# Most airlines won't accept emotional support animals, but some airlines are still allowing them **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 14, 2021, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553 "2021-01-14T23:05:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Portlandia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6de8d8/32.png) [@Portlandia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Portlandia)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/21 "2021-01-15T19:45:28Z")
@kenobi_65 you can’t self diagnose yourself and get an esa. You need a doctor to write you a letter. Assholes will always abuse the system no matter what. Doesn’t mean we should punish everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/22 "2021-01-15T19:50:16Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > I’m all in favor of emotional support animals if they help people. But we need to have basic standards of training and licensing, have them recognized as genuine service animals just like guide dogs, and stop assholes abusing the system to take their untrained pets in the passenger cabin. Self-diagnosing as mentally ill and self-prescribing your pet as an indispensible for travel doesn’t cut it. An emotional support animal is not a service animal. A service animal has been trained to perform specific tasks in order to assist someone with a disability. A seeing eye dog trained to prevent a blind person from walking into traffic or a dog trained to sniff out when a diabetic person’s sugar is dangerously low are examples of service animals. An emotional support animal isn’t trained to perform any particular task to assist someone with a disability. You can’t just slap a label on any old dog and call it a service animal. Under current ADA guidelines, emotional support animals are not considered service animals. This is important because it means a restaurant can deny entry to someone with an emotional support dog but they cannot deny someone entry who is accompanied by a seeing eye dog. At work, I don’t have to accommodate an emotional support gerbil but I need to accommodate a dog that helps someone keep their balance. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/23 "2021-01-15T19:50:43Z")
> [@Portlandia](#): > > @kenobi_65 you can’t self diagnose yourself and get an esa. You need a doctor to write you a letter. Can you share with us a cite that shows that this requirement isn’t something that can (and is) being easily abused by people already? Can you share with us a cite that shows that there is one uniform form or certification that is used for ESAs? I ask because the sense I have gotten (and I am happy to be proven incorrect if my assumption is faulty) is that there is no standardization on this, and that the assholes are either (a) getting a “letter” from some doctor who isn’t really familiar with them or their condition (or is willing to sign just about anything), or (b) falsifying a letter because they don’t think anyone will actually check. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/24 "2021-01-15T19:51:12Z")
> [@Portlandia](#): > > If your animal is not behaving before or after boarding the flight, you lose your privilege. > [@Portlandia](#): > > You need a doctor to write you a letter. You lose your privilege after take-off? How does that work, exactly? I’m not advocating stricter standards for mental health diagnosis. I’m advocating at least _minimal_ standards for _service animal_ training, to include _bona fide_ emotional support animals. And given the propensity of selfish entitled humans to cheat, this can only happen through some kind of licensing & documentation for service animals. I’m sorry if this makes things more complicated for people with genuine needs. But everyone else traveling on the aircraft deserve to have their rights respected too. You have not responded to my comment that if 20% of people have mental illness issues, dozens of them are on every flight - and _they_ are affected by the stress of allowing untrained animals onto flights, too. Don’t _their_ rights count for anything? ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/25 "2021-01-15T19:53:48Z")
> [@Portlandia](#): > > There is a basic standard. If you have a mental disability and a doctor says you could benefit from one, you get one. If your animal is not behaving before or after boarding the flight, you lose your privilege. It is estimated that the airlines will make $50 MILLION dollars from this new rule change. Now there is no basic standard as long as you have the money to pay $175 each way for your animal. Even a service animal must be well behaved. If it’s aggressive or pees on the carpet or something then you’re free to expel it from your place of business or refuse to let it board your plane. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/26 "2021-01-15T20:03:06Z")
> [@Portlandia](#): > > the majority of responsible emotional support animal owners As far as I’m aware, there is currently no requirement for an ESA to be trained at all. So the current situation is that they _have_ no responsibility for the stress and discomfort that their ESA, an untrained pet, may cause to others. ---
**Author:** ![Portlandia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6de8d8/32.png) [@Portlandia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Portlandia)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/27 "2021-01-15T20:05:34Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > You lose your privilege after take-off? How does that work, exactly? I said before or after BOARDING the flight. > [@Riemann](#): > > I’m advocating at least _minimal_ standards for _service animal_ training, to include _bona fide_ emotional support animals. Do you know how much it costs to train a service animal? Upwards of $40,000. I agree there should be a minimal standard, which is what was in place with the ACAA. If an animal is acting rowdy or is a danger to other passengers or it soils itself, the animal can be removed. ---
**Author:** ![Portlandia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6de8d8/32.png) [@Portlandia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Portlandia)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/28 "2021-01-15T20:07:25Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > As far as I’m aware, there is currently no requirement for an ESA to be trained at all. So the current situation is that they _have_ no responsibility for the stress and discomfort that their ESA, an untrained pet, may cause to others. That is true, but emotional support animals cannot cause a disturbance or be a danger to those on board. If they do or are, they can be asked to leave. You can tell when an animal will cause a disturbance as soon as it is on board. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/29 "2021-01-15T20:09:52Z")
> [@Portlandia](#): > > If they do or are, they can be asked to leave. You can tell when an animal will cause a disturbance as soon as it is on board. Always? Almost always? Are you sure about that? Or, is that just your opinion? The issue, obviously, is an animal that causes an issue once the flight has pushed away from the gate. Some human babies who fly on airplanes behave just fine while they’re on the ground, then start to act up when the plane gets loud and the air pressure drops; I would not be surprised if this is true of some untrained animals, as well. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/30 "2021-01-15T20:18:07Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Some human babies who fly on airplanes behave just fine while they’re on the ground, then start to act up when the plane gets loud and the air pressure drops; Happens as often with adult humans. They should have to have bone fide certification of training too. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/31 "2021-01-15T20:40:53Z")
> [@Portlandia](#): > > Do you know how much it costs to train a service animal? Upwards of $40,000. I agree there should be a minimal standard, which is what was in place with the ACAA. If an animal is acting rowdy or is a danger to other passengers or it soils itself, the animal can be removed. Your entire argument here is self-contradictory. I agree that a sensible minimal standard is that a service animal (including an ESA) can itself cope with the stress of being somewhere like an aircraft without becoming disruptive and without soiling itself. But the burden should not be on _everyone else_ to ensure that a service animal conforms to this standard. A licensing procedure to verify this minimal standard of behavior would not cost $40,000. In fact, I would strongly advocate that the testing and licensing should be free of charge to anyone with a diagnosed condition for which an ESA is beneficial. But out of respect for the rights of everyone else on the aircraft, that standard must be met. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/32 "2021-01-15T21:16:37Z")
> [@Portlandia](#): > > Why don’t we outlaw alcohol? How many people die from drunk drivers? Some people are entitled assholes that drink and drive and kill people so no one should be able to drink right? Are you under the impression that drinking and driving is legal? Drinking alcohol is legal, keeping a pet animal is legal. Different standards apply to alcohol and animals in specific circumstances where they affect the well being of others. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/33 "2021-01-15T21:27:48Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > An emotional support animal is not a service animal. A service animal has been trained to perform specific tasks in order to assist someone with a disability. A seeing eye dog trained to prevent a blind person from walking into traffic or a dog trained to sniff out when a diabetic person’s sugar is dangerously low are examples of service animals. An emotional support animal isn’t trained to perform any particular task to assist someone with a disability. You can’t just slap a label on any old dog and call it a service animal. This is true, but not complete. For the \> 1 year we had guide dogs in training we did not train them in any way to support blind people. All the training we did was in socialization. Examples are relieving on command, not being distracted by other dogs, being able to sit under my desk while I worked, climbing stairs, going in elevators, not being spooked by loud noises, and plenty more. That’s the kind of stuff an ESA needs. It can be done with a good manual and a support group, and then testing when the training is complete. Shouldn’t be very expensive. I doubt this would be accepted since there is a significant chance that Poochie would fail. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/34 "2021-01-15T21:30:38Z")
> [@Portlandia](#): > > Do you know how much it costs to train a service animal? Upwards of $40,000. I agree there should be a minimal standard, which is what was in place with the ACAA. If an animal is acting rowdy or is a danger to other passengers or it soils itself, the animal can be removed. I haven’t seen the breakdown, but I suspect a significant part of that amount is professional training. No way it cost very much when we trained a dog for the first year and a half of its life. Some of the boarding expense was to keep the dog at GDB when it went into heat, which wouldn’t be necessary for an ESA. I think the only costs beyond those of a normal dog would be to pay for the support group and for testing when training is done. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/35 "2021-01-15T22:13:15Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Some human babies who fly on airplanes behave just fine while they’re on the ground, then start to act up when the plane gets loud and the air pressure drops; I would not be surprised if this is true of some untrained animals, as well. As a compromise, I suggest we ban both animals and babies (except for service animals and service babies) from planes. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/36 "2021-01-15T22:18:03Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > except for service animals and service babies) from planes. I can guarantee you that any baby around me is an essential support baby. Love them babies, I do. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/37 "2021-01-15T22:19:03Z")
Do you love them 10 hours in to a 14 hour flight when they haven’t stopped bawling for the last 7? ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/38 "2021-01-15T22:26:29Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > You lose your privilege after take-off? How does that work, exactly? Good point. Aircraft doors don’t open from the inside while in flight. 🙂 > [@Babale](#): > > Do you love them 10 hours in to a 14 hour flight when they haven’t stopped bawling for the last 7? Is this a story problem? ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/39 "2021-01-15T23:02:28Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > > [@Babale](#): > > > > Do you love them 10 hours in to a 14 hour flight when they haven’t stopped bawling for the last 7? > > Is this a story problem? That’s the whole story, haha. Although luckily in that case the baby was at the back of the plane and I was halfway up so it wasn’t that bad. The worst fellow passenger on a plane was neither a baby nor a pet, but a pair of young boys, maybe 3 and 5. One had a Raichu stuffed animal, the other a stuffed Charmander (Pokémon for those unaware). The entire 4 hour flight the two kids squeeked the names of their Pokémon back and forth: “Raichu!” “Charmander!” “RAICHU!!!” “CHARMANDER!!!” Their horrible parents feebly whispered “shhh” every fifteen minutes or so, but made no other effort to silence their brats. I was just about ready to throw both Raichu and Charmander out the emergency exit. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/40 "2021-01-15T23:12:04Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > Do you love them 10 hours in to a 14 hour flight when they haven’t stopped bawling for the last 7? I have volunteered to sit next to those babies and offered to hold them so their parent could take a break or eat or go to the bathroom. So, yes, I do. > [@Babale](#): > > but made no other effort to silence their brats. I was just about ready to throw both Raichu and Charmander out the emergency exit. Nah, stuffing them into the bathroom trash should be sufficient and won’t depressurize the plane. Snatch them up, dash into the bathroom, lock the door, flash multiple times and then come out, dusting off your hands. Give the damn things back after the plane lands of course, having surreptitiously handed them off to a Flight Attendant. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553.md?page=3)