Airlines could refuse emotional support animals under proposed rule

Curtis Tate USA TODAY
Published 1:00 p.m. ET Jan. 22, 2020 | Updated 4:31 p.m. ET Jan 22, 2020

Under a proposed federal rule, airlines would no longer be required to accept emotional support animals and would exclude animals other than dogs as service animals.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is seeking public comment for the proposed policy. The public will have 60 days to submit its comments at Regulations.gov.

The department, in a conference call with reporters on Wednesday, said it was not prohibiting airlines from allowing passengers to fly with emotional support animals. However, it would no longer require them to do so if the proposed rule becomes final.

The department's proposal would also allow airlines to limit service animals to two per passenger and require that they check in an hour earlier than other passengers.

The changes would be a departure from the previous DOT guidance issued in August. which said that airlines could not restrict passengers from traveling with emotional support animals, nor could they ban a specific breed or species of support animal.

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