Delta Air Lines is tightening the leash for service and emotional support animals on flights.
It announced a crackdown from March 1, which mandates documentation from owners about the animal’s health and ability to stay calm throughout a flight.
Owners of service or support animals will have to give proof of health or vaccinations via Delta’s website at least 48 hours before departure.
Service animals have generally undergone specialized training to assist disabled owners such as dogs for the blind, but emotional support animals’ only qualification is to provide comfort and companionship to their owners.
Customers with emotional support animals must additionally also sign a document ensuring the animals’ ability to behave in the cabin.
Current rules from the major airlines call for a signed letter from a doctor or mental health services attesting that an animal is essential to the wellbeing of the customer.
However these are often faked by passengers trying to avoid the $125 fee to transport an animal in the cabin, or more via the cargo hold.
Delta says the number of uncaged animals flying without a charge has surged 150% since 2015.
Some of the most obvious abuses have included passengers who ‘attempted to fly with comfort turkeys, gliding possums known as sugar gliders, snakes, spiders and more,’ it said.
In flight incidents have included a marauding emotional support pig causing havoc and a large dog severely biting a passenger’s face.
The new rules go some way toward ‘a solution that supports those customers with a legitimate need for these animals, while prioritizing a safe and consistent travel experience,’ said John Laughter, Delta’s senior vice president of safety, security and compliance.
Both American Airlines and United said they are looking at additional similar measures.
Also, the Transportation Department said it will seek public comments to draw up a definition of a service animal using specific criteria to prevent abuse of the current system.
