American Airlines gets my support!

Here is the best kind of 'emotional support' animal.

Does not bark, bite, poop, piddle or annoy others.

https://www.target.com/p/melissa-38-doug-benson-black-lab-stuffed-animal-puppy-dog/-/A-15580745#lnk=sametab

Agreed! Back when life was normal I was on a very full flight. The young woman ahead of me for boarding had a duffel- type bag that was...squirming? A lot! She had zippered her smallish dog in there, the poor thing, it must have been so frightened. Anyway, upon boarding it turned out that her seat mate (this was in the row across from me) was severely allergic to dogs and completely (and legitimately) freaked out. Then it was a question of trying to find a place to relocate one or the other of them and the flight was late taking off. But at least the woman with allergies saw the dog in time. What if she were a couple rows in back or front and didn't know until the plane was underway and it turned into an emergency landing? This is not the kind of issue airlines should have to deal with.

I just spent 7 hours on an American flight. Sitting next to me was a guy with a lap dog. Cute thing. But I am allergic to dogs. Flight attendants told me that if I didn't like it I could leave my third row aside seat and take a center seat in the back of the plane. Man and dog have rights apparently. After takeoff the flight attendants did move some people around and got me an aside seat half way back. How do I feel about it? I haven't decided yet.

Three Cheers for only reducing seat pitch by 1 inch instead of 2 inches.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/tripping/wp/2017/06/13/american-airlines-is-still-shrinking-legroom-on-its-new-planes-just-not-as-much/

I was moved twice on a domestic flight a few years ago as the flight attendants worked things out for an allergic passenger who ended up seated near a cat or a dog. I ended up farther back but still with an aisle seat, so I didn't mind. Although I'm glad people can travel with small animals in the cabin, it seems to me something should be done about notifying people seated nearby so issues can be addressed prior to boarding.

Three Cheers for only reducing seat pitch by 1 inch instead of 2 inches.

Prison Warden: I just had a call from the governor and I have good news for you

Prisoner: What it is the good news?

Warden: The firing squad has been reduced to to six riflemen, instead of seven.

Prisoner: Oh joy.

It seems like people with children and pets could be relegated to the back in one area(except for children with documented allergies to pets). I say this as someone who traveled extensively with a small child. I have so far refused to put my cats on a plane(my husband sees nothing wrong with this) and I do understand that some people are very allergic. As is the case with peanut allergies, I don't think my comfort and convenience supersedes other passengers' health issues-you know, like wearing a mask.

My husband uses a guide dog for the blind and we welcome this change. Many a time we had to keep our distance from snarling, lunging, aggressive dogs on flexi leashes in airport terminals, waiting areas and on planes. He travels with his dog as a matter of safety. My concern is that these same selfish people with ill-mannered pets will lie on the paperwork attesting their pet is a service dog, that the dog is trained and well behaved.

We also had a seat next to a person with a cat. I am allergic with just hives, but my daughter is severely allergic - asthma induced allergic. We both had to move, she did not. I remember not being very happy. I have family members who said this about their dogs just so they could travel with them. They are not service dogs. Glad they are cracking down

Understand, it's no to service animals, but not to cats and lap dogs. I think they are still permitted.

I think ponies have been banned also. My little pony helped me get through many fights.

I have a phobia associated with touching animals and getting too close to animals. I know I perfectly well that this is irrational. I know such a thing is not supposed to exist in adults. I know I am not supposed to say this to any pet owner. Once on the train in Canada, my assigned seat was next to and right across from a small group with about 3 seeing eye dogs. I said to a staff member, "are those dogs going to be there for the whole trip?" She replied with something like, "they are just seeing eye dogs". I replied, "I know that, but phobias are not rational". She said "follow me" and I was moved to another train car. I was next to an eccentric man who drank 4 cans of beer in the time he was next to me and he couldn't stop talking, but all I cared about was not being near the dogs.

Animals are uncomfortable with strange places. It's difficult to manage the animal, they make noise, they are problems for those with allergies. If you have a LEGIT reason for an assistance animal (blind etc), that's acceptable. No one else. Keep the animal at home.