"According to Southwest, the incident took place after a female passenger alerted the crew that she had what they described to be a "life-threatening pet allergy." At the time, there was an emotional support animal and a pet on board the flight. The airline told Business Insider that in order for the passenger to continue on the flight, she needs to present a medical certification clearing her to fly."

Did the pax with the "emotional support animal and a pet" need to provide medical certification???


Complete article with a video of the incident:

http://www.businessinsider.com...ane-by-police-2017-9

Southwest Airlines apologizes after a woman was forcibly dragged off its plane by police

On Wednesday, Southwest Airlines apologized to a passenger after she was forcibly removed from a flight by law enforcement.

"We are disheartened by the way this situation unfolded and the Customer’s removal by local law enforcement officers," a Southwest Airlines spokesman said in a statement.

"We publicly offer our apologies to this Customer for her experience and we will be contacting her directly to address her concerns."

"Southwest Airlines was built on Customer Service, and it is always our goal for all Customers to have a positive experience," the spokesman added.

In a video, filmed by a fellow traveler, a female passenger is shown being manhandled by two law enforcement officers.

The passenger pleads with the officers, telling them that she had to take the flight from Baltimore to Los Angeles because her father is scheduled for surgery on Wednesday.

The passenger engaged in a physical struggle with the officers before being forcibly removed from the aircraft.

"Our Flight Crew made repeated attempts to explain the situation to the Customer, however, she refused to deplane and law enforcement became involved," the airline said.

According to Southwest, the incident took place after a female passenger alerted the crew that she had what they described to be a "life-threatening pet allergy." At the time, there was an emotional support animal and a pet on board the flight. The airline told Business Insider that in order for the passenger to continue on the flight, she needs to present a medical certification clearing her to fly.

"Our policy states that a Customer (without a medical certificate) may be denied boarding if they report a life-threatening allergic reaction and cannot travel safely with an animal onboard," Southwest said.

In this case, the passenger could not produce the requisite medical documents.

The incident is reminiscent of the forcible removal of David Dao by law enforcement from a United Airlines jet in April. That incident helped initiate a national conversation about passenger treatment and the role law enforcement would play in the handling of uncooperative passengers.

quote:

"life-threatening pet allergy."

And I thought the person with a "life-threatening pet allergy" would be removed after failing to provide documentation ...

This whole pet bullshit needs to stop. I love animals as much as anyone. But Stay home if you cannot handle the real world.

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
This whole pet bullshit needs to stop. I love animals as much as anyone. But Stay home if you cannot handle the real world.

I think most of it has to do with the amount of people's pets that die horribly in the cargo area of planes. I don't ever plan to fly again in my lifetime, but if I must, and I must take my dog, I will do everything I can and use every trick at my disposal to ensure that he doesn't go into the cargo area.

EMO's strike again

yep - keep animals off the plane

I'm a dog owner and would love to take Bandit back to Canada to see my family, but it ain't happening

If you need an animal to help you deal with the world emotionally, you have no business being on an airplane and putting everyone else at risk for your inability to cope

take the train, a bus, or drive yourself

aren't regular pets allowed on board if they fit under the seat in a carrier?

Just to clarify, they kicked the person off the flight who had the allergy.

I'm skeptical about the "life threatening allergy". Not saying it can't happen, but I am skeptical.

I have a pretty severe allergy to dogs and cats. I have however been on flights where dogs have been kept in a kennel under the seat. Never had an issue.

I do find it a little baffling they kicked off the person with the allergy though.

Contrary to the comments by the news anchors, that was not hard to watch.

My question to them and anyone else who is appalled by this... If a person on a plane is non-compliant with a Federal or Airline regulation, and refuses to deplane, what should they do?
- Break the law or rules and take off anyway?
- Force people following the rules off?
- Sit there and wait for hours as the temper tantrum unfold, causing untold havoc to connecting and later flights?
- Provide the offending passenger a method do deplane, and if they refuse, remove them?


This is nothing but media spin exploiting drama. They could have easily ignored it, or they could have reported it as "Unruly passenger is removed from Airliner". But no, they went with "Police beat innocent, sick, life threatened woman for no reason"

Sounds to me like the lady who was removed from the flight didn't want them to allow the dog on board so she made something up about a life threatening animal allergy. It backfired on her, they allowed the animal on and then asked her for medical clearance to fly.

I'll take a plane full of dogs over one human infant.

It looks like she had a problem with the dog and played the allergy card.

It also appears to have turned out badly for her.

I bet she's the sueing type, so maybe not.

Dammit devildog read my mind.

quote:

Originally posted by ScorpionBoy:
aren't regular pets allowed on board if they fit under the seat in a carrier?

For most airlines, you can take a small dog or cat (I believe the rule is under 20 pounds) that fits in a specific size carrier that fits under the seat. You have to pay a substantial fee (it used to be $250 per one-way, $500 round-trip, not sure now) and there is a two-in-cabin-pets-per-plane limit.

The pet is also required to stay in the carrier both in the airport and on the plane.

The airlines treat emotional support animals essentially like service dogs. They don't have to be in a carrier in the airport or on the plane and don't have to be small.

I love my hounds as much as anyone, but dogs have no business on an airplane (in cargo or with passengers). If you simply must take your dog with you (as I have several times in the past), drive.

quote:

Originally posted by DevlDogs55:
Sounds to me like the lady who was removed from the flight didn't want them to allow the dog on board so she made something up about a life threatening animal allergy. It backfired on her, they allowed the animal on and then asked her for medical clearance to fly.

Perhaps kudos to an alert flight attendant who realized what was going on and knew more about airline regulations than the passenger did.

Sucks when your bluff bites you in the butt

quote:

Originally posted by 1967Goat:
...
I'm skeptical about the "life threatening allergy". Not saying it can't happen, but I am skeptical.
...

I heard the dog's name was Peanut.

She appears to have reaped what she sowed on this one.

quote:

Originally posted by nhtagmember:
EMO's strike again

yep - keep animals off the plane

I'm a dog owner and would love to take Bandit back to Canada to see my family, but it ain't happening

If you need an animal to help you deal with the world emotionally, you have no business being on an airplane and putting everyone else at risk for your inability to cope

take the train, a bus, or drive yourself

The shoe fits on the other foot, too, nhtagmember.

If your allergy is so bad that you can't be in the same room with a dog, then you should think long and hard before putting yourself into places where normally-enabled persons are conducting normal business and living normal lives.

Why should someone expect to be able to force her highly unusual needs onto other people who are just going about their business in a normal way? Why shouldn't it be the lady with the severe allergy who "take[s] the train, a bus, or drive[s] [her]self"?

I'M WALKIN HEAH!!!! I'M WALKIN' HEAH!!!

Hey, guys, now, she told you that she's a "professor". Come on, you know you can't treat professors that way.

Reminds me of the old joke:

Q: What are you doing???????

A: Well, if you don't know, I must be doing it wrong.

quote:

Originally posted by maladat:

For most airlines, you can take a small dog or cat (I believe the rule is under 20 pounds) that fits in a specific size carrier that fits under the seat. You have to pay a substantial fee (it used to be $250 per one-way, $500 round-trip, not sure now) and there is a two-in-cabin-pets-per-plane limit.

The pet is also required to stay in the carrier both in the airport and on the plane.

The airlines treat emotional support animals essentially like service dogs. They don't have to be in a carrier in the airport or on the plane and don't have to be small.

It's $125 one way on United.

https://www.united.com/web/en-...nimals/in_cabin.aspx

How many people claiming "emotional support animals" are too cheap to pay the fee?

Screw everyone involved. The person who needs a dog to leave the house should get therapy to figure out how to fly sans dog. Screw the airlines for allowing pets on planes at all. Screw the person who brought the pet. Screw the lady who lied about the life threatening condition.

Lady, you tell them your life is in danger, why do you think you will be allowed to fly. The airline isn't risking the lawsuit if you die.

Other passengers why the hell do you need to bring your dog and ruin everyone else's experience flying? Like its not bad enough to be crammed in to a flying tin can. I don't want the runny nose or to hear six hours of non stop barking.