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How to Take Your Service Animal on a Plane

The rules have changed — are you prepared?

a golden retriever is wearing a animal harness to indicate it is a service dog
The Air Carrier Access Act defines a service animal as “a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability.”
Getty Images
By

Sarah Elizabeth Adler,

 
AARP
Published May 30, 2019
/ Updated November 20, 2023

Gone are the days of monkeys, pigs and turkeys joining passengers — and sometimes causing havoc — as emotional support animals on flights.

The Air Carrier Access Act, the federal law that requires airlines to accommodate service animals at no extra charge, now defines a service animal as “a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability.”

The new definition, which went into effect in January 2021, points to two major changes. Under the new regulations, emotional support animals do not need to be accommodated as service animals by airlines, although they may still be allowed onboard as pets. Other species, such as miniature horses and cats, no longer qualify as service animals either.

Another major change? Pre-flight paperwork. The Department of Transportation (DOT) developed two forms that passengers can be required to submit up to 48 hours before their travel date: One attests to the service animal’s training, health and behavior; the other confirms that the animal can avoid relieving itself (or can do so in a sanitary manner) on flights eight hours or longer. 

But the new paperwork, which was developed to ensure that service animals onboard are trained and legitimate, has posed an “added burden” for passengers with disabilities, says Rabih Dow, director of outreach and advocacy at Guide Dogs for the Blind, a leading guide dog training school.

“Passengers with visual impairments are most impacted, since airlines present and require the forms to be saved in different ways on their websites,” he says. “Airline websites are not uniformly accessible, and some are too difficult to navigate with adaptive technology.”

Dow, who is blind and travels with a guide dog, says that the travel process now takes him “much longer” than before the updated guidelines were introduced. He also has to manage anxiety that his forms could be rejected, preventing him from flying.

According to the DOT, the new regulations were developed in part to address the problem of pets being fraudulently brought onboard as service animals, misbehavior by emotional support animals on flights and the disruption caused by passengers requesting to fly with unusual animal species. The updated guidelines say these instances “eroded the public trust in legitimate service animals.”

But the new form requirement is also vulnerable to abuse by passengers seeking to pass their pets off as legitimate service animals. Eric Lipp is the founder and executive director of Open Doors Organization, a disability advocacy nonprofit that has partnered with four small and midsize airlines to streamline the form submission process for passengers traveling with a service animal. He says there is “clear abuse” of the new requirement and notes that while the organization has been successfully able to submit more than 75,000 forms on behalf of passengers, there is still an “extremely high incidence of people … trying to defraud the system.”

For Dow, the updated regulations are good and bad. “Guide dog handlers are glad that the problem of fraudulent service animals is getting attention,” he says. “Unfortunately, handlers are feeling unfairly penalized by the undue burden of the DOT forms.”

The Department of Transportation is aware of problems individuals with disabilities, including blind passengers, have been experiencing, and the agency is taking steps to address these problems, including contacting airlines about their process and procedures for accepting service animals onboard.

Given the added complexity of the new paperwork requirement, preparation is more important than ever for passengers flying with service animals. Here’s how to make sure the process goes smoothly.

Before you go:

Currently, all major U.S. carriers require passengers traveling with service animals to submit the relevant DOT forms prior to their flight. Most airlines have online portals that let you submit the forms in advance; others may ask you to present a printed copy on the day of your flight. Check with your airline for details.

Dow recommends following up with your airline one to two days before your departure, to make sure your forms are accepted. Another tip: Bring a printed copy of your forms to the airport in case any problems arise on travel day.

Travelers to Hawai‘i should note the additional rabies requirements you must clear to avoid having your animal quarantined, including vaccination, microchipping and a blood test. The rules are also different for international travel. Before going abroad, check that your destination country allows your animal and whether it sets additional requirements to enter and exit legally. And plan to start the process early: The required overseas paperwork for your animal can take from a few weeks to many months to complete, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

At the airport:

Consider arriving early to make sure you have extra time if paperwork problems or other issues arise.

You won’t be separated from your service animal during the security process, but be prepared for collars, leashes, harnesses and other animal accessories to be screened. According to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) guidelines, items that are needed to maintain control of your dog or indicate the animal is on duty don’t need to be removed to be screened.

Don’t forget about bathroom breaks for your animal companion before takeoff and after landing. Animal relief areas can be hard to find, so call or check your airport’s website for location information in advance. Apple users can download the free Where to Go app to find animal relief area locations at U.S. airports.

Dow also recommends taking advantage of airline assistance to navigate your departure and arrival airports, which you can request when booking your flight.

On the plane:

According to the updated regulations, airlines can require service animals to fit within your foot space (or, in some cases, on your lap) on the aircraft and remain harnessed, leashed or tethered at all times. If your animal is too large to be accommodated without encroaching on another passenger’s space, airlines must offer you the opportunity to move to another seat, if available within your same service class, where the animal will fit instead.

Animals can’t block aisles or areas that need to stay clear for safety, and you may be asked to switch seats if you are seated in the emergency exit row.

Also important? Ensuring your animal companion’s comfort on board. “I carefully adjust dog grooming, feeding amounts and time, and relieving time to make sure my dog is physically comfortable,” Dow says. He also notes that you may want to ask to be seated away from other traveling animals unless you can confirm “they are trained service animals with competent handlers.”

For help:

TSA Cares helps passengers traveling with a service animal with the security screening process. Submit an online request or call the toll-free helpline (855-787-2227) within 72 hours of your flight to ask for information about the screening process or request support from a TSA passenger support specialist the day of your flight.

If you have an issue with your airline, DOT recommends asking to speak with a Complaint Resolution Official (CRO), the airline’s expert in disability accommodations. You also can reach the agency’s toll-free hotline for those with disabilities at 800-778-4838.

If you believe your rights under the Air Carrier Access Act have been violated, you can submit an online complaint to the Department of Transportation. According to the agency’s complaint site, the agency investigates every disability complaint received; your airline is also required to respond.

Editor's note: This article was originally published on May 30, 2019. It has been updated to reflect new information. 

Sarah Elizabeth Adler is a writer based in Washington, D.C. She has written about science, art and culture for outlets including aarp.org, where she was previously a staff writer, The Atlantic and California magazine.

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