[Cagdu] FW: [NAGDU] PLEASE READ: U.S. Department of Transportation Announces Final Rule on Traveling by Air with Service Animals

[tina.thomas90044 at gmail.com]

The U.S. Department of Transportation, DOT, has announced its final rule on Traveling by Air with Service Animals. This final rule amends the Department’s Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) regulation on the transport of service animals by air. Quoted from the website, https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/aviation-consumer-protection/final-rule-traveling-air-service-animals,
"This final rule is intended to ensure that our air transportation system is safe for the traveling public and accessible to individuals with disabilities."

The full PDF can be downloaded from this same link, but here are some of the changes.


The final rule:

·        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;

·        No longer considers an emotional support animal to be a service 
animal;

·        Requires airlines to treat psychiatric service animals the same 
as other service animals;

·        Allows airlines to require forms developed by DOT attesting to 
a service animal’s health, behavior and training, and if taking a long flight attesting that the service animal can either not relieve itself, or can relieve itself in a sanitary manner;

·        Allows airlines to require individuals traveling with a service 
animal to provide the DOT service animal form(s) up to 48 hours in advance of the date of travel if the passenger’s reservation was made prior to that time;

·        Prohibits airlines from requiring passengers with a disability 
who are traveling with a service animal to physically check-in at the airport instead of using the online check in process;

·        Allows airlines to require a person with a disability seeking 
to travel with a service animal to provide the DOT service animal
form(s) at the passenger’s departure gate on the date of travel;

·        Allows airlines to limit the number of service animals 
traveling with a single passenger with a disability to two service animals;

·        Allows airlines to require a service animal to fit within its 
handler’s foot space on the aircraft;

·        Allows airlines to require that service animals be harnessed, 
leashed, or tethered at all times in the airport and on the aircraft;

·        Continues to allow airlines to refuse transportation to service 
animals that exhibit aggressive behavior and that pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others; and

·        Continues to prohibit airlines from refusing to transport a 
service animal solely based on breed.

The final rule will be effective 30 days after date of publication in the Federal Register.

--
Raul A. Gallegos
President: National Association of Guide Dog Users First Vice President: National Federation of the Blind of Texas
832.554.7285  |  RGallegos at nagdu.org

"Blindness is a characteristic, not a handicap." -- Dr. Kenneth Jernigan

_______________________________________________
NAGDU mailing list
NAGDU at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NAGDU:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/judotina48kg%40gmail.com