Dog allowed on lap in Business Class?
 

There was a dog in a woman's purse in the seat behind me on an International flight. My family and I had 3 seats. The crew were aware the dog was there, in fact they agreed to photograph the dog with the passenger using the passenger's phone and the dog was in the passenger's LAP during flight. As I am allergic to dogs, I was starting to sneeze, my eyes were red and swelling up. The plane developed a problem and had to return to Atlanta so we could change planes. When we landed, I reported to the airline podium that I could not sit with this dog near me on the next plane they were putting us on. The Delta agent paged the dog owner and moved her for the next flight but by the time I arrived in Brussels I was miserable with swollen eyes. I want to know why this dog was on board and why the cabin crew happily permitted it. They didn't report the woman upon landing either. Besides it being allergenic, it was unsafe. There is no place to put a dog under a seat in business class. How is it that my purse had to be put up in the overhead bin because of safety regulations but the dog owner was permitted to sit with an animal in her lap? I'm not against animals, and if we disregard that I'm allergic to dogs, on an International long haul flight, where was this dog supposed to relieve itself? I write a complaint and received an email that they will try to get back to me in 10 days. Ha! That's too long -- sorry.

You are right to raise this issue.....these animals would become missiles in crashes, such as the united crash in Sioux City. Why ths is allowed is beyond me... It is simply not safe

Sounds like the lady was traveling with an emotional support animal, and yes they can sit anywhere on the aircraft except exit row seating, and can be on the owners lap. Delta had no business moving her, they should have moved you.

Actually, the guys allergies are a medical condition covered by the ADA. This is a rock and hard place airlines face: service dogs versus allergy sufferers. Some airlines will do it first come first served. If the dog lady was seated after the allergy guy, she gets moved if push comes to shove, and vise-versa.

Animals which cannot be restrained should not be allowed in the cabin, even service dogs. Most European countries ban animals in the cabin. People with disabilities still travel, but the remaining passengers are not placed at risk by creating unrestrained missiles.

The ADA doesn't apply to aircraft, but there is access legislation which requires this. Requiring infants to be restrained and allowing a bloody big dog is inconsistent and unsafe.

Wasn't a service dog
 

The dog wasn't wearing a service vest or any other apparatus indicating it was "on duty".
This is the reply I just received for my complaint:
I write in reference to your message submitted on our website on the 26 October 2013 regarding your flight from Atlanta to Brussels on the 17 October 2013. KLM act as the customer service representative for Delta Air Lines in Europe. Under a set of strict rules, and with certain destinations excepted, Delta Air Lines allows passengers to bring their pets in the cabin on its flights. Although I fully understand that this caused you some discomfort due to your allergic condition, I regret to inform you that we cannot presently guarantee pet-free flights on routes where this is allowed. On request, we will try to accommodate alternative seating arrangements on board. However, this is subject to passengers’ voluntary acceptance. I have forwarded your comments to our product developers. We use all feedback received from customers in our continuous evaluation of our services. Thank you for contacting KLM and Delta Customer Care. Yours sincerely, B. Vatn Customer Care Europe It is not possible to reply to this e-mail address. Should you need to contact us again, please do so via our web form which you can find on www.klm.com.

I also want to say
 

I also want to add that I never asked for the woman to be moved. I simply asked if it was allowed that she have this dog out from a carrier and on her lap. I was with my family so it would have involved moving 3 of us instead of just me, so I suppose that was why she was moved. It was my suspicion that she smuggled that dog on board. My sister has a dog and she flies with it on Lufthansa but it requires a carrier and a ticket and the carrier has a tag on it. I watched this woman de-board and took a look at the dog because I was surprised I was that allergic to something so small.

It just should not be allowed. The animals create a hazard, try to imagine an emergency evacuation with a frightening dog running around. It is simply dangerous, regardless of the policy of the airline.

Ahhh I see that you have not read or studied up on the ADA act in the USA
and also 14 CFR 382. Mr. Worcs this should bring you up to speed: http://servicedogcentral.org/content/node/63

An emotional support animal (dog, cat etc.....) does not need to have a service vest/collar to indicate such information. All the person is required to have is a note from their mental health professional to state that they need the comfort/emotional support animal for the mental well being.
This will bring you and Mr. Worcs up to speed: this should bring you up to speed: http://servicedogcentral.org/content/node/63

A320,
The link you provide proves what? Í stated that the ADA is not the primary act relating to the rights of customers to bring a service animal on board. You helpfully provided a link confirming this

The links states that passengers have the right to bring their animal into the cabin. This is precisely my point. Although the animal cannot be kept in an aisle blocking egress, the Act does not require the animal to be restrained or kept in a container which is secured. My point is that this is fundamentally unsafe. In an accident such as United in Sioux City, or in an fire event, in which the danger is smoke inhalation and requires rapid evacuation, the potential to have an unrestrained dog on the loose places other passengers at risk. I don't think that is justified and think this legislation is misguided and frankly often misused.

The concept of "emotional support" animals I think is really misguided. If you are that weak, stay home with a blanket, a pacifier and your animal.... that said the airlines are stuck allowing this so I hold them blameless.
Jimworcs you make a valid point but its no different than a lap child, in the event of any crash that kid is either going to be crushed by the parent or go sailing across the cabin.

One of the recommendations following Sioux City was that all children, including infants, should be restrained in a car seat. This was rejected by the FAA, under pressure from the airlines' who feared families with small children might elect to not travel or travel by road (which would be less safe). Fundamentally, the FAA put commercial considerations over safety, which is shameful.

At least with infants, the child can be restrained with a lap belt. The parent will almost certainly crush their child to death in another SouixCity type accident, but the lap belt would prevent the child becoming a missile. The dog endangers other passengers, as they have the potential of being a missile or blocking hazard. This unjustifiably endangers others.