Let me make some general comments here. First of all, the American's with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not apply to the airlines. But it does apply to the airports. The airlines have their own version of the ADA which is the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA). The ACAA is implemented by a federal regulation , 14 CFR Part 382 (Part 382). A new version of Part 382 went into effect on May 13, 2009
14 CFR 382.117 deals with service animals. (a copy of the regulation can be found here:
http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/rules/rules.htm).
The rule states:
Quote:
(e) If a passenger seeks to travel with an animal that is used as an emotional support or psychiatric service animal, you are not required to accept the animal for transportation in the cabin unless the passenger provides you current documentation (i.e., no older than one year from the date of the passengers scheduled initial flight) on the letterhead of a licensed mental health professional including a medical doctor specifically treating the passenger’s mental or emotional disability (e.g., psychiatrist, psychologist, licensed clinical social worker) stating the following:
(1) The passenger has a mental or emotional disability recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fourth Edition (DSM IV);
(2) The passenger needs the emotional support or psychiatric service animal as an accommodation for air travel and/or for activity at the passenger’s destination;
(3) The individual providing the assessment is a licensed mental health professional, and the passenger is under his or her professional care; and
(4) The date and type of the mental health professional’s license and the state or other jurisdiction in which it was issued.
(f)You are never required to accommodate certain unusual service animals (e.g., snakes, other reptiles, ferrets, rodents, and spiders) as service animals in the cabin. With respect to all other animals, including unusual or exotic animals that are presented as service animals (e.g., miniature horses, pigs, monkeys), as a carrier you must determine whether any factors preclude their traveling in the cabin as service animals (e.g., whether the animal is too large or heavy to be accommodated in the cabin, whether the animal would pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others, whether it would cause a significant disruption of cabin service, whether it would be prohibited from entering a foreign country that is the flight’s destination). If no such factors preclude the animal from traveling in the cabin, you must permit it to do so. However, as a foreign carrier, you are not required to carry service animals other than dogs.
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The emotional support/therapy animal has been a very contentious issue and has been for some time. When the new rule was drafted, the Department recieved and reviewed thousands of comments from members of the general public, the carriers and air transport associates, and service animal organizations. These comments were evaluated and used to draft the new language.
And before you ask, I had nothing to do with the drafting of the rule. I am only tasked with enforcing it and currently have another "goose issue" with American Airlines.
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I need to double check our guidance document issued to the carriers, but I believe the carrier may require any birds traveling as service animals to travel in cages.