Delta Airlines Service and Support Animal Travel Truths
- Published on:
- By: ASP Administrator
DOT Update: On December 2, 2020, the Department of Transportation announced that it is revising rules around flying with Emotional Support Animals. Airlines will no longer be required to recognize ESAs and provide reasonable accommodation in the flight cabin and/or free of charge. However, Service Animals (including Psychiatric Services Animals), who are trained to perform specific tasks associated with their owner’s disability, are still legally protected and eligible for those rights. The vast majority of ESAs are dogs, and dogs can be task-trained to perform many different functions. The new rule does not require Service Animal owners to incur the cost of training by third party schools or organizations. Owners are free to train their own dogs to perform a task or function for them.
Click here to connect with a licensed medical professional to qualify for an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) or Psychiatric Service Animal (PSA) today.
Service and Support Animals
If you are or plan to fly on Delta, the airlines welcomes service and support animals in the aircraft cabin. When traveling with a service or support animal, they are more than helpful! They are there to work with you to make sure your travel day is not difficult. When you travel, you want it to go as smooth as possible.
To travel with an emotional support or service animal, you must make sure to upload the required documentation at least 48 hours before a flight. Each passenger will be limited to one emotional support animal allowed with them. Unfortunately, they still do not accept pit bull type dogs as service or support animals on the airlines.
Trained Service Animals
Delta recommends that all passengers traveling with a trained service animal, bring the animal’s current veterinary health form. If for some reason they ask to review the animals documents. In some cases, passengers may be asked to show the animal’s Veterinary Health Form and/or an immunization record or other proof of current vaccination (must be within one year of the travel date). This is great to remember so you don’t have to go through the hassle.
The benefits of an Emotional Support Animal certification and a Psychiatric Service Dog certification are drastically different. Fortunately for you, American Service Pets’ network of active board certified doctors can help you find the right path to certification. To find out whether you need an ESA or PSD letter, take our easy, three-step Pet Owner Survey!
Emotional Support Animals
Delta require’s documentation that is no more than a year old (prior to the first flight in the itinerary) from a certified mental health professional. I should indicate your need for an emotional support animal. In addition, a certification of the animal’s health including rabies shot verification. Documentation can be in digital copy, and have professional license number included, but not required. Download the required documentation and upload it through the Accessibility Service Request Form located in My Trips.
Inappropriate Behavior
It is obvious, that if your animal is an ESA or Service animal it should already be highly-trained. Delta will still refuse transportation of the animal if it engages in aggressive behavior such as:
- Growling
- Biting
- Jumping on passengers, flight attendants or staff
- Relieving themselves in the gate area or cabin
- Barking excessively, not in response to a handler’s need or distress
- Eating off seatback tray tables
If you need to take your dog places with you as a form of emotional support, American Service Pets is happy to help you through the process of obtaining an ESA housing letter or ESA travel letter.
The process starts with a simple online exam. It is important to see if you qualify for an emotional support animal first. Which will then take you to step two! You will have to get a local doctor that finalizes your evaluation.
To review all Delta service and support animal policies, click here.
Get Your ESA Today
ATTENTION
Due to the new Department of Transportation (DOT) policy, Emotional Support Animals are NO longer allowed to fly in airplane cabins for free. However, Psychiatric Service Dogs are eligible.
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