Airlines has also issued new guidelines for travel with equipment animals. United's new policy came into effect on January 7, 2019; However, pbadengers who booked their flights before 3 January^rd are always allowed to bring badistance animals on the basis of old guidelines.

The pbadengers on the plane can only bring a dog or a cat as emotional support or as a psychiatric service animal. The animal must be at least four months old. As a result, puppies or kittens will no longer be allowed. In addition, emotionally-supported animals will only be accepted on flights of less than 8 hours.

In addition, United Airlines limits badistance animals for physically disabled pbadengers to dogs, cats and miniature horses over four months old.

Pbadengers trying to get free flights for their pets are not the only problem though. Crew members and pbadengers complained that animals bit them. In addition, animals often dirty the cabin, especially during longer flights. Finally, allergic reactions that may be aggravated by animals have raised concerns.

That said, why do airlines allow animals on board?

Law on Air Carrier Access

The 1986 Law on Access to Air Carriers "prohibits discrimination based on disability in air transport". Airlines must allow pbadengers with disabilities to bring their pets for free on flights. In addition, airlines can not require animals to be in a carrier.

However, according to the US Department of Transportation, airlines may ban animals: "too big or too heavy to be housed in the cabin, directly threaten the health or safety of others, disrupt in-cab service, or are forbidden to enter a foreign country. "

Even though airlines can not prohibit badistance animals, they can still apply restrictions. As a result, United Airlines has been able to update its guidelines and ban some animals from boarding its flights.

Now that United Airlines and Delta Airlines have revised their animal welfare policies, it is likely that other airlines will follow.

Have you ever met an exotic pet on board a flight? If so, how did you feel?