Can an airline refuse an emotional support animal?

Airlines are required to permit trained service dogs to fly, unless the pets create a dangerous or disruptive environment. Unlike service dogs, airlines are not required to permit emotional support dogs, or any type of emotional support animal, to fly.



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Most Airlines Have Chosen Not To Most domestic airlines including United Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue, Frontier, Alaska, even our beloved Southwest Airlines have decided to take advantage of the new rule put out by the U.S. Department of Transportation and stop accepting ESAs in the airline cabin.

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The airlines also apparently believe that ESA certification is a scam to avoid paying travel fees for pets. After nearly a year of debate, the DOT announced the rule revisions to the Air Carrier Access Act service animal rule “to ensure a safe and accessible air transportation system.”

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Usually dogs are only allowed to fly in the cabin—known as carry-on pets—if they can comfortably fit in a carrier that you can stow under the seat in front of you. A small number of airlines, including JetBlue, Alaska Airlines, and Etihad Airways, allow passengers flying with dogs to buy an extra seat for their pet.

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Airlines are required to allow service animals and emotional support animals traveling with individuals with a disability to sit with them in the cabin of the airplane. If requested prior to the flight's departure, the traveler must be given a bulkhead seat. In the terminal, airlines must provide animal relief areas.

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To fly with an emotional support animal on participating airlines, you will need an ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional. The LMHP will also need to fill out forms provided by the airline. Most airlines require that ESA documents be submitted at least 48 hours before departure.

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AirAsia (3.1), Fiji Airways (0.7), South African Airways (0.6), Azul Airlines (0.3) and Jetstar Airways (0.0) round out the bottom five airlines for traveling pet owners as each either doesn't allow pets at all or limits pet travel to the cargo hold.

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Airlines may require: (1) a U.S. DOT form attesting to the animal's health, behavior, and training; and. (2) a U.S. DOT form attesting that the animal can either not relieve itself or can relieve itself in a sanitary manner, if the animal will be on a flight that is 8 or more hours.

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By Plane: Fly with your dog. Several airlines do accept large dogs by storing them in the plane's cargo. The hold is temperature-controlled and pressurized, so it is a humane way to transport them. For most airlines, pets weighing 17 pounds or more qualify as large and must travel in the hold.

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The whole process of flying can be stressful for a dog, but those levels of stress can be greatly reduced with a few simple home comforts and reassurances. Ensuring your flight is a non-stop flight rather than one with changeovers can be a huge benefit to your dog, as can looking to travel at a suitable time.

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When checking a pet, you need to:
  1. Contact Reservations at least 48 hours prior to travel.
  2. Check in at the ticket counter with your official orders.
  3. Allow extra check-in time (at least 2 hours and no more than 4 hours before your flight)
  4. Complete a checklist with an agent.
  5. Provide a health certificate.


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For travelers bringing their pets in the cabin, she said, book a window seat, as the pets will be farther from commotion in the aisle. Those seats also may have more space underneath. Thompson said most airlines only allow dogs and cats in the cabin, though some allow birds.

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If you find a dog, cat or turkey next to you on your next flight, it probably has a right to be there. If sitting so close doesn't work for you, let the flight attendants know—they will try to help.

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United Airlines ESA Policy: A Pet Fee For domestic pets to fly in-cabin, there is a $125 service charge each way on United Airlines. If you have stopovers within the US for more than four hours, there may be an additional cost of $125.

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