It looks like Southwest Airlines had to remove another passenger, but for the lofe of me I do not understand why they are apologizing to her. She insisted that they remove two other passengers which the airline could not possibly remove because of regulations, then she insisted they give her medication that she didn’t have the proper paperwork for. What the hell were they supposed to do-wait until the companion animals she said she was allergic to died off from old age?
I’m really sick of ‘support’ animals but in this case, it looks like all parties could have acted better.
Probably because of the scene that ensued once law enforcement was involved and how that looked in the videos being circulated around. It always LOOKS a lot worse when you have a video making the rounds and no context for how the encounter went down.
Too vague-How could the airline have handled it better without violating regulations and the rights of the other two passengers?
Seems strange to not bring the necessary medication/documentation when you travel if you really have a life-threatening allergy.
I don’t know if this is what happened here, but I think an unfortunate consequence of recent events will be that entitled assholes will think that they can defy reasonable instructions from crew or law enforcement. Perhaps we’ll end up with airline crews wearing body cams - since there’s always going to be a video, better to make sure the whole story gets out.
What’s the problem with support animals? Do you think that all of them are just BS? I ask because I know several people who completely rely on their support animals to be functional.
Not sure how things could have been better handled wrt the airline. There was an issue. This person said they have a life-threatening allergy. The airline informed them of their policy, this person chose not to listen. Eventually, the police were called in. As it was the flight was delayed over 30 minutes. What should the airline have done? Continued talking so that it was delayed more? Given this lady an injection she didn’t have paperwork for? What if she had a reaction?
Aye.
I think the apology is really just a PR CYA thing. If I were them, I’d contact her and offer her a place at the head of the line for boarding her next flight and that’s about it.
There were two dogs - one support animal and one dog in the cabin as luggage, which is the right of any passenger to carry. Had the support animal not been there, there still would have been a problem for this lady and her “allergies.”
And how do they apologize the next time she pulls this shit-Let her sit up front with the captain? My guess is that she was trying to force them into putting her in first class away from the animals, and they either didn’t take the hint or first class was full.
Yes, I do think that support animals are bullshit. Now, I have no problem with someone having an animal at home for support. But, that you need that animal with you 24/7? Nope, I don’t agree with it. Guide dogs for the blind? Absolutely, they can be on the plane. But, a therapy dog? Nope, sorry.
Southwest does not have first class seating on any of their aircraft.
My guess is that she overstated the extent of her allergies, and was called on it. She apparently thought that claiming life-threatening allergies would cause them to remove the animals, not realizing that it would obligate them to remove her instead.
Clearly, you have never flown Southwest!
There’s no first class and it’s cattle-call seating: you have a boarding number and you pick your seat.
Another perfectly good theory shot all to hell by “facts”. 
Anti-Boeing strategy:
Get ahead of the situation and apologize although you are in the right.
Video goes viral.
People watch video and say, “Nah Southwest you’re cool. The passenger was the asshole.”
Profit.
What about seizure detection dogs? Dogs that detect low blood sugar? There are a lot of different types of support animals other than seeing-eye dogs and therapy dogs.
I flew on Southwest right after the United incident, and they had a good chuckle about not dragging their passengers off the plane. So they apologized, even though they were in the right here.
And I tend to think the woman was lying about here “life threatening” allergy. Does she steer away from places police dogs are?
There’s a difference between a service animal and an emotional support animal. A service animal is specifically trained to do something that ameliorates a persons disability. The examples you mention fall under this category. In general, they are very well trained and don’t cause disturbances when brought into places where pets normally aren’t allowed. They are clearly covered by the ADA and businesses cannot discriminate against customers that use them.
Emotional support animals are different. They don’t provide any specific service and aren’t nearly as well trained as true service animals. They are glorified pets and people try to use the fancy emotional support animal definition to be covered under the ADA. It’s seen as special snowflakes claiming a disability in order to force businesses to admit their pets. Of course, that’s a broad brush and clearly a dog could be trained to provide a service to someone with a mental illness that genuinely disables them. Unfortunately, that’s not the case for the majority of emotional support animals.
I love the seating policy on Southwest. You get a boarding number when you check in. The sooner you check-in, the lower your boarding number, and the sooner you board. (You can also pay extra for early-bird check-in.) You then get to pick whatever seat you want, just like going to the movies or riding a bus. And in general, all the seats are the same. It’s very egalitarian.
My son was shocked the first time we flew on a legacy carrier, exclaiming “What do you mean I can’t pick my seat?!” :mad:
I’m also of the opinion that the vast majority of “therapy animals” are bullshit, but in today’s society of fragile flowers, I expect them to become more and more prevalent. I’m interested in seeing what develops as folks’ desire for therapy animals conflicts with others’ supposed life-threatening allergies. Whose ADA claim wins? What accommodations are reasonable?
However, as someone noted above, these days it is standard for pets to travel in the cabin. The practice really surprises me, but I can’t recall the last animal-free flight I was on.