New American Airlines Pet Restrictions Appeases Customers
The new American Airlines pet restrictions may surprise many, but in a way you may not believe. There is nothing harder than leaving your beloved fur family member behind for a day, never mind a week or more for family vacations. Sure, we can put them in the cargo section. But wait, we’ve read about all of the nightmare stories. Sure, we can drive the fifteen hours to our sunny destination. But then you need a vacation from your vacation. So what’s the answer? American Airlines is about to possibly solve part of that problem, for some.
American Airlines Pet Restrictions Easing
According to ap.com:
Now American is letting passengers bring a pet in the cabin and also bring a regular carry-on bag or a personal item — just not both bags. Until this week, people who carried a pet into the cabin — which involves paying a $150 fee — could only have one other small item that fit under the seat. Anything bigger, like a carry-on bag with wheels, needed to be checked — for a $35 fee. Or they could put the pet in the cargo hold.
The pet must meet size restrictions and must be kept in a approved size pet carrier under your seat.
Pet Flying Restrictions
Travel blogger Gary Leff feels this change will reduce the urge for travelers to falsely claim that their pet is a service animal that flies for free.
American Airlines pet restrictions are very specific if you want to bring your fur baby aboard. American does not consider therapy animals or emotional support animals as service animals. Some try to pass their pet as a serice animal to save the fee. According to AA.com:
Fully-trained service dogs may fly in the cabin at no charge if they meet the requirements.
A service animal is defined as a dog that’s individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other accepted conditions include: visual impairments, deafness, seizures, mobility impairments and post-traumatic stress disorder.
