May 14, 2018, 12:35 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
The US Department if Transportation (the FAA’s parent agency) announced a new policy banning Emotional Support Animals (ESA) onboard December 2, 2020 (link). American Airlines has changed its policies to conform to the new USDOT / FAA policy as of 5 Jan 2021. Please see this thread for discussion.
For general discussion on the new FAA policy, please see the current thread in TravelBuzz:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz/1733424-definitive-discussion-emotional-support-animals-airlines.html
AA policy for Emotional Support Animals (ESA) allowed onboard as of 1 July 2018. (“For tickets issued on or after July 1, 2018, emotional / psychiatric support animals must meet a set of enhanced requirements, detailed here.”)
Policies covering trained service animals used by people with visual or hearing impairments, seizures or mobility issues will not be affected.
Link to new policy on aa.com.
Link to forms required for Emotional or Psychiatruc Service Animals.
In part:
Emotional support and psychiatric service animals
Emotional support animals provide emotional, psychiatric or cognitive support for individuals with disabilities. Specific disability training isn’t required for animals to meet this classification.
Advance notice required
To travel with an emotional support and psychiatric service animal in the cabin, you must contact the Special Assistance Desk with all required documentation at least 48 hours before your flight.
Documentation validation will include American Airlines contacting your mental health professional.
Forms required for travel
Service animals
On flights over 8 hours, documentation is required stating your animal won’t need to relieve itself or can do so in a way that doesn’t create a health or sanitation issue.
Emotional support and psychiatric service animals
The emotional support and psychiatric service animal document packet contains instructions and 3 forms that are necessary for approval to fly:
Banned animals include Amphibians, Ferrets, Goats, Hedgehogs, Insects, Reptiles, Rodents, Snakes, Spiders, Sugar gliders, Non-household birds (farm poultry, waterfowl, game birds, & birds of prey), Animals with tusks, horns or hooves (excluding miniature horses properly trained as service animals), Any animal that is unclean / has an odor.
Forms and further information can be downloaded from or seen here.
Link to Chicago Tribune article
Link to Dallas News article
Link to blog article on One Mile at a Time
Source:
OMAAT)
Summary:
Summary:
Emotional Support Animals (ESA) are no longer Service Animals
The DOT is no longer categorizing emotional support animals as service animals. Service animals are being redefined, and have new restrictions:- Airlines may limit service animals to dogs, may limit each traveler to two service animals, and may require service animals to fit on their handler’s lap or within their handler’s foot space on the aircraft
- Service animals have to be “individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability”
- Airlines can require passengers to remit a completed hardcopy or electronic version of the DOT’s “Service Animal Air Transportation Form” as a condition of transport
Airlines can start charging for emotional support animals, and restrict them
The biggest implication of this policy change is that emotional support animals are now going to be categorized as pets, rather than service animals. What does this mean?- Airlines will be able to charge travelers for their ESAs, rather than having to allow them on for free
- Not just that, but airlines can apply their weight and size limits to ESAs going forward; for example, most US airlines only allow in-cabin pets weighing up to 20 pounds, so airlines could apply those restrictions
For general discussion on the new FAA policy, please see the current thread in TravelBuzz:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz/1733424-definitive-discussion-emotional-support-animals-airlines.html
AA policy for Emotional Support Animals (ESA) allowed onboard as of 1 July 2018. (“For tickets issued on or after July 1, 2018, emotional / psychiatric support animals must meet a set of enhanced requirements, detailed here.”)
MODERATOR GUIDEPOST: This thread is strictly moderated and limited to practical discussion of new AA policies regarding psychiatric and emotional support animals and personal experiences on / relating to AA specifically. This is not the forum to discuss general flying animal issues (e.g. whether or not animals should be permitted in cabins, what constitutes a service animal or an emotional support animal, etc.
Posts with referrals to sites offering spurious ESA documents, discussion best suited to OMNI, attacks against members or those with ESA / PSA meeting the AA guidelines, among others, will be considered dilatory to this and will be subject to summary deletion.
Posts with referrals to sites offering spurious ESA documents, discussion best suited to OMNI, attacks against members or those with ESA / PSA meeting the AA guidelines, among others, will be considered dilatory to this and will be subject to summary deletion.
Link to new policy on aa.com.
Link to forms required for Emotional or Psychiatruc Service Animals.
In part:
Emotional support and psychiatric service animals
Emotional support animals provide emotional, psychiatric or cognitive support for individuals with disabilities. Specific disability training isn’t required for animals to meet this classification.
Advance notice required
To travel with an emotional support and psychiatric service animal in the cabin, you must contact the Special Assistance Desk with all required documentation at least 48 hours before your flight.
Documentation validation will include American Airlines contacting your mental health professional.
Forms required for travel
Service animals
On flights over 8 hours, documentation is required stating your animal won’t need to relieve itself or can do so in a way that doesn’t create a health or sanitation issue.
Emotional support and psychiatric service animals
The emotional support and psychiatric service animal document packet contains instructions and 3 forms that are necessary for approval to fly:
- Mental Health Professional Form
- Behavior Guidelines
- Animal Sanitation During 8+ Hours Form (only required if your flight is scheduled to be over 8 hours)
Banned animals include Amphibians, Ferrets, Goats, Hedgehogs, Insects, Reptiles, Rodents, Snakes, Spiders, Sugar gliders, Non-household birds (farm poultry, waterfowl, game birds, & birds of prey), Animals with tusks, horns or hooves (excluding miniature horses properly trained as service animals), Any animal that is unclean / has an odor.
Forms and further information can be downloaded from or seen here.
Link to Chicago Tribune article
Link to Dallas News article
Link to blog article on One Mile at a Time
ARCHIVE: AA Emotional Support Animal / ESA Policy established 2018 (obsolete)
Dec 3, 2020, 11:37 pm
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,424
Mini horses tend to encroach into the space of other travelers... We have little enough space as it is.
I am happy the new rules will let me try getting out of narrower exit row seating, which is where I've been sitting to avoid ESAs
I am happy the new rules will let me try getting out of narrower exit row seating, which is where I've been sitting to avoid ESAs
Dec 4, 2020, 5:36 pm
#32
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 140
It was too good to last. That said its for the best as I was having a hard time keeping a face mask on my emotional support tiger
Jan 5, 2021, 7:36 pm
#33
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,827
<deleted after new thread started>
AA has followed AS: Newsroom - American Airlines Announces Changes to Policies for Travel with Emotional Support Animals, Service Animals - American Airlines Group, Inc.
AA has followed AS: Newsroom - American Airlines Announces Changes to Policies for Travel with Emotional Support Animals, Service Animals - American Airlines Group, Inc.
The US Department if Transportation (the FAA’s parent agency) announced a new policy banning Emotional Support Animals (ESA) onboard December 2, 2020 (link). American Airlines implements policies to conform to the new USDOT / FAA policy as of 11 Jan 2021. Please see this thread for discussion. https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...an-2021-a.html
Last edited by JDiver; Jan 5, 2021 at 8:23 pm Reason: Add moderator note