Southwest Airlines bans emotional support animals from flights

The list of airlines banning emotional support animals from their flights continues to grow, unfortunately. The latest to add their name to the “bad boy” list, is Southwest Airlines.

Earlier this week, Southwest Airlines joined the list of airlines that will soon no longer allow passengers to bring their support dogs with them. Did the airline think we wouldn’t notice? Needless to say, we’re not happy about it.

Emotional support animals (ESAs) should be allowed anywhere they are needed, including airplanes. These are truly special animals. Not that our pups at home aren’t the best good boys and girls ever, but emotional support animals are trained to ease anxieties and fears, among other things.

Instead, Southwest Airlines and others are now treating all ESAs as pets, People reports.  The airline shares that they have recently made “revisions” to their Air Carrier Access Act and this is one of several other changes.

This is a move we saw coming as American Airlines and Alaska Airlines have done the same.

Southwest Airlines still allows service dogs, but not emotional support animals

The airline makes it clear in a statement that individuals with disabilities are still welcomed and encouraged to bring trained service dogs for travel. This change is only for support animals, which, I do have to agree many dog parents violate this law.

Southwest shares that it has received “numerous” complaints and concerns about untrained animals on board. We would be lying if we said we didn’t agree that the term “emotional support dog” can be misused and taken advantage of just to get away with having our dog join us in the cabin.

Beginning in March 2021, those with a pet will need to prove that the doggie is a trained service dog and fill out a DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form at the gate.

What do you think about this upcoming change? Do you have an emotional support animal you are used to traveling with?