[L Sieja]

My daughter was kicked off a flight, due to a cat carrier issue. She had purchased the required carrier per the web site, passed security, check-in and seated. A ******-bag sitting next to her kicked her cat carrier and started a fuss so the attendants and the pilot surrounded her. Rather than stow the cat under the aircraft which is what they should have done, they kicked her off the plane in tears.

[jimworcs]

Frankly, I have no idea why we allow animals in the cabin. They should be banned. I think they pose a threat to safety.

[azstar]

They can't put an animal in the cargo compartment unless it's in a hard sided animal carrier. An in cabin pet is usually in a soft sided carrier. Although jimworcs has a point, passengers complain if they cannot carry a pet onboard, and passengers complain if passengers can carry a pet onboard. It's always a lose-lose.

[jimworcs]

If the rules were clear, no pets, no assistance geese, no guide dogs... All pets in the hold... Would be a whole lot easier

[Gromit801]

Rather curious about how the complaining passenger was able to kick the cat carrier. It should have been stored under the seat in front of your daughter. So did he kick it while trying to get to his seat next to her? In which case she didn't have the carrier properly in it's place.

My guess, the carrier was not stored properly, it was accidently kicked, your daughter yelled at the other passenger, who then brought others into play.

[azstar]

Originally Posted by jimworcs

If the rules were clear, no pets, no assistance geese, no guide dogs... All pets in the hold... Would be a whole lot easier

Federal guidelines do not allow any transportation company to refuse carriage of a "service animal" with the passenger. So, that's a situation where you cannot say "no".

[The_Judge]

Federal guidelines??? Guidelines??? That's a hoot. They aren't guidelines.

[Gromit801]

It's called the Americans With Disabilities Act, and it's not a guideline, it's a law.

[jimworcs]

I think You will find it is the Air Carriers Access Act which is the applicable law, not the ADA. It is the law, not a guideline. However, I think the law should be changed to ban all animals in the cabin. There is no disability that requires any animal in the cabin. As for assistance Geese, to cope with stress, mentioned in other threads... Words fail me at the sheer madness of it all

[Gromit801]

The definition of what is a service animal per the ADA, has been further refined by law: Dogs (and in some very restricted instances, small horses) only.

The airlines are bound by the ADA Jim. They get hammered with it everyday.

[jimworcs]

(2) Designated public transportation

The term "designated public transportation" means transportation (other than public school transportation) by bus, rail, or any other conveyance (other than transportation by aircraft or intercity or commuter rail transportation (as defined in section 12161 of this title)) that provides the general public with general or special service (including charter service) on a regular and continuing basis.

This is taken directly from the ADA, which states clearly that aircraft are not covered. This is because provision is specifically provided in the Air Carriers Access Act. Case law has been tried to apply the ADA to air carriers, but my understanding is that they have lost on appeal. I gather however that the DOT try to apply case law from the ADA where possible.

Allowing animals in the cabin, regardless of whether to support people with disabilities or for any other reason is, I feel, a threat to safety.