Service Dog (in-training)?

[SteveMouse]

Thank you! The 'in-training' part is where I was really unsure. In the US, Canada, and many other countries a service dog is accommodated with a seat if they are too large to fit under the seat - at least the organization we're working with has told us this and says they provide both paperwork with this information as well as are available to help communicate with airlines that don't accommodate.

You may want to visit the relevant websites of the airline(s) yoj intend to fly. At least Delta, Southwest, and American explicitly do not permit service animals to occupy a separate seat, though if the animals is small, may be a lap rider. the three airlines mentioned above have details at the links below.

https://www.southwest.com/help/accessible-travel-assistance/trained-service-animals

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/special-assistance/service-animals.jsp
https://www.delta.com/us/en/accessible-travel-services/service-animals

Air Canada has slightly different rules and may permit assignment of additional space. See https://www.aircanada.com/us/en/aco/home/plan/accessibility.html

 

[SirDuff]

You may want to visit the relevant websites of the airline(s) yoj intend to fly. At least Delta, Southwest, and American explicitly do not permit service animals to occupy a separate seat, though if the animals is small, may be a lap rider. the three airlines mentioned above have details at the links below.

https://www.southwest.com/help/accessible-travel-assistance/trained-service-animals

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/special-assistance/service-animals.jsp
https://www.delta.com/us/en/accessible-travel-services/service-animals

Air Canada has slightly different rules and may permit assignment of additional space. See https://www.aircanada.com/us/en/aco/home/plan/accessibility.html

Even Air Canada is explicit that it is additional floor space (not a seat). And it’s only free in domestic flights. I suspect it means getting a bulkhead seat.

 

[Lewisc]

Airlines are not required to provide a service animal extra space, nor are hotels required to provide bedding or other supplies for a pet or service animal.

Airlines were, not sure if it's still true, required to give pax with service animals bulkhead seats. Airlines would move a pax who already booked a bulkhead seat, if necessary.

Edited to add still policy
https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/aviation-consumer-protection/seating-accommodations

 

[DisneyOma]

Airlines were, not sure if it's still true, required to give pax with service animals bulkhead seats. Airlines would move a pax who already booked a bulkhead seat, if necessary.

Edited to add still policy
https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/aviation-consumer-protection/seating-accommodations

They don't have to if it causes a problem though - people other than those with service animals require (and pay extra, book early) for those seats. Reading through the link you provided, there are a multitude of issues that require those seats. The site recommends making sure you book early, and have those seats reserved before you get to the airport.

If I paid extra for those seats because I needed that extra leg space/access, and I was told to move from them, I'd be getting off the plane and calling corporate for a full refund plus expenses, and tagging the flight attendant that made me move. People flying with service dogs need to get their ducks in a row beforehand just like the rest of us.

 

[SteveMouse]

They don't have to if it causes a problem though - people other than those with service animals require (and pay extra, book early) for those seats. Reading through the link you provided, there are a multitude of issues that require those seats. The site recommends making sure you book early, and have those seats reserved before you get to the airport.

If I paid extra for those seats because I needed that extra leg space/access, and I was told to move from them, I'd be getting off the plane and calling corporate for a full refund plus expenses, and tagging the flight attendant that made me move. People flying with service dogs need to get their ducks in a row beforehand just like the rest of us.

You could complain, however in moving passengers airlines are complying with the law, which is designed to enable individuals with disabilities to safely use air travel and administer scarce resources. Think of an accessible hotel room reservation similarly.


Sometimes, the airlines are the responsible party for late action in seating assignments.

I need the bulkhead seat or other seat with extra leg room (and am prioritized to have it under the ACAA). Both my legs are immobilized at the hip. Within the law, priority is given based on order of request.

I always put my request in at time of booking. Some airlines, notably American, then reaches out before the flight (usually about 96-72 hours prior to the flight) to assign the seat, even though I booked the ticket 5 months prior to the flight.

Often, some or all the bulkhead seats are blocked from being selected directly by passengers and display as “occupied,” so their status isn’t actually known. It is always stressful, since I don’t really fit in ANY airline seat well, but can’t get into or out of back-of-the-plane seats without excruciating pain and potentially triggering a flare of my physical 6 condition.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thank you! The 'in-training' part is where I was really unsure. In the US, Canada, and many other countries a service dog is accommodated with a seat if they are too large to fit under the seat - at least the organization we're working with has told us this and says they provide both paperwork with this information as well as are available to help communicate with airlines that don't accommodate.

Yes, we tend to be pretty lucky with avoiding crowded busses at the bus to times - or at least getting on first so we can be at the back of the bus. My daughter likes to sit at the very back which tends to give her extra space from non-family people - and would give our dog space as well.

Thank you! Yes, he is larger than a typical service dog - but he's not actually as big as his head makes him look. He weighs a lot but height wise is only slightly bigger than a small lab lol. His head is shorter than a table. He's already really good at laying under the table while we eat and not moving - and our party size means we're always at a big table with plenty of space beneath us.

Once we begin official training, then we'd begin practicing at local restaurants at quiet times so that by the time he ever gets to someplace like Disney, he has lots of practice with that type of environment.

I don’t know if it’s true in Canada that airlines will allow a seat for dogs too big to be at your feet, but it’s NOT true in the US.
This link has a summary of the US Service Animal Rule changes and a link to the actual rules.

Allowing a dog to sit in a seat or in the aisle is a violation of FAA regulations - having had a large SD and seeing how he got into and fit in seats at home, it would not even be possible because the airline seat is too small. And, he was very good at making himself small when we gave him the command to settle.

Airlines in the US are allowed to require the service animal to fit at your feet or in your lap. They MAY move your party to a seat with more foot room, if possible, but are not required to. If it’s not possible (for example, other people are already assigned to those seats because of their disability and can’t move), the airline may offer to seat you on another flight or transport your animal as cargo.
There are also forms that are required to be filled out ahead of time and submitted to the airline regarding the temperament, health and training of the dog. There are additional ‘general animal’ forms required for bringing any animal into the US that would need to be completed coming from Canada

 

[SirDuff]

I don’t know if it’s true in Canada that airlines will allow a seat for dogs too big to be at your feet, but it’s NOT true in the US.
This link has a summary of the US Service Animal Rule changes and a link to the actual rules.
Allowing a dog to sit in a seat or in the aisle is a violation of FAA regulations - having had a large SD and seeing how he got into and fit in seats at home, it would not even be possible. And, he was very good at making himself small when we gave him the command to settle.
Airlines in the US are allowed to require the service animal to fit at your feet or in your lap. They MAY move your party to a seat with more foot room, if possible, but are not required to. If it’s not possible (for example, other people are already assigned to those seats and can’t/won’t move), the airline may offer to seat you on another flight or transport your animal as cargo.
There are also forms that are required to be filled out ahead of time and submitted to the airline regarding the temperament, health and training of the dog. There are additional ‘general animal’ forms required for bringing any animal into the US that would need to be completed coming from Canada

It's not. For domestic flights, they'll give you seats with more floor space (without extra charge, if there is normally an extra charge) but not an extra seat (and the seats with extra floor space for free is only for flights within Canada). Also not sure if this is a law or just what Air Canada will try to do.

 

[nadira36]

Thank you all for these wonderful resources! This has been extremely helpful and has decreased my overwhelm considerably!

 

[gottalovepluto]

You may want to visit the relevant websites of the airline(s) yoj intend to fly. At least Delta, Southwest, and American explicitly do not permit service animals to occupy a separate seat, though if the animals is small, may be a lap rider. the three airlines mentioned above have details at the links below.

https://www.southwest.com/help/accessible-travel-assistance/trained-service-animals

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/special-assistance/service-animals.jsp
https://www.delta.com/us/en/accessible-travel-services/service-animals

Air Canada has slightly different rules and may permit assignment of additional space. See https://www.aircanada.com/us/en/aco/home/plan/accessibility.html

Well that spells it out clearly. US airlines don’t recognize service dogs in training full stop (well DL allows a very specific in cutout OP does not qualify for). And the kicker is the DOT form says properly trained. Jeez, if the dog messes up and a DOT investigation and finds out it was still in training they could pursue federal charges against the owner. Oof, they got serious about this stuff.

 

[SueM in MN]

Well that spells it out clearly. US airlines don’t recognize service dogs in training full stop (well DL allows a very specific in cutout OP does not qualify for). And the kicker is the DOT form says properly trained. Jeez, if the dog messes up and a DOT investigation and finds out it was still in training they could pursue federal charges against the owner. Oof, they got serious about this stuff.

I read comments that were submitted before the final update of the rules.
There were quite a few comments about misbehaving dogs on flights, including eliminating on the plane, barking, bites, etc. with both partially trained Service Dogs and especially Emotional Support dogs (which are no longer allowed)

 

[SteveMouse]

Calgary to Orlando is almost always over 8 hours and involves at least one change or planes. if you need to provide an opportunity for a visit to a relief environment, you may want to select an itinerary that provides sufficient time.

Personally, I’d want to make sure my animal was good with flying before undertaking this adventure. It would be lousy to get to the airport and for the animal to be unable to conform to expectations, requiring on-the-fly problem solving. I am unsure what would happen if the animal became disruptive on the first leg- some airlines will not permit animals to be transported in the baggage compartment if the ambient temperature is too high or too low, which is important because of the potential for overheating or freezing.

 

[nadira36]

Calgary to Orlando is almost always over 8 hours and involves at least one change or planes. if you need to provide an opportunity for a visit to a relief environment, you may want to select an itinerary that provides sufficient time.

Personally, I’d want to make sure my animal was good with flying before undertaking this adventure. It would be lousy to get to the airport and for the animal to be unable to conform to expectations, requiring on-the-fly problem solving. I am unsure what would happen if the animal became disruptive on the first leg- some airlines will not permit animals to be transported in the baggage compartment if the ambient temperature is too high or too low, which is important because of the potential for overheating or freezing.

We typically fly out of Edmonton, so have a couple 4hr (ish) flights. We prefer relaxed layovers so would be sure to have extra time whenever we do take him. I'm already well versed in looking up every single detail about whichever airports we fly into or through so that we can meet the needs of our family - adding on locating elimination spots and how it fits with our itinerary won't be too different.

We'll work on teaching him to eliminate on a pad for longer flights when he may need to eliminate while we're flying. Disposable pads that can contain the mess like a diaper are acceptable from what I've read.

Currently he's exceptional laying at our daughter's feet in the van. We'd work up to driving for extended hours at a time, but it's really hard to train for a flight before taking a flight.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Currently he's exceptional laying at our daughter's feet in the van. We'd work up to driving for extended hours at a time, but it's really hard to train for a flight before taking a flight.

I vote that is only partially true. A long flight is jumping into the deep end but a short weekend getaway, think domestic one hour like flight and a night at a hotel, is the shallow end. He would experience security, airport, take off, flight, landing, luggage retrieval and even a hotel- obviously only after he is Fully Trained.