Rules For Service Animals On Planes

Trained service animals and confirmed emotional support animals may ride in the customers lap for all phases of the flight including ground movement take off and landing provided the trained animal is no larger than a lap held child under 2 years of age.

Rules for service animals on planes. Your service animal must be permitted to accompany you in the space under the seat in front of you. Emotional support animals will no longer qualify as service animals for plane flight according to the rule but psychiatric service animals will. The new rules require airlines to treat psychiatric service animals the same as other service animals.

The Department of Transportation is considering overhauling current rules for service animals on planes including allowing airlines to prohibit those used for emotional support. Your service animal cannot block a space that must remain unobstructed for safety reasons ex. Airlines could ban emotional-support animals including untrained dogs cats and more exotic companions such as pigs pheasants rabbits and snakes.

Certain small service animals may be permitted to sit on your lap if it can be done so safely. The only animal airlines will be required to allow onboard are dogs and only dogs that are considered service animals that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit. Airlines will be able to require owners to vouch for the dogs health behavior and training.

Service animals are not pets. Under the new rule only dogs that are trained to help a person with a disability will be allowed as a service animal. Updated to Include the DOTs Latest Rules for 2021 and Beyond.

The Department of Transportation DOT has rules 14 CFR part 382 PDF that require airlines to allow passengers to fly with their service animals in the cabin on all US. Department of Transportations new rules regarding service animals and emotional support animals on airplanes goes into effect January 11 2021. An aisle or access to an emergency exit.

The animal or animals may not extend into the foot space of another customer who does not wish to share foot space with a service or support animal. Animals under 4 months of age may not travel as a service animal. Type of animal.