American Airlines: Emotional Support Animals Can No Longer Fly For Free

Starting next week, Americans Airlines is grounding all emotional support animals.

The airline on Tuesday announced that it changed its policy on service dogs and support animals aboard its planes. The policy says that only trained service dogs will be allowed to fly in a plane's cabin with its owner. It goes into effect on January 11, but existing reservations with emotional support animals will be honored until February 1.

Owners will have to fill out a government form certifying that their dog is healthy, well-behaved, and well-trained before their flight.

Other animals that don't meet the Department of Transportation's definition of a trained service dog will have to fly in cargo or in a kennel that can fit under a seat. Service dogs will be able to fly for free, while American Airlines charges $125+ for pets and other animals.

Alaska Airlines also changed its policy on support animals.

Last month the DOT gave airline companies the right to ban any animal that isn't a trained service dog from flying, the Associated Press reported.

That decision closed a loophole that allowed travelers to bring most animals on board if they had a letter from a health professional. Under previous rules, a woman tried to fly with a peacock, a dog bit a flight attendant, and a 300-pound pig became "unruly" in first class, among other incidents.

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