Alaska Airlines announced on Tuesday that the airline will no longer be allowing emotional support animals on their flights.
The announcement from Alaska Airlines comes weeks after the Department of Transportation (DOT) revised the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) to redefine which service animals would be allowed on flights, Fox News reported.
Alaska Airlines announced Tuesday it will no longer accept emotional support animals in the passenger cabin on its flights.https://t.co/p1maMOY5XU
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Beginning Jan. 11, only service dogs that are “specially trained to perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability” will be allowed on board. Along with this, after Feb. 28, the airline will no longer be allowing emotional support animals on their flights.
However, the airline will allow emotional support animals on flights for any reservation made before Jan. 11 for flights on or before Feb. 28. (RELATED: Department Of Transportation Announces Revisions To Regulations Over Service And Emotional Support Animals On Planes)
Guests who wish to bring their service animal onboard will be required to complete a DOT form online prior to boarding their flights. The form, which will be found on the airline’s website, will require guests to provide evidence that their animal is a legitimately trained and vaccinated service dog.
The Director of Customer Advocacy for Alaska Airlines, Ray Prentice explained that this change in policy will help to limit the “disturbances onboard, while continuing to accommodate our guests traveling with qualified service animals.”
The DOT explained that they changed their rules because passengers were carrying a wide variety of animals on flights, and many passengers were falsely claiming that their pets were service animals.
“Although emotional support animals and other pets are not service animals, the rule does not prohibit their transport,” the government agency explained.