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U.S. NEWS A7
Airline Report:
Good dog, bad dog ... Delta wants to know before you board
DALLAS (AP) — Delta Air
Lines will soon require own- senior vice president of
ers of service and support
animals to provide more
information before their
animal can fly in the pas-
senger cabin, including an
assurance that it's trained
to behave itself.
The airline says complaints
about animals biting or uri- Delta plane in Atlanta. The
nating or defecating on
planes have nearly dou-
bled since 2016.
Starting March 1, Delta will tomers with a legitimate
require owners to show
proof of their animal's
health or vaccinations at
least 48 hours before a
flight. Owners of psychiat-
ric service animals and of
those used for emotional
support will need to sign a
statement vouching that
their animal can behave.
But owners will be on the
honor system — they won't
have to show, for example,
that their dog graduated
from obedience school.
The new requirements
don't apply to pets, for
which owners pay an ex-
tra fee. Delta, American
and United all charge
$125 each way for small
pets in the cabin. Pets that home. He says owners are
don't fit under a seat must
fly in the cargo hold, also
for a price. Delta's policy
change arrives with the
number of animals in the
cabin increasing.
A rift has grown between
disabled people who rely
on trained service animals,
usually dogs, and passen-
gers with support or com-
fort animals, with many in
the first group suspecting
that those in the latter are day and dumped nearly a
just trying to avoid paying
$125. However, owners of
comfort animals, includ-
ing veterans suffering from
post-traumatic stress syn-
drome, often say that they
wouldn't be able to travel
without their companion.
Saturday 20 January 2018
John Laughter, the airline's In this April 1, 2017 photo, a service dog strolls through the isle inside a United Airlines plane at
Newark Liberty International Airport while taking part in a training exercise, in Newark, N.J. Delta
safety and security, said Air Lines says for safety reasons it will require owners of service and support animals to provide
there are insufficient rules in more information before their animal can fly in the passenger cabin, including an assurance that
place to screen animals for it's trained to behave itself.
health and behavior issues.
Last June, a 70-pound dog (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
flying as a support animal
bit another passenger sev- have to be evacuated in cific training to help blind or ports about 700 service
eral times in the face on a 90 seconds in an emer- disabled passengers; and and support animals every
gency. If animals get in the so-called emotional-sup- day, nearly 250,000 per
victim was hospitalized. way, people will panic." port animals, which require year. More than two-thirds
Delta is seeking a balance Although exact figures no training at all. Both fly for are emotional-support ani-
"that supports those cus- aren't available, airline em- free and are not required to mals. That does not include
ployees say dogs and cats be caged during the flight. animals for which owners
need for these animals" are the most common ani- The emotional-support pay a fee to keep in a car-
while maintaining safety, mals on planes, but there group has been growing rier under their seat during
Laughter said. have been sightings of pigs, rapidly, and it is the target flights.
Sara Nelson, president snakes and turkeys too. of most of the new Delta The boom in animal travel
of the largest flight at- Delta's new rules are aimed procedures. Delta, the has prompted airports to
tendants' union, praised at two categories: service second-biggest U.S. airline add places where pets can
Delta's decision. She said animals, which receive spe- by revenue, said it trans- relieve themselves.q
passengers abuse the sys-
tem to bring untrained ani-
mals on board, and if it isn't
stopped it could lead to
a crackdown that will hurt
veterans and the disabled
"who legitimately need to
travel with these animals."
Eric Goldmann, a sales rep-
resentative in Atlanta for
a health care company,
posts pictures on Twitter
of support animals that he
thinks should have stayed
abusing the system and
creating safety hazards.
"These dogs are every-
where, they're out in the
aisles," he said. "Planes
California:
Storm brings needed snow to Sierra Nevada
TRUCKEE, Calif. (AP) — A heavy snow was forecast other 3 inches (7.6 centi- and runs down into reser-
winter storm swept into through afternoon, when meters) were expected, he voirs. The snowpack was
Northern California on Fri- the storm was expected to said. "We have been a bit well below normal when
shift course to the central behind for what's normal the state's first measure-
foot of much-needed snow portion of the state, said precipitation for the Sierra ment of the year was made
in higher elevations of the National Weather Service for this time. This will helps early this month. The aver-
Sierra Nevada. forecaster Craig Shoemak- out," Shoemaker said. age rainfall is 20 inches (50
More snow was expected er. The Sierra Nevada snow- centimeters) by this time of
in the region before the sys- Donner Pass received 9 pack becomes a signifi- year but the Sierra has re-
tem moved out. inches (23 centimeters) of cant portion of California's ceived 17.8 inches (45 cen-
Moderate to occasionally snow overnight and an- water supply when it melts timeters) so far, he said.q