Alaska Airlines - two hour delay due to service dog

[India Four Two]

Friends of mine had a ringside seat today on Alaska Airlines 555 from Palm Springs to Seattle. Quotes below with their permission:

No-win situation for Alaska Air. Woman with her 90 pound service dog insists she has the right to the entire bulkhead without paying for the 2 additional seats. She is in the wrong (ADA requires only reasonable accommodation, not loss of revenue), and we have all deplaned as they pry her off the plane. I'm sympathetic to her plight, but it leaves me wondering what the heck she was thinking.

Service animal intended to respond if her blood pressure gets out of control. We were seated right behind her. I need a dog like that just about now….

Just reboarded. She's still on board with her dog, seats are vacant, and that's all we know.

It's a big dog but that doesn't give her the right to steal two seats from passengers who'd already paid for them. She'd boarded with the dog, settled it into the floor space for the two seats next to her, put all three of her carry-on bags(!) into the overhead bin and took control of the row. Looks like she did finally agree to pay for the extra seats herself, but I suspect she'll take this up with Alaska again after the flight, as she claims she checked with Alaska the night before and was assured she could have the space, and that "other airlines have always given me this space.

[jack11111]

Airlines have to start standing-up to these emotional bullies with their oversized dogs. Its a group of folk who delight in out doing the last outrage and it will continue to increase.

[groundbum]

just like all the other issues where people get dragged off planes, why wasn't this resolved in the terminal before boarding? An interesting twist in this new episode is all the other passengers were deplaned first. The only reason for this is to stop people filming and putting on social media any potential use of force against the woman etc. Guess the airlines have changed their SOPs in the light of recent events..

G

[ImbracableCrunk]

just like all the other issues where people get dragged off planes, why wasn't this resolved in the terminal before boarding?
Alaska Airlines - two hour delay due to service dog (https://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/608728-alaska-airlines-two-hour-delay-due-service-dog.html)
G

Gate agents like to pass the buck to the FAs. Same with drunks.

[llondel]

In a case such as this one, it might not have been obvious to the gate personnel that there was going to be an issue. Taking everyone else off the aircraft might be so they wouldn't film anything done to the dog, because that would probably cause more of a backlash than dragging the woman off.

One tactic when there's an animal in the cabin is to invite the other passengers on the row to board first so they're in place when the dog arrives. That makes it way harder for the dog owner to try to commandeer space because it's already occupied.

Any news on what breed of dog it was?

[SMT Member]

Gate agents like to pass the buck to the FAs. Same with drunks.

Gate agents have no authority (they're usually working for a ground handling company, not the airline), often have limited access to anybody with authority (no airline staff at airport), have no back-up from the customer, and consequently their direct managers, and are often of limited age and experience owing to the general poor pay and conditions. This leads to a natural decline in enthusiasm, and often manifest itself in 'passing on the buck'. In their mind probably rightfully so; they're acting according to the guidelines issued by the airline - let the airline's own staff (cabin crew) deal with the problems they create.

If you want to change that, lobby your airline to have a representative present at check-in and gate for all flights and stations.

[Airbubba]

a 90lbs blood pressure service dog?

er now I have heard it all...... what next a flower allergy service dog?

This stuff is nothing new.

Here's an infamous Y2K incident with a service pig carried 'to reduce stress' for the empowered owner with a 'heart condition':

Swine flew: First-class pig's owner said pet had a right to flyNovember 14, 2000

Web posted at: 10:47 PM EST (0347 GMT) PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (Reuters) -- You could call it "Flying Miss Piggy." The owner of a 300-pound pig that flew first-class across the United States won't take any baloney about whether her pet porker, "Charlotte," belonged aboard a USAirways jetliner.

"I am a big animal rights person. My pig has the right to be with me on an airplane," Maria Tirotta Andrews said in her first public comments since she, her daughter and "Charlotte" gained international notoriety by boarding a six-hour nonstop flight from Philadelphia to Seattle, Washington, on October 17.

Andrews, who suffers from a heart condition, claims the pig's presence helps relieve stress, adding that she took the animal aboard the Boeing 757 on her doctor's recommendation. "I love this pig. She's my best friend," she told the Philadelphia Daily News, which mounted a two-week campaign to find Andrews and published its interview with her on Tuesday under the banner headline, "The Pig and I."

USAirways allowed "Charlotte" on board the plane, along with 200 human passengers, after granting it the same "service animal" classification reserved for seeing-eye dogs. According to the airline, "Charlotte" slept for most of the flight. But as the plane landed, the animal went hog-wild and started squealing, tried to get into the cockpit and charged through the cabin discharging feces as it went. The animal then squealed and fussed through the airport. "She is one of the best-trained, best-behaved animals there is," Andrews said in her pet's defense.

USAirways has promised that no such thing will ever happen again aboard its flights. The Federal Aviation Administration is still investigating to find out how the pig got to fly in the first place.

But whether "Charlotte" is better at relieving stress or causing it remains unclear. The Daily News reported that Andrews moved from New Jersey to Everett, Washington, near Seattle, for health reasons but that her apartment managers are threatening eviction after catching sight of "Charlotte."

"They don't know if it's the high-flying pig or not. They just made the threat," Andrews told the newspaper. "They said they were animal lovers, and they're not!"

[Airbubba]

And, although USAir promised no repeat of the Y2K swine flew incident, an incontinent pig was again boarded in 2014:

When pigs fly? Not on this plane

Bill Keveney (http://www.usatoday.com/staff/665/bill-keveney/), USA TODAY Published 2:09 p.m. ET Nov. 29, 2014 Updated 8:14 p.m. ET Nov. 29, 2014


A US Airways crew ordered a disruptive pig off a plane this week, adding a tasty new chapter to the annals of holiday travel and likely a million riffs on the phrase "when pigs fly."

A passenger on a US Airways flight leaving Connecticut's Bradley International Airport brought a pig on board Wednesday as an emotional-support animal.

The passenger and her pig left the flight after crewmembers decided the animal had to leave because of its disorderly behavior, Laura Masvidal, a spokeswoman for US Airways-parent American Airlines, said Friday.

A fellow passenger, University of Massachusetts professor Jonathan Skolnik, told the Associated Press he first thought the passenger was carrying a duffel bag, but an odor clarified the situation.

"It's no duffel bag but a rather stout PIG … on a leash," he wrote in an e-mail. "Am I dreaming?"

The woman, who sat next to Skolnik, tied the leash to the armrest, he said. He estimated that the pig weighed between 50 and 70 pounds, according to ABC News.

Skolnik said things got worse, which actually means better for late-night talk hosts drooling over the comedic mix of barnyard animals and air travel.

"The pig is incontinent," he told AP. The animal then started running back and forth, as its owner tried to control its behavior and clean up after the animal before eventually leaving the plane.

The U.S. Department of Transportation allows emotional-support animals on commercial flights, but only if they are not disruptive, Masvidal said.

[Herod]

I have an "emotional support" helper, who should be allowed to occupy the seat next to me. He's called "Billy, the 20kg holdall" I just don't want him to go in the hold, with all the other bags he doesn't know.

[llondel]

Isn't it a case that flying an animal in the hold costs way more than declaring it to be an emotional support animal and having it with you in the cabin?

My dogs wouldn't fit on an airline seat, nor in the space between seat rows.

Perhaps I should bring an emotional support calf, on the grounds that if I'm flying cattle class then it should fit right in.

[Ex Cargo Clown]

What next? Support Alligator? The World has gone mad, please let me off.

[Airbubba]

As Delta observed in a recent media release about updated support animal rules:

Customers have attempted to fly with comfort turkeys, gliding possums known as sugar gliders, snakes, spiders and more. Ignoring the true intent of existing rules governing the transport of service and support animals can be a disservice to customers who have real and documented needs. Delta has seen an 84 percent increase in reported animal incidents since 2016, including urination/defecation, biting and even a widely reported attack by a 70-pound dog (http://www.ajc.com/travel/delta-passenger-bitten-emotional-support-dog-couldn-escape-says-attorney/nYtlgO1rGbVMv68XekCWUL/). In 2017, Delta employees reported increased acts of aggression (barking, growling, lunging and biting) from service and support animals, behavior not typically seen in these animals when properly trained and working.
https://news.delta.com/delta-introduces-enhanced-requirements-customers-traveling-service-or-support-animals-effective

The support peacock that was denied boarding by United at EWR is in this news story:

https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/airplane-mode/emotional-support-peacock-denied-flight-united-airlines-n842971

[EDML]

These days every dog on board is declared as "emotional support anmimal". Someone should stop that nonsense.

[scotneil]

Hear, hear Jack11111 ! Dogs (especially large ones) belong in the hold (and I am a dog lover). Manage without your 4-legged friend for a few hours, or go by train/bus !

[core_dump]

now I have heard it all......

It gets far worse. Alaska Airlines still allows miniature horses in the cabin as far as I know.

[happybiker]

These days every dog on board is declared as "emotional support anmimal". Someone should stop that nonsense.

Quite right the owners are barking mad!

[PAXboy]

I expect that the various North American carriers will shortly introduce a new, coordinated and agreed, policy on the carriage of animals in the cabin. If they don't - then THEY are barking mad.

[ExXB]

PAXboy? Perhaps their trade association A4A (dumb name) could coordinate this, but I doubt any airline would participate as it smells of anti-competitive behaviour.

The loonie service animal owners would have a class action suit filed before you could say ‘service pony’

Airlines can not coordinate service standards.

[rog747]

PAXboy? Perhaps their trade association A4A (dumb name) could coordinate this, but I doubt any airline would participate as it smells of anti-competitive behaviour.

The loonie service animal owners would have a class action suit filed before you could say ‘service pony’

Airlines can not coordinate service standards.


I also think that attempts to stamp on this behaviour will attract the wrath of the ADA and DDA now the Equality Act (in UK) plus the various guises in the EU over disabled persons rights and the poop will start to fly about discrimination -
that's where we are at in 2018 and something where loopholes seem to have been created through our most tolerant liberal and inclusive society

[cooperplace]

It gets far worse. Alaska Airlines still allows miniature horses in the cabin as far as I know.

that's no way to talk about the flight attendants!

[James 1077]

I have an emotional support wife and two kids. Can I get them seats on the plane beside me for free too?

[PAXboy]

I suggested (in one of the animal-in-cabin threads) that US carriers would be ameding their rules and Southwest has published theirs:

Passengers flying on Southwest Airlines can’t take an emotional support snake, possum, rabbit or peacock onboard from next month – but they will be allowed a miniature horse as a service pet.New guidance for flying animals released by the Dallas-based airline states that passengers will only be allowed to bring one cat or dog as an emotional support animal.
Southwest Airlines limits animals (https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/southwest-airlines-emotional-support-animals-cats-horses-dogs-a8492631.html)

[Heathrow Harry]

I have an emotional support wife and two kids. Can I get them seats on the plane beside me for free too?

Sorry - they have to go in the hold.................. with my wife and kids................

[Tech Guy]

I have a rather feisty emotional support "animal" to support my "special needs".. Can I have some free tickets please. :)
clicky (https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1a/85/50/1a85509bb2387c9568b498c0dc3ad059.jpg)