Severe cat allergy- cats allowed on plane!!

[jsilvers]

WE DID NOT KNOW THEY WERE ALLOWED. So how could we inform them?

Generally, airlines are required to make accommodations for passengers with disabilities - which would include pet allergies. I would suggest calling the airline and asking that note be made in your record of the issue. If the agent doesn't seem to understand, the buzzwords are "Part 382" (the section of the Department of Transportation's rules that applies) and "Complaint Resolution Official" (airlines are legally required to refer you to a specially-trained staff member if there is a dispute over a disabilities issue).

 

[halld6479]

my parents fly with there pet and have to pay for a seat for him just like anyone else, he has to be placed on the floor but they pay for a seat. friends of theirs travel with two small dogs and give them something from the vet to make them relax. I see no problem.

 

[bavaria]

My point was not to debate the idea.

WE DID NOT KNOW THEY WERE ALLOWED. So how could we inform them? I let them know once we were there and gave my son some benedryl. And this was a NEW policy for Airtran- within the last 4 months, I was told. No where did it say animals would be in the cabin on their booking page, not something I ever saw before-or would ever think of. AGAIN , we travel once a year: )

This post was to let other know if they are in the same situation as we were to be prepared.

And my post was to let you know what to do next time you fly, and to let other readers know as well.

Fortunately at least one poster acknowledged that they have learned how to handle the same situation in future.

On a side note, the modern English language (unlike French and German) does not utilize a general/formal 'you'.

There have been numerous threads on this website recently from people discussing this very topic, but not a lot of factual information or advice on how to handle the situation has been posted.

This thread, however, contains a list of carriers which allow pets, as well as several suggestions on how to handle the situation. Hopefully readers can learn from that.

 

[bavaria]

To my horror while we were waiting to board, I saw 2!!! cats in their carry on's ready to board.
They were seated at the back of the plane, we were in row 8, but I was just shocked that this was allowed.

WE DID NOT KNOW THEY WERE ALLOWED.

If anyone does find themselves in this situation, they can ask to deboard and take a later flight. As I stated upthread, I have done this myself several times. Even if one didn't realise that pets were permitted, if there is a severe allergy involved this may be the best course of action.

 

[braydensmom]

I really think that its common knowledge that pets are generally onboard planes in the cabin...I wouldnt expect to hear an announcement

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

It's actually a violation of the ADA to require/ask for documentation regarding any service animal or emotional support animal. No joke.

The only question you can ask is, "What function/service does the animal perform?"

This applies to every sort of assistance animal there is, inclusive of cats.

Until the other thread on this subject I had never heard of "emotional support animals" which apparently can travel in the cabin with the person who uses them only after a whole lot of documentation from mental health professionals, so there must be some way of handling them apart from methods of handling other small animals (possibly they may be permitted outside their carrier) - or in fact the documentation may be to establish them as a service animal so they can be flagged and allergic passengers not booked for that flight. Those could indeed well be cats.

Now that you know, whenever you fly make sure the airline knows of the allergy. As Bavaria said they will flag the flight (perhaps unless there are already animals aboard) and not sell any tickets to passengers accompanied by animals on that flight. You could be trumped by a service or emotional support animal but the likelihood of that isn't high.

 

[Inkmahm]

I just read that small pets are now allowed in the cabin on Southwest flights

I'm allergic to cats - not a severe allergy thank goodness but enough to make my life miserable for the duration of cat exposure.

What if a cat or dog on board freaked out, peed/messed its kennel. I would NOT be a happy traveller if I had to smell that for the entire trip.

I will have to do some more research into which airlines allow pets in the cabin because I will certainly NOT be flying those airlines.

Kind of like when there's kids on board with dirty diapers?

And you won't be flying much then as SW was the last major airline to allow pets, as far as I know.

 

[Inkmahm]

Just a quick update, here are a list of the airlines that do allow pets in the cabin:

Airtran
Alaska
American
Contintental
Delta
Jet Blue
Northwest
Southwest
United
US Air
Virgin Atlantic

The only domestic airline I could find that did not allow pets in the cabin was Frontier.

Midwest allows pets, too.

And I'm surprised Frontier doesn't because the last kitten I bought came from California. At one time in making arrangements for him to be transported to WI, I was going to have a Frontier employee fly the cat to me IN the cabin on her day off. She's done it many times before for the breeder I was working with.

 

[Inkmahm]

You are going to have a hard time because almost all (if not all) airlines allow small pets in the cabin.

As far as smell, it's no different than if a baby messed its pants. A coworker recently complained about a flight he was on sitting next to a baby with a poopy diaper whose mother did not go change it. Just like you would expect the parent to change the baby, I would expect the pet owner to clean it up.

Guess I should have kept reading the thread before I posted the very same thing you did...

 

[SuzanneSLO]

It's actually a violation of the ADA to require/ask for documentation regarding any service animal or emotional support animal. No joke.

The only question you can ask is, "What function/service does the animal perform?"

This applies to every sort of assistance animal there is, inclusive of cats.

Documentation CAN be required for an emotional support animal under the new rules issued in May, 2009:

"With respect to an animal used for emotional support (which need not have specific training for that function but must be trained to behave appropriately in a public setting), airline personnel may require current documentation (i.e., not more than one year old) on letterhead from a licensed mental health professional, including a medical doctor that is treating the passenger’s mental or emotional disability stating (1) that the passenger has a mental health-related disability listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV); (2) that having the animal accompany the passenger is necessary to the passenger’s mental health or treatment; (3) that the individual providing the assessment of the passenger 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."

48 hours prior notice can also be required before a passenger travels with an emotional support animal.

It is also important to note that not all allergies are equal. From the recent rulemaking:

"What do I do if a passenger claims that he or she is allergic to someone else’s service animal?
"* First, remember that not all allergies rise to the level of a disability. The fact that someone may have a stuffy nose or sneeze when exposed to dog or cat dander does not necessarily mean that the individual has a disability. . . . [In this context, an allergy to a particular sort of animal that rises to the level of a disability [would mean that it] produces shock or respiratory distress that could require emergency or significant medical treatment. . . ."

-- Suzanne

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Which is why people who travel with emotional support animals never call them such. All they have to do is tell airline personnel the animal alerts them to impending earthquakes and, voila, it's a service animal. No documentation required. Thank you for flying. Enjoy your trip. See Also: What's wrong with our country today.

Documentation CAN be required for an emotional support animal under the new rules issued in May, 2009:

"With respect to an animal used for emotional support (which need not have specific training for that function but must be trained to behave appropriately in a public setting), airline personnel may require current documentation (i.e., not more than one year old) on letterhead from a licensed mental health professional, including a medical doctor that is treating the passenger’s mental or emotional disability stating (1) that the passenger has a mental health-related disability listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV); (2) that having the animal accompany the passenger is necessary to the passenger’s mental health or treatment; (3) that the individual providing the assessment of the passenger 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."

48 hours prior notice can also be required before a passenger travels with an emotional support animal.

It is also important to note that not all allergies are equal. From the recent rulemaking:

"What do I do if a passenger claims that he or she is allergic to someone else’s service animal?
"* First, remember that not all allergies rise to the level of a disability. The fact that someone may have a stuffy nose or sneeze when exposed to dog or cat dander does not necessarily mean that the individual has a disability. . . . [In this context, an allergy to a particular sort of animal that rises to the level of a disability [would mean that it] produces shock or respiratory distress that could require emergency or significant medical treatment. . . ."

-- Suzanne

 

[DebbieB]

Why is this suddenly a big issue? Most airlines have always allowed small dogs & cats in the cabin. I fly frequently for work and only occasionally see someone with a pet carrier. It's not like every flight is overrun with pets and they aren't running around the cabin loose, they are in a carrier under the seat. I could see a possible problem if an allergic person was sitting in the same row but if they are in another part of the plane it would be difficult to come in contact with their dander or fur.

 

[Day-Day]

Luckily, there aren't many service cats.

But a cat will tell you that there are service people...

 

[jsilvers]

It's actually a violation of the ADA to require/ask for documentation regarding any service animal or emotional support animal.

Note, however, that for airlines, the applicable law is the Air Carrier Access Act, not the ADA. The requirements for airlines are set by the U.S. Department of Transportation under the authority of the ACAA, although as a practical matter there may be not be much difference from ADA requirements.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Like the ADA, the ACAA requires airlines to accept the verbal assurances of the disabled individual that the animal is, in fact, a service animal.

Note, however, that for airlines, the applicable law is the Air Carrier Access Act, not the ADA. The requirements for airlines are set by the U.S. Department of Transportation under the authority of the ACAA, although as a practical matter there may be not be much difference from ADA requirements.

 

[Lisa75]

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.

 

[dudspizza]

Like the ADA, the ACAA requires airlines to accept the verbal assurances of the disabled individual that the animal is, in fact, a service animal.

I am not going to argue with the lawyer!

DW has a friend in California. She takes her dog everywhere. She actually has the forms on file with the state designating her dog as a service animal. She knows they CANNOT ask her what the disability the animal is for. She stated there was only 1-2 questions asked and then their dog is designated a service animal. The dog rides under the stroller everywhere they go... shopping malls, grocery store, you name it. The dog is no more a service animal than my daughters guppy, but no one can question her on it, according to the law.......

Happy travels, anyone!

 

[MAH4546]

Many carriers will then flag the flight and not allow any sales to passengers with pets on that flight.

No, they won't. The pet owner is not going to be the one inconvenienced, especially considering that even somebody with severe pet allergies will still not have a reaction, 99.9% of the time, to a pet on a plane. Those with allergies will be the ones that have to take another flight.

Frontier is the only U.S. airline that does not allow pets.

 

[Dizzyworld]

Now if only we could get a ban on stinky perfume

I agree with this one!

 

[goofy4tink]

Note, however, that for airlines, the applicable law is the Air Carrier Access Act, not the ADA. The requirements for airlines are set by the U.S. Department of Transportation under the authority of the ACAA, although as a practical matter there may be not be much difference from ADA requirements.

Believe me...expirateshopgirl knows whereof she speaks. If she states something you can pretty much take it to the bank.

I agree with this one!

100% agree...heavy perfume is much, much worse than other stuff. Why? Because it isn't regulated!!