Severe cat allergy- cats allowed on plane!!

[heathriel]

As a person *with* a service cat - a Trained Bengal (who is hypoallergenic, as he has hair, not fur, and doesn't produce dander), I still make sure that I keep him in his carrier (as uncomfortable for him as it is, since he's huge) when we're on an airplane, because people just freak about cats in general. Most people see *him* and their first reaction is to just be like "Wow! He's gorgeous! I want to touch him!" And while he's friendly and all that, it's not cool to touch a working service animal.

I always ask the people around me if they're allergic though, and then if they say they are, I'll ask to be reseated so as not to bother them.

I usually travel in first class though, to give him the extra space he needs to stretch out if he wants.

 

[uva185]

I still make sure that I keep him in his carrier ...... I usually travel in first class though, to give him the extra space he needs to stretch out if he wants.

 

[MariDisney]

As a person *with* a service cat - a Trained Bengal (who is hypoallergenic, as he has hair, not fur, and doesn't produce dander), I still make sure that I keep him in his carrier (as uncomfortable for him as it is, since he's huge) when we're on an airplane, because people just freak about cats in general. Most people see *him* and their first reaction is to just be like "Wow! He's gorgeous! I want to touch him!" And while he's friendly and all that, it's not cool to touch a working service animal.

I always ask the people around me if they're allergic though, and then if they say they are, I'll ask to be reseated so as not to bother them.

I usually travel in first class though, to give him the extra space he needs to stretch out if he wants.

I've never heard of a service cat. Would it be to personal to ask what sorts of tasks he is charged with? I'm just curious, really, and am wondering. I work with children with autism, and many families are looking into service dogs for them, so it's a topic I'm currently researching a lot.

 

[bobbyboy71]

I used to have no problem finding an airline that didn't allow pets in the cabin. Now there aren't any as far as I know. Internationally I still have no problem.
My throat closes up around cats, so I am petrified to get on if a cat is aboard.
I have had to change flights etc. I think it is unfair if I book first and the flight is cat free and then someone books later with a cat it's okay. I am thinking about starting a class action lawsuit against the airlines. I called the americans with disabilities, but they were no help. Any suggestions

 

[vicki_c]

(Some threads refuse to die......)

And still ....

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Personally, I'm waiting for the ultimate showdown between the highly allergic to cats guy vs. the woman with service cat on the same plane.

I used to have no problem finding an airline that didn't allow pets in the cabin. Now there aren't any as far as I know. Internationally I still have no problem.
My throat closes up around cats, so I am petrified to get on if a cat is aboard.
I have had to change flights etc. I think it is unfair if I book first and the flight is cat free and then someone books later with a cat it's okay. I am thinking about starting a class action lawsuit against the airlines. I called the americans with disabilities, but they were no help. Any suggestions

 

[crashbb]

Personally, I'm waiting for the ultimate showdown between the highly allergic to cats guy vs. the woman with service cat on the same plane.

Since service cats are no longer covered by the ADA, I would think that the person with the allergy would win.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

The Air Carrier Access Act does not prohibit cats as emotional support animals. Nor monkeys.

Since service cats are no longer covered by the ADA, I would think that the person with the allergy would win.

 

[kaytieeldr]

But doesn't it still all depend on which passenger booked and informed the airline first?

 

[goofy4tink]

Can't believe a thread from '09 has cropped up again, but....
when I flew with my ds's cat, from Boston to Orlando, I was told that if someone with an allergy had booked a seat, and had informed the airline of the allergy, then animals would not be allowed on that flight. So, if you have a severe allergy, you need to let the airline know when booking. I paid $75 in order to fly that cat, with me, down to Orlando. There were people on that flight that paid just a bit more for their seat!! I had moved my seat to an area that had very few people the day before the flight. When I checked that morning, I saw that they had put more people around me. So, when I got to the gate, I asked to be moved to an area with fewer people. The gate agent was a bit snippy when asking me if I had an issue with other people!! I informed her that I was flying with a cat and didn't want to bother anyone else or risk having someone with dander issues in front of me or beside me...sheesh, just trying to be considerate. She did move me to the rear of the plane. There was a couple in front of me...I asked them if they had any allergy issues and thank heavens they did not.

But it is up to the passenger to alert the airline to any severe allergies. And I would hope that no one would just 'say' they had a 'severe' allergy in order to prevent any animals from being on board.

 

[jsilvers]

But doesn't it still all depend on which passenger booked and informed the airline first?

Not necessarily. The U.S. Department of Transportation has stated that in the unlikely event of a conflict between a passenger with a service animal and a passenger with an animal allergy so severe that reseating is not an option, a decision must be made based on a neutral factor, which could - but not necessarily must - include who booked first.

Specifically:

It is unlikely that the mere presence of an animal in the same cabin would, by itself, even if located at a distance from an allergic passenger, produce a severe allergic reaction rising to the level of a disability. However, if there was strong evidence that this was the case, it could be necessary to rebook one of the passengers on another flight. Since one disability does not trump another, the carrier should consider a disability-neutral means of determining which passenger would have to be rebooked (e.g., which passenger made the earlier reservation). We emphasize that we expect any such situation to be extremely rare, and that carriers should not rebook a passenger absent strong evidence that the mere presence of an animal in the cabin, even in a location distant from the allergic passenger, would produce an allergic reaction rising to the level of a disability.​

73 Feds. Reg. at 27660 (May 13, 2008).

 

[Alexander]

(Some threads refuse to die......)

Nine Months Later........

 

[mytripsandraces]

I used to have no problem finding an airline that didn't allow pets in the cabin. Now there aren't any as far as I know. Internationally I still have no problem. My throat closes up around cats, so I am petrified to get on if a cat is aboard. I have had to change flights etc. I think it is unfair if I book first and the flight is cat free and then someone books later with a cat it's okay. I am thinking about starting a class action lawsuit against the airlines. I called the americans with disabilities, but they were no help. Any suggestions

Is there anything you can take (Benadryl, Zyrtec, etc.) that will alleviate your symptoms? I'm sure someone would agree to change seats in those circumstances. I don't know if the gate agents can tell when someone booked their flight, but I do know that they only allow one or two animals on board at a time and shifting the person with the animal is probably more problematic than shifting the person with the allergies.

Can't believe a thread from '09 has cropped up again, but....
when I flew with my ds's cat, from Boston to Orlando, I was told that if someone with an allergy had booked a seat, and had informed the airline of the allergy, then animals would not be allowed on that flight. So, if you have a severe allergy, you need to let the airline know when booking.

But it is up to the passenger to alert the airline to any severe allergies. And I would hope that no one would just 'say' they had a 'severe' allergy in order to prevent any animals from being on board.

Thank you, Goofy4Tink! I will be sure to let the airlines know about my allergies when I fly in future!

 

[luvthemouse71]

I knew that service animals were allowed, of course, but thought all other pets had to ride in a special area under the plane, near the baggage compartment.

That's how it was waaaaaaay back in the day. But most of these areas are not pressurized and the animal can be severely injured or die.

A lot has been said about why they don't warn you. I have never been warned that several free to be me families with their poorly raised and overindulged children would be on board allowing their kids to kick the back of my seat and make noise for several hours. It just happens.

I would say that on most flights I have been on I would enjoy the airline replacing most of the passengers on board with an animal, an emotionally supportive one or not.

I totally agree. And allergies often have a psychological component. I had a friend who swore up and down he was allergic to animals- all animals with fur. We went over another friends house and turns out the cat had been sitting under the futon the whole time. Nary a sneeze, sniffle or cough from the one with the supposed allergy.

Not saying the OPs son is a faker, I'm not. Anaphylactic reactions are nothing to fool with. In that case, they should definitely let the airline know and take a different flight if needed.

 

[maxiesmom]

I totally agree. And allergies often have a psychological component. I had a friend who swore up and down he was allergic to animals- all animals with fur. We went over another friends house and turns out the cat had been sitting under the futon the whole time. Nary a sneeze, sniffle or cough from the one with the supposed allergy.

Not saying the OPs son is a faker, I'm not. Anaphylactic reactions are nothing to fool with. In that case, they should definitely let the airline know and take a different flight if needed.

I think your friend is the exception, and not the rule. I have had allergies my whole life, and believe me, I wish I could wish them away and it was all in my head.

 

[luvthemouse71]

I think your friend is the exception, and not the rule. I have had allergies my whole life, and believe me, I wish I could wish them away and it was all in my head.

Yeah, he was a real winner, that's for sure. my brother has a cat allergy but he and his girfriend still have 3 cats. They just put them in the basement when he starts getting symptoms. I myself have issues with cigarrette smoke- thank God people can't smoke on planes anymore.

Where I think the real psychological stuff comes in is medicine allergies. Or maybe it's just lack of knowledge. When we ask patients in the OR if they're allergic to any medicine, they often will claim side effects as allergies. For example, " morphine makes me sleepy". Morphine is supposed to make you sleepy. Or the drug seekers who are allergic to everything that is non- narcotic, lol.

 

[PoohNFriends]

Yeah, he was a real winner, that's for sure. my brother has a cat allergy but he and his girfriend still have 3 cats. They just put them in the basement when he starts getting symptoms. I myself have issues with cigarrette smoke- thank God people can't smoke on planes anymore.

Where I think the real psychological stuff comes in is medicine allergies. Or maybe it's just lack of knowledge. When we ask patients in the OR if they're allergic to any medicine, they often will claim side effects as allergies. For example, " morphine makes me sleepy". Morphine is supposed to make you sleepy. Or the drug seekers who are allergic to everything that is non- narcotic, lol.

Ugh, so annoying! Also, don't forget, "I'm allergic to generics"

Sorry, , feel free to return to "Animals on a Plane, the Sequel"