United denies boarding to an Emotional Support Peacock

AirbusMDCFAN · Tue Jan 30, 2018 6:40 am

Link/Source: http://liveandletsfly.boardingarea.com/ ... s-peacock/

"Passengers continue to twist federal law to bypass pet cargo fees and bring animals onboard who do not belong onboard."

"Case in point: a woman tried to bring a peacock onboard a recent United Airlines flight at Newark Liberty International Airport. She did offer to pay for a second seat for this oversized bird, but claimed she had a right to bring it onboard as her emotional support animal."

"United, thankfully, said sorry…but no."

Anyone remember that "emotional support turkey" on Delta a couple of years ago.
Some of these "doctors" who write these phony letters and prescriptions need to have heads examined.
What the $%^& will a peacock due to help someone's needs.

DTWorld · Tue Jan 30, 2018 6:57 am

What next, an emotional support jellyfish?

Don't get me wrong I am a dog person, but this whole emotional support stuff has largely gone off the rails. I could've sworn I heard rumors of an emotional support tarantula at one point.

Kikko19 · Tue Jan 30, 2018 6:59 am

Finally some wisdom at the gate.

neomax · Tue Jan 30, 2018 7:06 am

Somebody seriously needs to make a thread of the top 10 most ridiculous emotional support animals. What do you mean I can't take my emotional support rattlesnake? The rattle soothes my nerves!

One of the comments made me (choke) of laughter:

"There go my plans to bring my ESA pet elephant…."

:rotfl:

BREECH · Tue Jan 30, 2018 7:35 am

The article doesn't say WHERE she was taking it. I can understand traveling with a dog without paying the fee. But peacock!? I have a feeling she just wanted to troll United to get her 15 seconds of famous. Score! Tomorrow morning it'll be in every tabloid and on CNN... with shaky phone videos made by their only audience, by evening it'll be in the NY Times, and by the end of the week Wall Street Journal will publish a front page editorial with "experts" quotes.

FlyHossD · Tue Jan 30, 2018 8:10 am

neomax wrote:
Somebody seriously needs to make a thread of the top 10 most ridiculous emotional support animals. What do you mean I can't take my emotional support rattlesnake? The rattle soothes my nerves!

One of the comments made me (choke) of laughter:

"There go my plans to bring my ESA pet elephant…."

Darn, you beat me to it. Maybe I'll try an emotional support rhino instead...?

usmcav8tor · Tue Jan 30, 2018 8:29 am

Is it the general consensus of this forum that I should NOT bring my emotional support raccoon with me next when I fly United from DEN-SFO Friday? FYI he's been extremely friendly lately & foaming at the mouth frequently.

Phosphorus · Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:28 am

usmcav8tor wrote:
Is it the general consensus of this forum that I should NOT bring my emotional support raccoon with me next when I fly United from DEN-SFO Friday? FYI he's been extremely friendly lately & foaming at the mouth frequently.

ESA raccoons are so yesteryear! ESA skunks are all the rage these days, no? Increased friendliness and foam at the mouth, OTOH, are redeeming features.

Blankbarcode · Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:31 am

Maybe unpopular seeing how this isn't directly bashing the action (which yes, it's very stupid), but I'd argue this definitely comes as a result of lackluster options to travelling with your pet. Of course it's a relatively niche market, but you really don't know how bad it can be until you have to go through the process yourself!

Disclaimer: I'm definitely biased as I went through the hellish process to try to get my pet to come with me when I jumped across the Atlantic to Europe. The whole thing fell through due to a policy change, meaning I lost a good $400 in it all.

Blerg · Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:41 am

Joke all you want but when airlines plan flights to the US they have to make sure anything up to a cow (as emotional animal) can be taken onboard... and not only that but the FAA also has to make sure that they can connect onto, let's say, an Atr once the flight lands from the US.

csturdiv · Tue Jan 30, 2018 10:14 am

What about an emotional support .357? Or an emotional support 750ml bottle of whisky?

WIederling · Tue Jan 30, 2018 10:52 am

DTWorld wrote:
I could've sworn I heard rumors of an emotional support tarantula at one point.

Tarantulas are cute, man!
... and don't require excess space, additionally they are rather clean, no smell, no noise.

WIederling · Tue Jan 30, 2018 10:56 am

Blankbarcode wrote:
Disclaimer: I'm definitely biased as I went through the hellish process to try to get my pet to come with me when I jumped across the Atlantic to Europe. The whole thing fell through due to a policy change, meaning I lost a good $400 in it all.

Airline related issues or quarantine requirements ?

hz747300 · Tue Jan 30, 2018 11:26 am

Kikko19 wrote:
Finally some wisdom at the gate.

Why isn't this stopped at check-in?

bgm · Tue Jan 30, 2018 12:12 pm

Good to see my signature is as relevant as ever... :duck:

readytotaxi · Tue Jan 30, 2018 12:27 pm

You know what, I think I have cracked this.
I get my Psychiatrist to register with the ESA programe that I have an imaginary friend, Harvey, and he has to travel with me everywhere I go, so I always get two seats to myself. :rotfl:

WIederling · Tue Jan 30, 2018 12:45 pm

readytotaxi wrote:
... that I have an imaginary friend, Harvey, and he has to travel with me everywhere I go,...

Brilliant! ( and a favorite movie :-)

Runway28L · Tue Jan 30, 2018 12:50 pm

At least the writer of this article appears to have the same opinion as everyone on here which has rarely ever done so.

ap305 · Tue Jan 30, 2018 12:54 pm

Sorry bud you cant come on board with me.....

Cointrin330 · Tue Jan 30, 2018 1:26 pm

Completely support United Airlines on this one. If you need to travel with a support Peacock, you need to stay home and seek help. This is the kind of thing that only happens in America and the whole practice has gotten ludicrous.

Kiwirob · Tue Jan 30, 2018 1:45 pm

I was talking to a customer who flew in the US sitting beside a guy with his emotional support pig.

Some stupid women managed to get to Queenstown in NZ from the US via Australia with her emotional support cat, the airport authourities where having none of that and sent her back to Australia where I presume they send her back to the US. She recieved a 3000 NZD fine as well.

Super80Fan · Tue Jan 30, 2018 2:05 pm

I'm going to request an "emotional support" seat/row next time I fly. I need the emptiness to myself for emotional support.

pitpirate · Tue Jan 30, 2018 2:35 pm

I saw a piece on ABC National News that more US Airlines are re-examining their ESA policies, how you can online order a leash & get "certified" paperwork signed by a "Doctor" stating that you are "certified to have an ESA". The actual ESA people are extremely upset by this & state that a REAL ESA is trained for a long time to ignore others & food.

WA707atMSP · Tue Jan 30, 2018 3:05 pm

The next time someone tells me I have to lower my window shade in flight, I'll tell them I need to look at emotional support scenery.

I hate having to lower my window shade, and if other people can't fly without an emotional support animal, then I can't fly with the window shade closed!

BN727227Ultra · Tue Jan 30, 2018 3:25 pm

Why stop at living creatures? I want to bring my emotional support A380 aboard an MD-80 and my lawyer will sue the azz off anyone who just so much as looks askance at me.

Bald1983 · Tue Jan 30, 2018 3:29 pm

This nation has gone nuts. First, it was a scam to avoid animal fees. Second, birds lack sphincter muscles; poop just comes out.

ZaphodHarkonnen · Tue Jan 30, 2018 3:37 pm

pitpirate wrote:
I saw a piece on ABC National News that more US Airlines are re-examining their ESA policies, how you can online order a leash & get "certified" paperwork signed by a "Doctor" stating that you are "certified to have an ESA". The actual ESA people are extremely upset by this & state that a REAL ESA is trained for a long time to ignore others & food.

Pretty much. The people that seriously need such assistance animals are pissed at this because they get hit with the same brush. Tweaking the system to require a proper level of training is perfectly sensible. The people that truly need the animals already meet the requirements so won't get stung. While people rules lawyering and abusing the spirit of the regulation will have to stump up of find another method.

It is interesting also noting this seems to be very much a US specific thing. I don't think I've ever heard about something like this back home in NZ or over here in Europe. I'm guessing the rules are already such that the animal has to be properly trained but that's largely a guess.

jnev3289 · Tue Jan 30, 2018 3:44 pm

Hey, he did buy an extra seat for the Peacock! So cool, who doesn't love Peacocks?

masonh2479 · Tue Jan 30, 2018 3:52 pm

So I guess I can’t bring my emotional support black bear with me. I was gonna buy an extra seat for him too. He’s only attacked 5 people so far, he’ll do great.

flyfresno · Tue Jan 30, 2018 4:02 pm

It really sucks for those people who truly have and need animal assistance, but we need legislation saying that all support animals need to pass certification, and not just via some online “doctor” who gives out a letter to anyone that’s willing to pay for it. As always, we can’t have nice things because too many people want to find a loophole in the system, then abuse it.

AWACSooner · Tue Jan 30, 2018 4:13 pm

Emotional support cobra...end of story

GE90man · Tue Jan 30, 2018 4:58 pm

WA707atMSP wrote:
The next time someone tells me I have to lower my window shade in flight, I'll tell them I need to look at emotional support scenery.

I hate having to lower my window shade, and if other people can't fly without an emotional support animal, then I can't fly with the window shade closed!

Yeah! Having the window shades closed makes me claustrophobic! Allow me to bring my Emotional Support anti window shade on the aircraft!

Bavd · Tue Jan 30, 2018 5:01 pm

[quote="AirbusMDCFAN"]Link/Source: http://liveandletsfly.boardingarea.com/ ... s-peacock/
Anyone remember that "emotional support turkey" on Delta a couple of years ago."

Wasn't that somewhere around Thanksgiving?

Lilienthal · Tue Jan 30, 2018 5:04 pm

Can i just declare any pet as an emotional support animal? Just curious because i those are specially trained dogs for vets with PTSD or guide dogs for blind people, so i thought there must be some kind of specific documentation...

Anyway, i'm surprised that so many are making fun of it, since veterans will be on the receiving end of this. I read a couple of news articles about how effective these dogs are. Is it really abused on such a large scale?

rwsea · Tue Jan 30, 2018 5:09 pm

Delta recently put out tighter restrictions regarding 'emotional support animals'. Hopefully the rest of the US airlines will follow in short order. Somehow this is only a problem in the US.

ual763 · Tue Jan 30, 2018 5:13 pm

Lilienthal wrote:
Can i just declare any pet as an emotional support animal? Just curious because i those are specially trained dogs for vets with PTSD or guide dogs for blind people, so i thought there must be some kind of specific documentation...

Anyway, i'm surprised that so many are making fun of it, since veterans will be on the receiving end of this. I read a couple of news articles about how effective these dogs are. Is it really abused on such a large scale?

But the vets that legitimately have an ESA, will have the proper-identification and paperwork. In theory, it should be a non-issue for them.

cschleic · Tue Jan 30, 2018 5:23 pm

Bald1983 wrote:
This nation has gone nuts. First, it was a scam to avoid animal fees. Second, birds lack sphincter muscles; poop just comes out.

Yes, and peacocks are big and they have very sharp beaks and talons. They're a potential safety hazard to the other passengers.

af773atmsp · Tue Jan 30, 2018 5:24 pm

I need an emotional support aircraft, as in I need the whole plane to myself besides crew.

GBNWB · Tue Jan 30, 2018 5:26 pm

I have never even heard of an emotional support animal. I get that guide dogs are handy to help blind folks cross the street and people with gammy legs have dogs that fetch them stuff and open doors etc, but if you can't leave the house without taking an animal with you then you probably need to sit on your sofa, watch TV and drink cold beer. (Brought to you by the Ocado truck as you probably can't take the emotional support ostrich into your local Waitrose.)

Lilienthal · Tue Jan 30, 2018 5:34 pm

GBNWB wrote:
... but if you can't leave the house without taking an animal with you then you probably need to sit on your sofa, watch TV and drink cold beer. (Brought to you by the Ocado truck as you probably can't take the emotional support ostrich into your local Waitrose.)

I'd love to see you saying that straight to the face of a PTSD-stricken veteran.

Blerg · Tue Jan 30, 2018 5:37 pm

Lilienthal wrote:
GBNWB wrote:
... but if you can't leave the house without taking an animal with you then you probably need to sit on your sofa, watch TV and drink cold beer. (Brought to you by the Ocado truck as you probably can't take the emotional support ostrich into your local Waitrose.)

I'd love to see you saying that straight to the face of a PTSD-stricken veteran.

Seems like only US veterans need emotional support animals. Or is their version of PTSD different?

Swadian · Tue Jan 30, 2018 5:44 pm

neomax wrote:
Somebody seriously needs to make a thread of the top 10 most ridiculous emotional support animals. What do you mean I can't take my emotional support rattlesnake? The rattle soothes my nerves!

One of the comments made me (choke) of laughter:

"There go my plans to bring my ESA pet elephant…."

Let me bring my emotional support Grizzly on board; I'm sure old Mr. Grizz will have a good time!

enilria · Tue Jan 30, 2018 5:45 pm

It's just sad that people have to abuse the system and ruin it for me and my ESA.

PPVLC · Tue Jan 30, 2018 5:48 pm

My emotional support is a pack of peanuts. I want to see who's more important, a peanut allergy sufferer or a peanut freak.

reffado · Tue Jan 30, 2018 5:56 pm

I mean, legally, ESAs do not qualify as service animals as far as I know, so it's up to the passenger to utilize common sense. A peacock as a pet is already a stretch. As an ESA, it's just a joke.

ZaphodHarkonnen · Tue Jan 30, 2018 5:57 pm

Lilienthal wrote:
Can i just declare any pet as an emotional support animal? Just curious because i those are specially trained dogs for vets with PTSD or guide dogs for blind people, so i thought there must be some kind of specific documentation...

Anyway, i'm surprised that so many are making fun of it, since veterans will be on the receiving end of this. I read a couple of news articles about how effective these dogs are. Is it really abused on such a large scale?

Again this seems to be a US specific problem. It appears people are abusing the system by having a doctor write a note say the person needs an animal for 'emotional support'

In general in this thread I'm seeing people pointing out that this abuse hurts the peope that actually need these animals. And those that need them have properly trained animals. Animals that go through rigorus training to watch their owner and ignore anything unimportant.

The problem comes with people who are abusing this system and bringing animals into stressful situations without the needed training. So these animals do stuff like make continual noise, defecate, bite, etc.

What the current push is for is to somehow basically ban that abuse while minimizing the impact on those people who need and have properly trained animals.

I say animals as while dogs are the normal one you will see, the training can be done on most any animal with enough time and patience. :p Dogs just happen to be the right size, temprament, and intelligence to be well suited to the tasks.

aemoreira1981 · Tue Jan 30, 2018 6:17 pm

What the heck? This has gone overboard now.

litz · Tue Jan 30, 2018 6:17 pm

reffado wrote:
I mean, legally, ESAs do not qualify as service animals as far as I know, so it's up to the passenger to utilize common sense. A peacock as a pet is already a stretch. As an ESA, it's just a joke.

It's a two-edged sword ... as a business, you have to allow an ADA approved assist animal. ADA even goes so far as to define acceptable assist animals.

Then it says you cannot actually ask, in person/on the spot, a person claiming an animal for any proof said animal is actually an assist animal. That's what the fake-ESA people have been using as a loophole. Claim the animal, business demands proof, you scream discrimination, business backs off.

Delta is simply banning all animals, except those pre-approved, which neatly sidesteps that loophole, since it's not "in person" or "on the spot". It's ahead of time as a requirement of carriage.

Or at least that's how this very non-legal mind understands it ...

AASAP777 · Tue Jan 30, 2018 6:23 pm

Well, the other day I read about a turkey as an ESA. The world's upside down indeed!
And the replies on this post have had me cracking for quite a while!

:rotfl:

Semaex · Tue Jan 30, 2018 6:28 pm

reffado wrote:
I mean, legally, ESAs do not qualify as service animals as far as I know, so it's up to the passenger to utilize common sense. A peacock as a pet is already a stretch. As an ESA, it's just a joke.

Seriously though. If a dog or cat as an ESA isn't enough, maybe the person in question really has issues.
On the other hand, having a fancy animal like that as a pet may just be the source of the problem, not the solution.

But hey, in a country where lawyers get 80% of the value they fight over (that's just nuts!) I think it rather not strange if a psychologist advises a peacock at your side...

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