# 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:** 4
**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 20, 2021, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/61 "2021-01-20T01:01:12Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > If you are so mentally incapacitated that you need an animal in order to fly in an airplane, then stay home. When I see someone needing an emotional support animal to fly, I assume they are a veteran with service-acquired PTSD and have been matched with an PTSD ESA. If they risked so much to protect my freedom, I can put up with their ES animal on my flight. I haven’t been disappointed yet. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2021, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/62 "2021-01-20T01:17:31Z")
The vast majority of "ESA"s I’ve encountered are high strung noisesome irritating little puffballs carried by high strung noisesome irritating Karens of either gender. Stopping that entitled nonsense is what will restore respect for the genuinely emotionally handicapped, and most especially those veterans who came by their problems honestly in our service. ---
**Author:** ![3AxisCtrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/ecd19e/32.png) [@3AxisCtrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3AxisCtrl)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2021, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/63 "2021-01-20T02:20:07Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > … then everyone’s pet is an ESA. I think this is (mostly) the case. Pet-human relationships quite naturally develop mutual affection and respect; each gets a measure of emotional support from the other. Which of course means that more than a claim of emotional support should be necessary to bring a pet on board an airliner. > [@](#): > > I would support a rule that allowed people to bring any well-behaved animal onto the plane … You can be confident some number of these will no longer be well behaved once in the crowded company of many strange humans and a bunch of other nervous pets. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2021, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/64 "2021-01-20T02:26:32Z")
Then again…I know a young woman who suffered a traumatic brain injury and is lucky to be alive. She looks totally normal, but her balance is so horrible that she can’t walk across a room without folling over without the dog that’s been trained to heel to her side, giving constant input so she can stay upright. Her dog is exquisitely trained for its job and wears a vest. Yet people question her situation since she looks so damn normal. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2021, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/65 "2021-01-20T03:35:03Z")
Then that dog is serving a physical need. It’s not an _emotional_ support animal. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2021, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/66 "2021-01-20T03:37:26Z")
Equally scary… “Don’t worry, the gun’s not loaded” “Don’t worry, my dog would never bite anyone” ---
**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 20, 2021, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/67 "2021-01-20T03:39:13Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Stopping that entitled nonsense is what will restore respect for the genuinely emotionally handicapped, and most especially those veterans who came by their problems honestly in our service. I don’t disagree. It’s what I think to myself so I can take the high toad-I know very few ‘Muffy’s are genuine ESAs. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2021, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/68 "2021-01-20T07:04:26Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > and most especially those veterans who came by their problems honestly in our service. No way do they get a pass on this. They’re some of the worst offenders! ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2021, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/69 "2021-01-20T09:22:44Z")
> [@3AxisCtrl](#): > > You can be confident some number of these will no longer be well behaved once in the crowded company of many strange humans and a bunch of other nervous pets. I suppose well behaved pets are like True Scottsmen. ---
**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 20, 2021, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/70 "2021-01-20T14:39:43Z")
> [@peccavi](#): > > Equally scary… > > “Don’t worry, the gun’s not loaded” > > “Don’t worry, my dog would never bite anyone” One is a tool intended for killing, the other is a potentially aggressive animal. Not equally scary AT ALL. 🙄 ---
**Author:** ![Portlandia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6de8d8/32.png) [@Portlandia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Portlandia)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2021, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/71 "2021-01-20T18:09:31Z")
> [@BippityBoppityBoo](#): > > Happens as often with adult humans. They should have to have bone fide certification of training too. So true. Maybe @BippityBoppityBoo should be the new Secretary of the DOT. ---
**Author:** ![Portlandia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6de8d8/32.png) [@Portlandia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Portlandia)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2021, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/72 "2021-01-20T18:12:13Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I’m way late, but the OP is lost in space as to the facts. Which facts are you referring to? The fact that tens of thousands of ESAs fly a year and only a handful are a problem? Or that the airlines look to gain $50 million in pet fees since they outlawed emotional support animals? ---
**Author:** ![Portlandia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6de8d8/32.png) [@Portlandia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Portlandia)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2021, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/73 "2021-01-20T18:16:03Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > If you are so mentally incapacitated that you need an animal in order to fly in an airplane, then stay home. Real nice. Say this to the face of veterans that suffer from invisible diseases or women that have been assaulted and suffer from PTSD. ---
**Author:** ![Portlandia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6de8d8/32.png) [@Portlandia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Portlandia)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2021, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/74 "2021-01-20T18:17:20Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > However, guide dogs in training are allowed on flights, in restaurants, in supermarkets etc. Unfortunately this is not the case. The new DOT rules explicitly calls out and disqualifies service guide dogs in training. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2021, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/75 "2021-01-20T18:20:38Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > One is a tool intended for killing, the other is a potentially aggressive animal. Not equally scary AT ALL. 🙄 Sez you - I was bit as a small child and have a phobia. I actually use a gun analogy to explain why small dogs scare me as much as large ones - you don’t casually brush off small _guns_ that are pointed at you because of their size, do you? Honestly I’m glad that I don’t often encounter legitimate guide dogs much - well-behaved or not, they freak me right out. But they serve a necessary purpose and I’ll bit my tongue. Having one of these so-called ESAs acting uncontrolled in my vicinity, though, would be a nightmare and I shouldn’t be forced to put up with it. ---
**Author:** ![Portlandia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6de8d8/32.png) [@Portlandia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Portlandia)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2021, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/76 "2021-01-20T18:22:57Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > what it does tell us is that three out of five flight U.S. flight attendance have experienced an incident with a problematic emotional support animal. I wonder what the number of flight attendants out of 5 that have experienced an incident with a problematic passenger or child. Ban em all? ---
**Author:** ![Portlandia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6de8d8/32.png) [@Portlandia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Portlandia)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2021, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/77 "2021-01-20T18:37:02Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > Sez you - I was bit as a small child and have a phobia. > > I actually use a gun analogy to explain why small dogs scare me as much as large ones - you don’t casually brush off small _guns_ that are pointed at you because of their size, do you? > > Honestly I’m glad that I don’t often encounter legitimate guide dogs much - well-behaved or not, they freak me right out. But they serve a necessary purpose and I’ll bit my tongue. Having one of these so-called ESAs acting uncontrolled in my vicinity, though, would be a nightmare and I shouldn’t be forced to put up with it. You’re right. They should also ban any types of nuts because I’m deathly allergic and can die if one gets in my mouth. This is a nightmare situation I shouldn’t be forced to put up with it. Also, they should ban alcohol because it kills so many people every year and some people are trying to be sober and it might trigger them to start drinking again. /s ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2021, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/78 "2021-01-20T18:44:33Z")
> [@Portlandia](#): > > You’re right. They should also ban any types of nuts because I’m deathly allergic and can die if one gets in my mouth. This is a nightmare situation I shouldn’t be forced to put up with it. You’re absolutely right - people _should_ be banned from spraying a cloud of finely ground nuts into the air around them wherever they go. If they did that it should be considered assault and possibly a terrorist action. > [@Portlandia](#): > > Also, they should ban alcohol because it kills so many people every year and some people are trying to be sober and it might trigger them to start drinking again. /s Shockingly, you also should be prevented from spraying alcohol everywhere, though the punishments should not be as harsh, because doing so would not actually be a murderous act. Before you try to construct any more analogies, keep in mind that a well-trained quiet unobtrusive dog would be something I would unhappily put up with, much like the alcoholic would be sad around the airline’s alcohol and the allergic would side-eye the peanuts. However if somebody’s dog is out of control, then like with the alcohol or the peanuts, they shouldn’t be allowed to shove it down your throat. ---
**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 20, 2021, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/79 "2021-01-20T18:49:16Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > I actually use a gun analogy to explain why small dogs scare me as much as large ones - you don’t casually brush off small _guns_ that are pointed at you because of their size, do you? A small gun can kill you. A small dog cannot. That’s not to say small dogs aren’t a problem. Anecdotally I’ve found small dogs to often be much, MUCH worse behaved, because when your 60 lbs husky barks and lunges at someone that’s a clear threat, but when your 5 lbs chihuahua does the same thing you can laugh it off. But if this leads your little rat dog to escape and come lunging at my dog when we are on a walk, you bet your ass I’ll punt your little rat back across the street. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2021, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553/80 "2021-01-20T18:56:17Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > A small gun can kill you. A small dog cannot. Tell that to my phobia. (Note that it won’t listen, because it’s a phobia.) The point wasn’t to say that dogs are as dangerous as guns; of course they aren’t. (Even the biggest dog could at best tie with the smallest gun.) The point was to counter a blithe assertion that of course dogs can’t be scary don’t be silly. Some people are scared of different things than you. Fact of life. > [@Babale](#): > > That’s not to say small dogs aren’t a problem. Anecdotally I’ve found small dogs to often be much, MUCH worse behaved, because when your 60 lbs husky barks and lunges at someone that’s a clear threat, but when your 5 lbs chihuahua does the same thing you can laugh it off. But if this leads your little rat dog to escape and come lunging at my dog when we are on a walk, you bet your ass I’ll punt your little rat back across the street. Large dogs that attack people with that ferocity get put down. Tiny dogs’ owners laugh and tell you that sure, he’ll bite you every change he gets, and it’s really funny to watch because it only sometimes draws blood. And yes, I’ve had a dog owner tell me that their tiny dog bites, and that it rarely breaks the skin (at least through clothes). I’m not making that up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-airlines-wont-accept-emotional-support-animals-but-some-airlines-are-still-allowing-them/930553.md?page=5)