I have to say, this article surprises me in that Delta is usually pretty strict about stuff like this. Evidently the staff wasn’t in on the change in status of emotional support animals. I do feel for the woman. I cannot believe that she had to sit next to the dog for the entire flight.
https://www.newsweek.com/woman-refuses-give-plane-seat-emotional-support-pitbull-1808154
Oh my word. I hope Delta has fully compensated both of the women that were inconvenienced.
And no, I would not give up my seat for a dog. As the article points out the trained support animals are able to lie down on the plane.
I am angry indirectly. I like dogs, but I know people who are very afraid of dogs, especially pit bulls (rightly or wrongly) or have been bitten by dogs, and their emotions should count too. Some people have severe allergies that should be considered. Very disappointed by Delta cabin crew letting this happen, and their stress level from dealing with angry passengers is not an excuse.
An unsecured animal sitting in a seat is not exactly safe either.
Well, this wasn't a plane, but we once had to give up a seat to a dog on an ICE train in Germany. 😁
This was years ago, and my DH and I boarded an ICE and found 2 empty facing window seats in a compartment. Yay!
A man and his dog bought reservations for those 2 seats just before boarding, so we had to move to the other 2 seats. That darn dog didn't even look out the window once!
Give up my seat, not sure, especially if it was premium economy or better. But if there was a situation where I was forced to sit next to a dog, I would be all for that, as long as the dog was well-behaved.
I traveled with my senior dog in tow when I moved to Chicago in 2020 and he was in a carrier the whole time. We were in first class so we did have adequate space under the seat in front of us for that. The situation in the article looks cramped and tight. Not a good situation for anybody involved.
No. Dogs are supposed to be stowed underneath the seat. We had a dog on a Southwest flight that was perfect sitting on the floor.. I would have come down hard on Delta and the flight attendants, dogs aren't human and I really feel like many of these emotional support dogs are fake and people just want to take their dogs everywhere.
"That darn dog didn't even look out the window once!"
Liz!!!! That is so funny. I can imagine the dog studiously ignoring the window views....
Last year, on an LNER train from Dundee to London, in first class, there was a good size dog behind me, and another dog behind him. (Same family.) If I didn't see the dog when getting to my seat, I wouldn't have known. It was perfectly quiet and stayed on the floor under the woman's leg the entire time.
The only time it moved was when I offered it my bacon butty. (It was served to me but I wasn't hungry.) I apologized for not getting sauce. The dog didn't mind.
Yes, I got the okay from the owner first.
But a dog next to me outside of a crate on a plane....no thanks. As stated in the article that's both against Delta and the FAA's rules.
Ten years ago on a Delta flight from San Diego to Cleveland, a guy in the middle seat in coach wanted to take his large cat out of the carrier and hold it on his lap. The flight attendant said he could do it if the lady in the aisle seat and I (window) approved. We both said no. The guy was very angry and explained to the cat that these mean “bleep bleep” women were to blame.
There’s a lengthy discussion over on Cruise Critic about people bringing their emotional support animals on board. The pets are apparently sitting on the furniture, eating scraps from the buffet, and being left in their cabins to howl. A big problem in my opinion.
I once flew with a beloved dog in the cargo hold. It was extremely stressful, and I would have gladly paid for this well-behaved dog to have his own seat next to me. But that's a different story.
It doesn't make sense to me for people traveling in coach to fly with a dog.
Last fall, while making a connection in a jam-packed Phoenix airport, I was walking next to a man whose dog was taking a dump right next to him. He was oblivious - glued to his phone. I got his attention and said "Say. Your dog just took a dump. Do you need a bag?" Luckily for him, I was wearing my dog walking jeans. He was stressed and defensive - and said he was trying to find a place for his dog to poop. I told him it was too late for that - but I had a couple of poop bags to help with his immediate problem. I honestly would like to know what people are thinking when they decide that they must travel with their dogs.
I can't remember what airport I was in, but they had pet relieving areas. That guy should have researched it before arriving at the airport, not when the dog clearly had to go.
I have had to move on a plane due to cats...Of which I am allergic. I have forgotten since returning to flying post covid, but I discuss any possible pets on the plane as soon as the staff arrive at the gate.
So far no dog allergies, but I wouldn't be giving up a seat for her dog either.
(After the peacock brouhaha and change of rules for emotional support animals, the sales of illegal certificates and vests for 'service animals' skyrocketed).
Poor doggy. :(
Why would that woman think that her dog could have the empty seat next to her? Where was the woman who paid for the seat supposed to sit? I too am shocked at the FAs apparent inaction.
I have a dog, but I am one that is afraid of pitbulls, rightly or wrongly. I am a paralegal and I have worked on multiple dog bite cases. I know other dogs can be unpredictable and bite too, but 99% of those dog bite cases I worked on were pit bull bites or attacks. With their big jaws, they can really do some damage. I would be VERY uncomfortable sitting that close to that dog.
Personally, I'd love to have a dog for a seat neighbour on a flight, but I'm not giving up my seat and I expect the flight staff to back me up. Like carry-on luggage, it's another of those situations that I'm frustrated with flight crews for not enforcing rules.
That darn dog didn't even look out the window once!
Maybe the window needed to be open.
I'm picturing a high-speed train with the window down and the dog with its head out the window with ears and tongue flapping in the breeze.
Emotional support dog, my @$$. Speaking of which, I have an emotional support donkey. His name is Yoshi, and he's very sweet. He's a terrible snob, however, and refuses to fly economy, so I leave him at his home (my cousin's place) when I travel. ;)
No, I would not give up my seat. How ridiculous of the dog owner to even make such a request.
First of all, if she didn't buy a seat for her dog, there may not be a seat available for the passenger whose seat was occupied by the dog.
Secondly, Pets should not be sitting in their owner's lap on a plane. I am not afraid of dogs in general but I am afraid of pitbulls.
I would not fly with my cats but if I did, I would be concerned for those who are allergic.
Thirdly, flight attendants need to enforce the rules.
There were so many abuses, they banned the whole Emotional support animal thing (aggression, people flagrantly disobeying rules (dogs must be in crates or carriers--dog too big, too bad, it can't fly in the cabin). I flew once with my Corgi puppy at 10 months. She had not reached adult size. She was in her carrier and they allowed me to let her put her head out during the flight. That's it.) BTW, I have a disability but didn't do the whole ESA thing and paid for whatever it was at the time, $150* round trip maybe. I don't know how the hell the woman got away with having a large dog on her lap during the flight (and not in the hold). They will weigh your dog and make sure the dog is in the weight limit, you show shot records and the like. You can NOT buy a seat for a dog--this dog goes in the hold or doesn't fly (probably safer option). I don't know how it happened actually, even not knowing the ESAs are now not a thing on airlines at all. (BTW, tmk, they are pretty strict on service dogs in training--basically they have to know everything before they fly, but conceivably that's possible. Service dogs don't sit on laps in planes. You are supposed to teach your dog to kind of tuck itself under the seat in front of you to the best of its ability. I have some service dog training experience, and it's very hard to do and well trained service dogs often can't do it.)
I’m more concerned about the alleged vape pen use onboard by the dog owner. If that part’s true, something should’ve been done. It also speaks volumes more about the woman.
I read the story. It seems as if the pitbull was running the show.
Where's Cesar Millan when you need him?
Well, it was a train in France and I did not give up my aisle seat. She just wanted her dog on my seat and I imagine she explained this to me several times. I understood next to nothing she was saying and simply maintained my best smile while holding my ticket before her. No drama, no fisticuffs. Poochie settled on the floor and we all had a pleasant journey. Maybe that’s why it never showed up on the internet.
I was in an aisle bulkhead seat on a flight and across the aisle was a woman with a large, very well-behaved dog, something like a labradoodle. The woman's young daughter was next to her in the middle seat. The dog was calm and sat quietly at the woman's feet during the flight and obediently stood in the aisle with the owner when the person in the window seat had to get out. I had the feeling the woman was a dog trainer as she gave the dog hand signals during the flight. No one objected the the dog and as she was in the bulkhead seat, there was extra legroom. It didn't bother me that the dog was there but it would have bothered my sister who is allergic to them. I like dogs but also don't understand the "need" for dog owners to take their dogs everywhere with them. They don't seem to mind causing others to be uncomfortable.
In this situation, no I would not want to give up my seat, but I also would not want to be seated next to her, so I would ask to be moved to a better seat. I am terrified of pit bulls, but love almost every other kind of dog (minus a mastiff, was attacked by one). As others have mentioned, everything about this scenario is just wrong. The vaping should have stopped immediately and they should have removed her from the plane, IMO.
This is a request that would give me paws.
Good one, Slate. Hopefully, it doesn't oc-CUR often.
Yet another example of airlines not following their own rules, both in terms of service dogs and pets. Shame on Delta.
