An Attention Whore and a Peacock

A nut-bag narcissist and self-claimed "artist" showed up at the Newark Liberty International Airport thinking she was going to get an "emotional support peacock" on board as a live, un-caged bit of carry-on luggage.

United Airlines refused to let the bird board.  In fact, the airline had told her on three separate occasions before she arrived that the bird was ineligible due to size and weight.

Delta Airlines recently issued new regulations on emotional support and service animals, requiring that passengers provide veterinary proof of their pet's training and vaccinations 48 hours before they board, and a letter signed by a licensed mental health professional that the animal is actually needed. The new Delta regulations take effect March 1.

When did this craziness with "emotional support animals" begin?  The answer is 2003. Prior to then, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) allowed "service animals" which were meant to be guide dogs for the blind. Those animals have been permitted on commercial flight since at least 1977 and because they are well-trained  and come with sensible owners who are also well-trained.  Dogs for blind  have presented virtually no problems at all.

The wrinkle is that in 2003, someone at the Department of Transportation decided it was OK to expand the definition of a service animal to include "an animal used for emotional support" and an "emotional support" animal, the DOT decided, did not need to have any training at all.

For a person to fly with an "emotional support animal," the passenger need only have a letter, written within the calendar year and on medical stationary, saying the passenger is such a mental case that it is medically necessary for them to travel with that animal.

But even here, there are limits. Snakes and other reptiles, ferrets, rodents, and spiders are specifically exempt from even being considered as "emotional support" animals, for some reason. So a pig can fly, but a neutered ferret in a Sherpa bag cannot? Yep. Seriously, that's the rule.

That said, there is a pretty big barn door that can be used to exclude pigs and peacocks. The regulations go on to note that:

Unusual animals such as miniature horses, pigs and monkeys should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Factors to consider are the animals size, weight, state and foreign country restrictions, and whether or not the animal would pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others, or cause a fundamental alteration (significant disruption) in the cabin service. If none of these factors apply, the animal may accompany the passenger in the cabin. In most other situations, the animal should be carried in the cargo hold in accordance with company policy.

In short, if it's bigger or stinkier than a clean and well-mannered dog, it can be denied access to an airplane.

There is, of course, more.

While airline personnel cannot ask people what their disability is, they can (and should) ask if the animal is a pet. If the answer is "yes," then the animal can be denied admission.

It's also permitted to ask how the animal helps meet this person's disability needs. No answer, no fly and no admission.

It's also permitted to ask how the animal was trained. If the answer to this last question is nonsensical, or if it does not look like the animal can sit where placed, will make noise, will bite, or cannot be maintained under nearly perfect control while on an airplane (as guide dogs for the blind are), then admission of the animal can be reasonably denied.