First off, for those suggesting separation from the guide dog this is not possible. By law, a guide dog must be harnassed and in the possession of its owner at all times.

Secondly, in an emergency situation a guide dog IS trained to get this woman out of the plane. All she would have to do is give him the command for outside. There was in fact a incident of a guide dog leading a group of people through one of the twin towers on 9/11.

Secondly, I understand that the stewardess is afraid of dogs. Nothing is more unnerving than having someone scream in my mother-in-laws ear cause they are afraid of her guide dog. Yes, this has happened! Was this stewardess the ONLY employee traveling on this flight? Was there not another stewardess she could change seats with? What if their had been an emergency? Would the stewardess have not helped this woman because of her dog?! It seems to me that a stewardess should be aware of these possible scenarios. Had she NEVER been on a flight with a guide dog before? Many blind people fly. The request itself is just ridiculous.

Furthermore, my mother-in-law doesn't play the "blind" card. The woman cooks, cleans, does laundry, knits, etc. She is even a public speaker. She is not looking for a hand-out, but what she is looking for is to be treated fairly. Women with children often request bulkhead seating. Would a woman with a child be asked to move because it would accomodate a stewardess?

Frankly, I wouldn't fly Delta again if I were this woman.

@Shadowfire:

Yep, my husky is shedding now due to the recent April heat wave. They literally "drop" their coat. Then little pieces follow for weeks. It's nearly impossible to keep up with.

@LegoMan322:

I agree. From the information we have, it sounds like this isn't an extreme, professionally diagnosed phobia. It's more like a prejudice she has.

I am in no way suggesting that one cannot be afraid of dogs, it just seems like it wasn't a crippling fear, just a discomfort.

@cabjf:

And judging from her behavior, I would say she had a slight distrust of dogs or simply doesn't like them. If she truly had a phobia, I would say she wouldn't be able to perform her job and would outright refuse to get on the plane. However, I'm not a pyschologist.

@Frank Murphy:

Untrustworthy creatures that have no problem leaving a turd in your shoe when you don't come home on time.

@exconsumer9:

Sometimes it is the culture one is surrounded by that determines their view on dogs. If you grow up in a neighborhood were dogs are frequently used as security systems, in dog fights or as weapons, then you tend to fear dogs, even though it may seem irrational since nothing ever happened to you personally..

@Corydon:

I agree with your comment. Dogs that are aggressive were usually allowed to or encouraged to behave that way by their owner.

However, there is a gray area. Some people inherit poorly behaving dogs when they foster or rescue one. These owners, when responsible, should always keep their dog leashed.

Also, it's sometimes just the breed.

@kylo4iskyle4:

I have a Husky and he'd leave with an intruder as well. Everyone in my neighborhood is terrified of him. People, even adults, think he's a wolf. I kind of prefer that. No one will break into the "wolf house" with the dramatic BEWARE OF DOG sign on the door, even though if they enter the house they would be greeted with a hug and would be promptly asked to play.

I like the lack of understanding most people have. Makes me feel that my home is safer, even though it's an illusion.

Sometimes I feel offended because of how they'll avoid me and the dog. I suppose I deserve it because I choke up on the leash, as though he's likely to go out of control any moment.

I am genuinely curious how a dog sitting near you impacts your ability to enjoy a meal or fly on an airplane. In what way does this become a problem?

To answer your question: anywhere the disabled person can go, the service animal can go and remain for as long as the disabled person is there. Unless the service animal is being excessively noisy or presents a threat to the safety of those around, which is highly highly unlikely to happen.

But one of the miniature horses? I'm sorry but there's a fine line between a guide dog on a plane and a guide HORSE on a plane (EVEN A MINI ONE!). For starters, would it even by physically possible to get it on the aircraft? let along seating it. Ok so maybe the line is actually big, fat, glows in the dark and has some flashing neon signs, but still.

I'm all for accomodating those in need, within REASON. IMHO a guide horse would be somewhere in the realm outside reason.

Has anyone heard about this being attempted?

@Johnny Cache:

two to one odds she is also fat.

I think you're missing the point the person that asked her to move was a flight attendant. The flight attendant is not sitting next to her. Also it's a bulkhead seat so not opposite her in a jumpseat either.

The point being that where the woman was sitting was prebooked specifically because she had the dog with her. The flight attendant felt that her dislike of animals should supersede the comfort of the guide dog and passengers. It would have been very easy for her to have just worked a different part of the plane.

Wow - nice. It is especially cool how the stewardess came back and gave her a hard time about the dog several times during the flight. That is just mean. I guess it just goes to show that if you dare to question the authority of an (almost certainly fat) glorified waitress she will try to get back at you - even if you are blind and elderly. Hopefully that stewardess will die of AIDS soon.

@gparlett: how is this even that big of a deal? Attendant afraid of a dog doesnt want to sit next to it, they ask lady to move, lady says no, so she keeps her seat on her flight. She sat next to the terrified lady that asked her to move the dog anytime it got close to her.

aside from sitting next to a grumpy person (which we ALL have at some point flying) how was she inconvienced? By being asked to move? I've had people (including myself) asked to be moved on 3 of the flights I've been on in the past month. Deal with it.

Was the flight attendant who is scared of dogs working or just sitting near the OP's mom? Because some comments make it sound like one but in other comments it sounds like the other.

What? why do you think she has this dog to keep her company? The clue is in the name "guide" dog. Firstly she is doing the responsible thing and asking to be sat at a bulkhead so as to have enough room. Secondly I'd love to see the fuss you would make if you were behind her while she was trying to leave the plan in an emergency and was having difficulty because you think it's a good idea for her not to have the dog with her. As for your "she should have to buy a whole row" statement I would imagine you're wishing it on her because you're made to so that you have enough room for your ego!

ADA regulations STIPULATE that the carrier make adequate accommodations for both the handicapped person and their guide. The guide and their charge MUST NOT BE SEPARATED.

Dumping the animal into a cargo hold is NOT a viable option.

If Delta went this route, then they might as well prepare for a week on the Hill explaining to a House subcommittee as to why their employees killed someone's seeing eye dog.

To be honest, there is really no excuse for the conduct by the FA towards her.

Amen.

I'm phobic of dogs. Phobias by definition are irrational, thus all the "I don't understand how someone could be afraid of a dog" or "why don't they just get over it?" comments don't make sense.

The headline also is wrong. I don't dislike dogs. I'm just afraid of them. Saying the flight attendant doesn't like dogs (if she's truly phobic) minimizes the problem.

All these airlines have screamingly inaccessible websites (what is it with airlines?), alas. VA seemed to have it the most down and i even watched the flight attendant boot someone from 3D because the customer had a service dog. Of course, when it turned out to be "booting" to First Class, everyone seemed happy. (The woman in question said she liked the bulkhead for more room and because the dog hates the First floor areas. Having flown VA um-a-lot, i couldn't agree more that the seat bases are a mess.)

@Corporate_guy: @

Also..how long have you had your disability that isn't blindness? or was some blind relative really mean to you as a kid? you seem to hate these people and think that their disability is crap compared to not being able to walk. I'd rather be in the chair than not be able to see ever again. no more smile from the kids and grandkids, no more sunsets, even porn would be gone if that's your thing.

@zibby: maybe they should have a seat or two with a latch on the ground to secure the dog, that could be a solution to the possiblilty that the dog may be thrown around. I still don't see it happening since I've seen a 50 pound dog on a small boat not get knocked around by the boat moving...planes (the ones you get off of at least) don't jump around that much.

@ReverendLoki: Problem is that she walked by the dog apparently and even spoke to the mother. not debilitating. more of a "I don't like the dogs" thing

Zero benefits other than a MASSIVE discrimination lawsuit.

Stay classy Corporate_Guy

This FA needs to be canned for lying on her application.

Delta owes that poor lady a free trip anywhere in the US, hands down.

Delta owes the Fed some cool cash for violating ADA regulations, for those are carved in stone and painted with the blood of violators.

@Farquar: Well, it's good that you know such sentiments are absurd - but a lot of people do feel that way and aren't afraid to share. Given that and the lack of obvious sarcasm in your post, I wouldn't say it's the oddest thing that people responded as if you were serious.

Pick another airline.

@eelmonger: @Nate128:

You guys make me chuckle. It may be your complete lack of a sense of humor that makes me chuckle. I'm not sure.

I don't trust people that lack a sense of humor.

It's still a bit of a tangent, though, since the airline's behavior went well beyond what that would excuse, and it doesn't give the FA the legal right to insist the passenger change her seat.

Am I seriously hearing people claiming guide dogs are companion animals? Pet friends?????? These are highly trained animals bred specifically for the job they do. The woman went out of her way to ensure that her presence on the plane would not cause an issue. Unfortunately, as usual, there's plenty of idiots willing to do that for her instead. There is NO REASON on earth this woman should be denied the ability to travel in any form so long as she's paid for her ticket. Not only is it against the law to deny access to guide dogs to ANY public place, it's also proof of an inexcusable rudeness to consider the idea

@sodomanaz: I'm pretty sure they expect the parent to hold the baby securely, especially in turbulent conditions.

Uhh... A plane in circumstances that the dog would become a flying hazard is going to be doing a good impression of a car accident. Look up some studies about how capable parents are at holding kids securly during an accident. Answer: They can't. That's why you have child safety seats that are securely buckled in.

As for the allergies - express your concern and change seats. And I'll ding the airline if they don't allow you to do so.

@Corporate_guy: And how are they going to have a kennel available for said guide dog at the gate?

And I wouldn't call a guide dog for a blind person a 'friend' animal. A guide dog is a service animal.

@ReverendLoki: Now THAT makes for some friction, wouldn't it? The airline has to accomidate for BOTH disabilities, which are at least somewhat incompatible.

Kinda like how I read some time ago that NYC's requirements for a 'handicapped accessable' apartment actually make it LESS accessable for many disabilities other than 'wheelchair bound'.

@Farquar: Well, I like dogs well enough - I've had a few of varying worth - but I'll never understand the urge to hold them in the esteem that would be due to minor gods. Look at some of the quotes in this thread; people are falling all over themselves to profess doggie love and trust - I daresay it might get competitive soon. "Personally I will not trust a person whom my dog shuns." C'mon, now, you're going to let a dog do your thinking? Seriously? The bottom line is that dogs are animals - animals that kiss ass, yes, animals that can be useful, yes, but animals. I can meet a person that doesn't care for dogs and it won't go into the database.

That flight attendant is scared of a lady's assistance dog? Tough nuggets I say.

I'm not saying the blind woman should have been asked to move. Obviously the flight attendant should have been allowed to work a different section of the plane.

But this whole "but it's a guide dog" thing makes zero sense. The vest doesn't make it less scary.

As for the dog in the store, it should really be considered as part of the person. If you can't accept the dog, you cannot accept the person.

I had the best flight attendant, when she had asked if I could switch seats with someone whose party wanted to be together, and I mentioned clostrophobia, found me a bulkhead seat next to the exit door. It was very helpful.

I feel worse for the blind woman than for the flight attendant. She tried to get adequete accomidations, and paid for it, they should have moved the attendant.

She needs the dog, how else can she read the sky-mall magazine?

@balthisar: I believe his point is that it's (at least a bit) rude to even ask to pet a stranger's guide dog.

But whenever I see a guide dog, my only concern is making sure I don't distract them. My "normal" reactions don't even enter my mind.

Dogs are filthy animals and the lot of them should be put down.

/Guide/ Dogs are tools which provide a valuable service.

I'm neither overweight nor exceptional tall and I find there's barely enough hip room or knee room for me and a pad of paper let alone a service animal. Besides.... you've got two individuals who apparently would be better off not sitting near one an other. Who should we make move? the able bodied employee or the disabled passenger?

Hmmm... wow this is such a tough decision....

service animals are specially chosen for their docile nature as well as their intelligence and their ability to be trained. they are trained from a puppy with a disabled person for anywhere from 6-18 months not to respond to other people, to dog treats, to other animals, to chase after squirrels and all the other nonsense that dogs usually do (i say nonsense with love btw)

Once they are fully trained, they know their owner well enough to anticipate their needs, to facilitate their needs and to ignore everyone and everything else. your ignorance is quite sad. as someone with a disabled relative who has trained service animals and helped make it a law that service animals be given public accomodation, I would hope you would educate yourself before demonstrating how little you know.

@gparlett: or tell the attendant who refuses to perform essential functions of her job to stop being such a selfish twat

On your Costco complaint, the complaint wasn't about the blind person. It was about the animal they had.

The OP indicates she was TOLD she was going to have to change seats. The title of the article indicates she was asked to change seats.

@SpruceStreetPhil:

Ah yes, the young, the stupid, the illiterate. Actually the Stupid pretty much covers all the bases.

Yes, I think a fear of (X) would be included. That is, a medically diagnosable fear. Have you ever witnessed the reaction of someone with a full on phobia when confronted directly with it?

Blindness, at least, is a disability that doesn't cause you to harm others in a fit of insanity. It is also a disability that, when experienced, generally doesn't cause permanent mental harm.

Of course, I also don't believe the flight attendant actually had a proper diagnosable phobia. Probably more like a tepid dislike of dogs. Otherwise the letter to consumerist would have been MUCH, much different.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), businesses and organizations that serve the public must allow people with disabilities to bring their service animals into all areas of the facility where customers are normally allowed to go.

Sooo... she can go into the cabin... so can the service animal. and they can't separate her from the service animal unless it does one of the 2 things specifically mentioned.

2) This question makes clear that it's your reading comprehension that needs work. I made no mention of the title indicating that she HAD to move. I said that the OP's submission said she was TOLD she HAD to move.

The depths to which some folks can sink never cease to amaze me. as a poster above me noted, karma is a bitch. I certainly hope that those who find blind guide dogs on planes a "disgusting abuse" of the ADA never, ever find themselves in a vulnerable position.

I am sick and tired of your trolling nonsense. I want you to read this very carefully, taken from this link

[www.ada.gov]

**Service animals are individually trained to perform tasks for people with disabilities A person with a disability cannot be asked to remove his service
animal from the premises unless: (1) the animal is out of control and the animal's owner does not take effective action to control it (for example, a dog that barks
repeatedly during a movie) or (2) the animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others.

You. Are. Wrong. it is against the law to seperate a disabled person from their service animal. I imagine you ll contend that an animal unrestrained is a threat to the safety of those around in turbulant situations. I do agree with you that in a regular seat it will likely be confining for the animal, thus she tries to sit behind the bulkhead which gives the animal more room. The counter to your argument of safety is that babies are allowed to fly on someone's lap. A baby at lap level is more likely to become a projectile then an animal at ground level. At worst the animal may roll on the floor, but the confining space its in combined with the harness gear make that very unlikely.

Kindly do us a favor and shut up when you don't know what the hell you're talking about.

i am very, very allergic to cat dander. Yet if someone's service animal was a cat, and I found myself next to one on a flight, ask to be moved. If that could not be arranged, I would sniffle, sneeze, endure blurry eyes, and consider myself a better person for enduring a small discomfort compared to the loss of my sight.

I mean Holy Crap.

are you retarded or just off your meds? in a restaurant the dog should be put in a closet? how do you propose the person get from the closet to their table? or do you propose that someone physically remove the dog after the diner has sat at their table?

and FYI the guide dog can serve a function on the plane: namely getting the person to the bathroom. I've actually seen this on a plane. one of the stranger, more unique things I've seen but yes it does happen.

You know jack bupkus about how service animals work. they are trained for months, sometimes in excess of a year, to be handled by their owner. they form a bond so that they can work together in unison. You don't just seperate them because it's inconvenient for other people. you don't just let some maitre de go shuffle them off to be locked in a closet. also, the service animal typically sits under the chair or under the table, or they pull a chair out slightly. rarely do they block aisles as you describe.

it's jagoffs like you which created the need for laws allowing not just seeing eyes dogs but service animals to be allowing in public places.

go back under your bridge, troll.

1) the submitter doesn't write the title. consumerist does

2) where in the title does it say she was *told* she *had* to sit somewhere else? it doesn't. title asks the question "can you sit somewhere else" So wtf are you talking about?

@Esquire99:
Maybe this is what the delta CEO meant when he said that good communication is very important. This could have been solved by asking the costumer if she wanted to move to first class because the flight attendant was afraid of dogs. If there was no seats in first class than have flight attendant move to first class. Amazing what might happen if people were willing to talk to each other like adults.

@ChristopherDavis:

Then the flying waitress should have asked to reassigned to a different flight.

Why do you guys hate people that can't be near dogs? Especially when it's often possible to make everyone happy? Obviously that wasn't the case here, but there's no good reason not to try. This case was lose-lose. A badly treated customer (overly sensitive, self-righteous witch, IMHO) and a freaked out flight attendant.

I can't believe you people are so dang blind to the fact that you can try to make everyone happy.

No matter how well trained a guide dog is, a phobia is a phobia.

My friend is deathly scared of snakes. Even when I show him a picture, he gets nervous. Take something that FRIGHTENS you and put it next to you in a plane that you can't escape for 2 hours.

This is a non-issue. The woman was accomodated, she wasn't forced to pay more, she wasn't forced to do anything. It comes down to common courtesy for others which she doesn't have.

I give up. I refuse to not show kindness to my fellow man. Everybody does not suck!

@SpruceStreetPhil:

Shouldn't the dog's vest state "Guide Dog in Training" ?

Realizing the training is to acclimate the dog to real world activities and behaviors, but a visual message to strangers would alleviate the problems of a sight capable handler being with a with visual guide dog.

Delta, I will never be your customer.

@Dan W:

Damn right.

@ludwigk:

Oh let me guess, you must be a cat person.

This means that there are no "other cabins" to move the passenger to and there are no other FAs on board to switch seats with the one who can't deal with a dog.

There is one flight attendant seat; it's a jumpseat that faces backwards, which swings out into the aisle between the cabin and the cockpit door. It faces the only bulkhead seats on the plane.

(This is not to excuse the way SkyWest treated Natalie's mother; this is simply to explain why what seem like simple easy solutions would not be available in this case.)

Passenger and her dog have a legal right to fly on the plane. Somewhere in the ADA rules there is a section about dogs accompaning the handler during public transportation (we have the same rules about working dogs in the workplace).

Ok, done. They fly together. Together means adjoing seats.... not in the cargo hold.

That is it. Together, adjoing seats. What seats are the choice of the airline.

Logically the bulk head seats make the most sense to me. Ignoring an emergency (when passengers will be making use of every possible exit), the handler and dog would have quicker exit and prevent interferring with other passengers trying to exit.

BUT, if the airline deems the seat from hell (last seat at the rear of the plane) to be the best seat... the passenger may be required to take the seat if the airline can show proper cause (ie first passenger to embark, last passenger to disembark to allow best passage of the working dog).

No where is the rights of the flying waitress or another passenger been addressed. Guess what? The flying waitress or other passengers may not have much in the way of rights. True medical reasons for moving the dog (asthma comes to mind) might give cause. Maybe. Even then the disabled flyer comes first (in that the disabled flyer can be allowed nor required to sit on the rows with the window emergency exits).

Sounds like the flying waitress needs to move her arse to another seat and shut up.

Plus I think this discussion is kind of pointless. It's a dog that sees...I think they are called seeing eye dogs. It has to be on the flight TO SEE.....should the person NEED TO SEE...like a pea break or getting on or off the plane. Discussion should be over.

That's a lot of money.

I'm glad the dog is okay. :)

If your allergies were really bad, I would move myself if I could, if it were my dog. I'd feel very bad about that. Or I'd ask if they could move you somewhere away from my dog.

If the dog is sitting on the floor, chances are the turbulence isn't going to affect it that much.

(dog was trained by sister for a year, dog went to school for a year, then dog failed due to food allergies, we got to get dog back, we gave it new food, dog is perfect again)

I've one

"You can check luggage in the walk way or at the gate. ... There is not one good reason why the blind person cannot be accommodated in the same way."
Luggage yes... but NOT a dog.
You have NO idea what you're talking about.
You CANNOT check animals at the gate.
Pets checked as luggage must be themselves inspected, and their TWA-approved crate be inspected and checked in at least an hour (if not longer) BEFORE boarding.
Pets CAN NOT be checked without an approved crate.
PERIOD.

Additionally, checked pets are the FIRST cargo to be loaded so the handlers can ensure the crate has adequate ventilation (no other bags covering it), and that it's secure.

"It's a closed cabin where a dog is nothing but a piece of luggage that could fly around if it gets turbulent."
Have you ever even flown? Or seen a dog?
A dog is not going to "fly around if it gets turbulent".
The only way a service dog will fly around is if the plane is in free fall or experiences freak loss of altitude (which is WELL BEYOND turbulence), in which case the flying-dog is the LEAST of your problems. The NON-flying PLANE should be your main worry.

I suggest asking to see an old dog (they're not so wild aka less tail wagging, licking and whatnot) that is a therapy dog. They're trained to not jump and be extremely calm around people (so they don't hurt the elderly in nursing homes and other people that could be easily injured.)

You should just sit in a room with it and watch it for a while to get yourself acclimated to its actions (which itd probably just be sitting there with its handler)

Then allow the handler to approach you (its wiser that the dog comes to you and not the other way around - you'd exhibit more fear and they can sense that which puts them off, but thats not a problem for therapy dogs)

Then allow it to brush against your leg (as you're sitting) and then the handler should tell it to sit. That's when you make an approach with a hand, after its already made contact with your body (your legs).

I'd suggest a bigger dog since they are calmer: Lab, Golden Retrievers are superb because they look friendly with constant smiles but aren't too big. (Most, although it varies, will allow you to mess with them and do anything unless you're hurting them ie you could put your hand all up in its mouth and itll do nothing but either lick your or more likely move its head so your hands not in its mouth.) Remember: Dogs are friendly if trained properly. Dog attacks should never be blamed on the dog, but the owner/trainer. (Not to say dogs should not be reprimanded/put down for attacks though, some are too far gone.)

Who would take priority on a flight if someone had a potentially fatal allergy to someones guide dog? Either way, it seems like someone would be taking the next flight.

I think that is enough to let it anywhere around places where people are...which is everywhere.

Its all about ignorance/fear of the unknown. If people are not near dogs for the first part of their life they don't know what to expect. If they are attacked by a dog that has been horribly trained/taken care of they think all dogs are like that. Once people stop being pussies and actually confront their fears they could find a nice lifelong companion that would never hurt you. same goes with cotton balls:

its all an irrationality, yeah, it could happen, but you're irrational and a pretty pessimistic person / coward for thinking it most definitely will

So as far as I can tell, there's nothing in the law to require that a flight be free of dogs, or peanuts, or scary clowns--if your need is to avoid something, that's a burden that the airlines can't be expected to accommodate. Put it another way--if you're deathly allergic to penicillin, it's up to you to bring the epi-pen, not the airline to ensure nobody's taking any.

As a person partnered with a service dog, I would not trust my dog in a closet or in a hold --it cost $20,000 to train her and she would not be easily replaced. Each dog is individually trained to aid the individual person they will be helping. She provides a valuable service to me by helping me keep my balance when I walk so that I do not fall and she picks up items that I drop. To say "oh, you can just get another one" denigrates what she does for me and her value in my life. Yes, she is an auxillary aid for my disability, but she is also alive with her own personality, traits, and work style. No dog would ever be the same as she is.
She is a Yellow Lab and she fit very well in front of my seat--she stayed in our floor space the whole time.

For a flight attendant, it seems like all the airline has to do is reposition the FA into a different cabin / class for that flight. If the dog is at the coach bulkhead, have that FA work the back of the plane. But it sounds like they (the airline) were expecting the customer to fix their personnel issue, instead of themselves.

Stereotypes are ridiculous. Dogs drool mainly bc their fat owners allow them to be acclimated to human food and then they associate the smell with feeding, thus producing large amounts of saliva. Dogs bark because they are poorly trained by their lazy owners. Dogs shed a lot because their lazy owners don't brush them.

It sounds like you hate the crappy dog owners and not the dogs. I mean, you like the well behaved dogs, sooooo that shows its the training and care, not the DOGS that have a problem.

"If a dog will not come to you after having looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience." --Woodrow Wilson

(Personally I will not trust a person whom my dog shuns.)

She was taking him on a visit to Busch Gardens, Williamsburg and the first thing that happened was the people would come up to her and ask her if she was blind, seeing the dogs' (Dickens') coat. Not only is this ridiculously rude but annoying as well.

Also, he was allowed on several of the rides - the ones a dog could safely ride: skyline, carousel, train. But the employees had the nerve to ask her for her papers. That's illegal. Blind people do not need proof to show they are allowed to have the dog there. And I know for fact that Anheuser Busch educates all employees every year about this (I used to work for them so I'd know.)

The other situation was in our nearby Costco in the city. We were just walking him around, buying stuff like any other family. When we were about to check out, the manager came up and told us an employee complained about the dog and told us to leave. This is ILLEGAL. It doesn't matter if some city worker doesn't like dogs, blind people have every right to walk around like any other person in a store. We argued with him for several minutes when we announced that we were leaving anyway after we checked out. He got his way, but he should have been fired/sued.

My point is people are intolerant of guide dogs and see them as pets. For all the people that mentioned the safety hazards of dogs on planes: that's just something everyone has to deal with. I'd rather have a dog come flying into my face than that metal cart the flight attendants push around, or one of the flight attendants for that matter, or even worse: one of the people who must pay for two seats that is heading to the bathroom at just the wrong time. People's fear of dogs should never be trumped by someone's blindness. Phobias are irrational and something that can be cured/helped. Blindness isn't (for the most part, yet.)

But basically you're chasing a red herring anyway. The law isn't based on the theory that there are no possible deleterious effects, so arguing the occasional deleterious effect doesn't invalidate the law. It exists because the deleterious effects of its upholding are considered to be less than those of its absence. You don't feel that way--I'm guessing because it's not a law that you've felt any benefit from. Fine. But it's nonsensical to blame somebody for acting according to the law just because you have a personal distaste for that law.

@balthisar: But what other equally accomodating spots are there? The bulkhead seats are the good seats for her, because they give her more space between her and the seat ahead of her without being emergency row seats (which she probably can't sit in because she wouldn't be able to open the door in an emergency).

So her choices were to be nice to the flight attendant and let herself and her dog be sqeezed in somewhere else, or to stand up for herself and her dog.

@Nathanael Dale Ries: It sounded to me like you had a row of 3 seats. Aisle seat was the flight attendants assigned seat when she wasn't actually up helping a customer. Middle seat was empty. Window seat was lady with dog.

When flight attendant went back to her seat, she'd see the dog's tail creeping towards her space, and snap at the lady to get the dog away from her.

I think that, in the absence of the ACAA, Delta would actually make her sign a waiver and tell her to get bent if the dog died because it was her choice to fly. Which may be the policy you're actually promoting, but why bother discussing the intervening theories, then?

@sodomanaz: It's not about getting from the gate up the ramp and onto the plane. It's about getting from the car to the ticket counter, and through security, and all the way to the gate. It's getting from the gate at the other end to the luggage area and then out to a taxi.

It's also about the security of knowing the dog that you are counting on to get you around in your destination city is actually on the same plane as you, and isn't on his way to some other city or freezing to death in an unheated cargo hold.

@Corporate_guy: What? Sure, I can take a baby carriage up to the gate, have the proper tags on it, and hand it to the flight attendant at the gate. But a dog checked into cargo has to be in a cage. Am I supposed to haul a cage the whole way through the airport? It would also be hard for the flight attendants to carry a large cage (complete with the weight of the dog) out of the gate and down to check-in.

And what happens at connecting flights? If she has a couple hour layover somewhere, she's without the dog the whole time.

And sometimes dogs in cargo get lost - wasn't there a dog from the big dogshow that got away at the airport one time and never was found? Plus, sometimes those dogs are put in cargo areas that aren't temperature-controlled or pressurized - animals checked into cargo sometimes die.

I would be VERY reluctant to check any dog into cargo, much less a service animal.

I wonder if the rules allow for the guide miniature horse?

I'll play:
Then she goes back to where she got the original guide dog and gets/buys another with Delta's dime. And after all, she should hold no attachment to it other than being a tool at her disposal, right? So replacing the dog should be it.

Though honestly, your scenario is beyond ridiculous.

Boo hoo.

@El_Fez: Flown United ever?

I'm also guessing she boards before everyone else as well because of her condition. There are alternatives to her bringing a dog on the flight.

The law is on her side no doubt about that, but to say that the dog is a necessary tool for her to ride on the plane is stretching it.

As another poster said earlier, dogs in the cargo hold sometimes have to be sedated, which would render the dog useless to the blind person, and sometimes they die in there.

Guide dogs are expensive.

And honestly, if I got stuck next to a lady with a seeing eye dog and there was no other place I could go, we would both be miserable. My allergies are severe enough that I'd be hacking, sneezing, and bitching the entire way through just by being stuck near it for an hour.

Either you're being trollish, or you just Don't. Get. It.

They aren't pets. They are like equipment. The reason for guide dogs is so blind people DON'T have to be dependent on some stupid airline employee or anyone else for that matter. Also, motorized wheelchairs are usually too bulky to fit down the aisles (not "isles"), so they can't go on the plane anyway, so the analogy doesn't apply.

The law allows it. Get over it.

I don't understand the animosity toward Corporate_guy; he's one of the most logical people on this site, not swept up by blind sentimentalism.

LOL!!! Omg that was hilarious!!!

That's a REALLY good idea.

That's stupid. There's nothing evil and bad about a phobia.

I'm not afraid of dogs per se, but certain large dogs and ones that bark fiercely at me make me a little nervous. And I've never been bitten.

People hold their BABIES on their lap in planes. Are you going to make a rule that the baby should be buckled in?

The guide dog is there for the blind person's use, to help them get around safely. No matter what the frack you think about it, the LAW says the dog gets to ride in the cabin.

GUIDE DOGS ARE NOT PETS.

I recently had to sit next to two black lab service dogs from a k9 unit being used for fema search and rescue.

They were the most well mannered and considerate passengers I have ever sat next to! Their breath was probably also not as bad as most other passengers. LOL

How would you feel if a PASSENGER instead of a flight attendant was freakishly paranoid of dogs, and was seated next to the person. Suppose this person also needed a bulkhead for whatever reason. Do you force both of them to sit together, or do you try to adjust the situation?

[images.delta.com.edgesuite.net]

"(3) For an individual traveling with a
service animal, the carrier shall provide, as the
individual requests, either a bulkhead seat or a
seat other than a bulkhead seat."

if the flight attendant's dog phobia is really a disbility then it comes down to which one of them requested a special bulkhead seat first:

"(g) If the carrier has already provided a seat
to an individual with a disability to furnish an
accommodation required by paragraph (a) or
(c) of this section, the carrier shall not
reassign that individual to another seat in
response to a subsequent request from another
individual with a disability, without the first
individual's consent."

if the flight attendant's phobia was not disabling or if she didn't have another disability requiring her to sit in the bulkhead seat then the following applies and the flight attendant needed to be moved:

"(i) The carrier shall provide notice that all
passengers assigned these seats (other than
passengers with disabilities listed in paragraph
(a) of this section) are subject to being
reassigned to another seat if necessary to
provide a seating accommodation required by
this section. The carrier may provide this
notice through its computer reservation
system, verbal information provided by
reservation personnel, ticket notices, gate
announcements, counter signs, seat cards or
notices, frequent-flier literature, or other
appropriate means."

@catskyfire: Ha! I've been attacked by more cats than dogs! A friend of mine use to have this evil cat named "Oz" that would run, screaching, at every new person who walked through the door. It bit straight through a pair of leather boots I was wearing one day. And it wasn't the only ball of claws and fur that's attacked me. I wonder if there's a kitty conspiracy to get me.

@Corporate_guy: I don't know. I'm not blind. I'm guessing you aren't either since you asked the question. BUT, I imagine that if I was blind my guide dog would be like my right arm, so intergrated into every single movement I make that I would not only feel, but be extrememly discomforted by it's absence. I would even guess that I would probably find myself extremely anxious or fearful if I was seperated from my dog. But, like I said, I'm not blind so I don't know. I do know that if a flight attendant said I had to take my contacts out because they scared her I would decline-- even if someone offered to walk me down the ailses or to the bathroom -- because having less sight than previously having is upsetting and disorienting.

That's what *I* do for my fear of .... flying.

Cope, lady. Cope. Many of us with crippling phobias do so.

My ex is unreasonably afraid of cats as well. It was quite humorous to see actually (although I'd inevitably get yelled at for laughing/"standing there while I could be attacked" later on).
I tried a lot of things to introduce her to both dogs and cats, but she just could NOT handle it. Even the puppies at the pet store had her at the door with an angry look on her face while her 2 year old son and I were rolling around on the floor with them.

What service does a non-working flight attendant provide?

I can sympathize with the attendant, but this is not a pet. This dog is her eyes and, in the event of emergency, her only guaranteed movement. These dogs are trained to take care of their owner's specific needs (in this case, blindness) and compensate for the owner's difficulty.

As someone whom has been on both sides of the coin in flight (some very nice people moved when I was injured in a "severe" manner to allow me the space necessary to sit easier, vs an attendant that didn't realize my extra gear was not optional to a TSA moron that I stopped and asked for a supervisor because I couldn't walk on that leg dammit! to a wonderful TSA person that was patient with me maneuvering a wheelchair I wasn't used to yet) and the last service dog I saw was so well trained in didn't even mewl, it just sat under the owner's seat. I gave up my seat so the dog could sit with the owner because of a c*ck up, and the owner got a free bump to business class.

I hope you never need special accommodations for any reason whatsoever because karma can be a real b*tch.

You'd be surprised at what people are and aren't afraid of. My ex was deathly afraid of dogs, but even more so of cats. One time we were walking into the apartment at night and a cat came out of a bush and meowed, then came over to rub my leg. She completely FLIPPED. I got yelled at later for not getting away from the cat and assuming that it wasn't going to attack me. We had a long talk about why cats aren't dangerous. Before I knew she was afraid of dogs and cats, a friend of mine was taking over my apartment and we were going to share the place for a few days while I moved out. She wouldn't have it because he had a KITTEN, thus forcing me to get a hotel room (thus negating the cost effective plan I had created).
Hell, she wouldn't even pet MY dog at my family home, even though it really wanted her to pet it on several different occasions. My cat is less friendly to anyone so I made the cat stay outside while she was there.

But the person isn't allowed to breach federal law because of it.

the nurses were actually having fun standing around watching how fast my reaction was.

[frwebgate.access.gpo.gov]
[frwebgate.access.gpo.gov]

You're also talking as if guide dogs are GPS systems. The person sets the route, in or out of the airport. The dog makes sure that the person gets there without walking into solid objects or surprise level changes. They do that in airports same as in anywhere else.

Really, are you reading what you are writing here?

The flight attendant should have been fired when the plane landed. A flight attendant can't allow their fears to let them harass a paying customer.

That's not a regulation I see passing any time soon.

Why is it every OP in consumerist thinks that the world owes them every little perk they can think of? By LAW, all that Delta is FORCED to bend over backwards to do is to a.) Allow the dog on the plane, and b.) not charge extra.

There's not a damn thing about treating the dog to a pillow, champaigne, making sure a 30-piece brass band is playing "Hail to the chief," hiring a psychologist to calm the dog and your mother, hiring a lawyer to sue anyone who dares glance in their general direction.

Explain "almost kicked off the flight." Is she "almost" blind? All they did was ask her to move, which legally was perfectly within their rights, as long as she was not forced off the plane. The Delta CRO actually went out of their way allowing her to stay where she felt like.

Im intentionally going in the opposite direction here, but I'm getting sick about how these articles are always extremely slanted with NO apparent attempt at fact-checking. It took two minutes to look up guide-dog law online. Try it next time.

Bolt Bus service animal policy:
No dogs, cats, birds, or other animals will be transported. However, a properly documented service animal, trained for the purpose of accompanying a disabled person, will be permitted to travel with the disabled person at no additional charge.

Anyway my two cents: Perhaps the flight attendants can't attend to EVERY need a person may have, lord knows this woman could have been like my sister having to pee EVERY 5 minutes. Having the dog makes it easier and some dogs (well most) help decrease anxiety.

Loose people, animals, and items in the cabin can get into trouble in turbulence, it's true. Nonetheless, airlines permit lap infants, underseat items, and service animals to travel without restraint, mostly because such a risk is quite small, and there's considered to be more deleterious effects in banning them. Passengers who think it's too risky to fly with them can make other arrangements, but federal law is very clear on this one, and people traveling with service animals are following the law, not exploiting it. You just don't like that law. Fair enough, but argue with the legislation, not the people legally acting under it.

It's not for you to say how a blind person gets around in the world.

I for one don't see how delta can turn their blind eye towards this pandemic!

If they don't currently make arrangements to secure guide dogs, they should give it some thought.

That dog seemed to feel travelling a crosstown bus wasn't safe for his master. He tried to get the guy up and off at every stop. After a while, it was sort of comical - "No, Syd, this isn't our stop." Dog sits and pouts.

Maybe the FA wasn't a dog person but please, I doubt it was being aggressive.

BTW, my dogs always are within the fence, but the roomie just doesn't sees the harm in his little precious wandering. I've made it clear as long as the little walking blivot excuse for a dog lives on my lease he will not be outside the fence.

Really, I don't hate on all chihuahuas, just this one.

I bet those damn blind people poked out their eyes on purpose just so they could abuse the ADA and get a dog on a plane, where, I might add, a dog has no right to be. I mean, if God wanted dogs to fly, he's have given them air miles, amirite?

DELTA.

We love to fly...
and it shows.

It was later heard that the flight attendant said "im tried of these mother#*$&!% guide dogs on the mother#!*&@^ plane!"

Let's be honest; unless the dog can read, she received human assistance from the airline. Fido DOES NOT know where gate C-24 is. He is not guiding her through the airport or to her seat.

+1. If you can't stand the fire, don't be a chef.

Your complaint about the dog being unsecured is a little more reasonable, but it's also true of children flying babe-in-arms, and I don't see you suggesting we put them in cargo.

I was thinking the exact same thing. Clearly she didn't have a psychological problem with the dog if she made it a point to be around it so much.

Had she truly been uncomfortable with it she would've stayed at the back of the plane the entire trip!

Like in a restaurant, a person's wheel chair wouldn't be left in an isle blocking people from walking by, it would be moved out of the way. Just like a guide dog can be moved to closet or away from other diners. But blind people merge service with friend and exploit the ADA for both uses. You will see people letting their wheelchair be moved out of the way without any issues, but if someone asks to take the dog out of the way the blind person goes nuts about the ADA. It's disgusting.

I think it gets a bit harder to call when dealing with two paying customers with conflicting disabilities. One blind traveler with a service dog on the same flight as a person with a diagnosis of and undergoing the treatment for an unnatural phobia of dogs? Perhaps it's a Post Traumatic Stress scenario.

Just thinking out loud here.

@Corydon: "A misbehaving dog is a reflection on the owner, not the dog."

Agreed. I have been uneasy around unleashed large dogs ever since one took a flying leap at my face when I was 5. But even then, my concern is not because I hate dogs or anything like that, but it's precisely because, if I don't know its owner, then I don't know what its temperament will be.

He's 25 now, and he's still not over it.

This is not to say that the flight attendant suffered the same phobia. Even if she did, she'd have to work through it, I expect. She should have known when she took the job that she might run into this situation.

I would not have said word one about a guide dog being on the same plane with me unless the dog did something tangible that caused me to feel I was truly in danger from the dog, and even then I would have checked with someone who isn't afraid of dogs just to make sure I wasn't being unreasonable because of my fear.

That flight attendant should either have gotten a grip on herself (I have the same fear as her, and mine stems from my leg being mauled by a dog as a small child and I assure you it is deep-seated, and I can also tell you that it's possible to master this fear when you can understand intellectually that you are very likely in no danger whatsoever) or spoken to the airline about changing flight assignments.

Then you should wise up and realize a guide dog wouldn't be belted down and would fly around if there was bad turbulence. Also a guide dog could not possibly fit in the space in front of a single seat. It is pretty damn obvious that the dog needs to be stowed somewhere. They should have her check it into cargo like all other animals. Being blind, she could be given the extra accommodation of checking it in at the gate or on the walkway where a person will put it in a provided cage and stick it into cargo and another person would directly unload it the same way.

I've seen people switch from their motorized wheelchair to an airport wheel chair at the gate and be pushed on the plane by an attendant. Their chair was stored in luggage. Being disabled doesn't mean you have the right to be extremely unreasonable. The airline just needs to get you from one destination to the other on the plane with reasonable accommodations, that is what the ticket provides. Forcing a old person to switch to a non motorized wheel chair and be pushed by a attendant is no different than making the blind person navigate with the help of an attendant. It's pretty clear that some blind people just aren't willing to be reasonable and just want to disgustingly misuse the ADA.

@Corporate_guy: I am sure she didn't teleport from the entrance to the airport to the airplane. I would imagine the dog helps her get around the airport, which he can't do if he is checked into cargo. As for buying a whole row, if you perceive the mere presence of the dog as being a problem, then buying a full row does not solve that problem.

4) More debilitating than blindness? Yeah, you walk around blindfolded for a day and tell me if that's easier than having to avoid dogs. Good luck.

1) Read the article. She goes through the effort to make sure a bulkhead seat is available, because it has extra space for the dog. She does her very best to not sit in a normal row. In this case, there was an EMPTY SEAT between her and the attendant.

2) Regardless of how ridiculous you think this is, the Americans with Disabilities Act REQUIRES that the airline accommodate the dog. IT. IS. THE. LAW.

3) "It's all risk with zero benefits." No benefits? You mean like the fact that she can now get on and off the plane without assistance? That she doesn't have to rely on others? That the airline is obeying the law?

You can't treat a phobia by simply avoiding the symptoms (in this case the dog) Especially if your job requires interaction with people.

Would you become a flight attendant if you had a phobia of artificial limbs or wheelchairs? Only after you desensitized yourself to the fear.

Also, to the commenters who distrust people who are afraid of dogs: I distrust people who when they walk their dogs on leashes up to me and I say, "I'm afraid of dogs," move their pets closer to me and tell me how friendly their dogs are. The dogs may be friendly, the owners are not.

It's neither here nor there, though, when it comes to the issue in the post. The FA's phobia has no legal standing that allows it to trump the flyer's right, even if the dog wasn't a model guide dog.

If it really were an issue, it'd be up to Delta to ensure they didn't put that attendant on a flight with a service dog, not to refuse accommodations to the passenger.

Wait, are you serious?

First of all, the flight attendant did not express a medical phobia. If she had, it would have been more than fair to come up with a compromise to accommodate her DISABILITY. In the absence of a disability she was just being an ass.

Second of all, as a seeing person you have no right to judge how a blind person chooses to get around. How rude.

[www.guidedogs.com]

What I really hate is when I run into some person barely controlling their snarling, barking beast, who is straining at the end of a retractable leash trying to get to me. As I go out of my way to avoid coming within fang range they always say, "Oh, it's OK, he won't hurt you." I'm sure he won't hurt *them* but he's clearly lusting after my blood.

Ah yes, the noble guardians that have had so many generations of vigilance bred into them that they feel remiss in their duty if they do not loudly inform everyone in the household that the garbage man is stealing your trash at 4AM...

Just like last week. And the week before that.

^_^

I still like the little dog who lives at my house, though. She's like a little dust mop with button eyes and a tail.

Plus it's a little ridiculous that this lady is going to have her dog in a closed cabin or that on a full flight the person next to her has to let a dog sit on their legs. A bigger dog like a guide dog will not fit in front of a single seat. She should have to buy a row or put the dog into a cage to put in cargo. Just because as a blind person you choose to rely on a dog instead of a stick does not mean that for a flight you have to take the dog into the cabin. Their are flight attendants that can seat you. I would love to know the valid reason as to why she needs the dog in the cabin. What function does the dog provide on a plane?

What happens if there is bad turbulence and the plane drops a few feet? That dog is going to go flying. It's all risk with zero benefits.

@nakedscience: I didn't know that tails could bite?

Judging from your picture and your feelings on dogs in general you may have the same phobia. Sometimes the blind person in charge of a dog may allow the dog to be "at ease" and during these times the dog may be allowed to interact with others. A worker in a mailroom may not need the assistance of the dog at all times. It is extremely doubtful that the dog would do anything to harm you, but if you are worried you should make your concerns known to the dog's master.

Like my uncle always said, there are 2 kinds of people in the world: the ones who believe there are 2 kinds of people, and the ones who don't.

For all we know the dog's tail kept going over into the aisle and the poster, of their mom is exaggerating. Or the mother was in an oversensitive "travel mode" and read everything as more obnoxious or sarcastic as how it was intended.

I was responding to the comments that the flight attendant just get over it, and that phobias aren't real.

They are real and to use a broad brush to paint something you've never experienced is as obnoxious as the op made the flight attendant sound.

@Farquar: it all depends on the owner and how they were raised. ...a lot like guns actually

That said, I was NEVER scared of service animals, which are like the definition of well-behaved.

I've actually thought for a while that a disability/service-animal education program in schools would be a really good idea. Little kids are naturally curious about disabilities (not in a creepy way, just in the way they're noisily curious about everything from tattoos to unusual hairstyles to "why is that guy so tall?") and most love animals -- there's a great chance there to educate kids about the polite and appropriate way to offer assistance to someone who's blind or in a wheelchair, and about not addressing working animals, and things like that. So many people have no exposure to disabilities or service animals and simply don't know how to behave.

And then maybe 15 years down the road we have fewer people in customer service who are unfamiliar with required accommodations for service animals.

@RecordStoreToughGuy: Nah, you don't have a fear of heights.

Some may say you have an almost debilitating fear of falling.

I would say you have a totally reasonable fear of the sudden stop at the bottom :)

-_^

But seriously, I didn't know that there was an actual company named Seeing Eye. Interesting.

And I agree...dogs are an excellent judges of character.

@catskyfire: Why would a flight attendant who is "truly terrified of dogs" (doubt it, considering "Throughout the flight, the supposedly terrified attendant bothered her every time the dog's tail was in the foot space of the seat next to her - which was empty - asking her to move the dog. "), why is she a flight attendant? If you are a flight attendant, YOU WILL come across guide dogs in your career.

And I think a paying customer (who is also an elite member) should be favored over the non-rev flight attendant.

@balthisar: "Look, we all have unpleasant experiences from time to time."

Yeah. And flight attendants have to deal with guide dogs on a regular basis.

@ArgusRun: "Throughout the flight, the supposedly terrified attendant bothered her every time the dog's tail was in the foot space of the seat next to her - which was empty - asking her to move the dog. "

Something tells me she wasn't having panic attacks about the dog.

To qualify as a person with a disability under the ADA, you must have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, including, but not limited to, "caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working".

Sounds like blindness would qualify. Now, do you think a fear of dogs would be included?

@TheGuinnessTooth: "dogs and their handlers do not."

But wait. Handlers do not have seats on flights? Do they sit on the wing or something?

@TheGuinnessTooth: If you are in the service industry, servicing people, you WILL see guide dogs in your career. She shouldn't be a flight attendant if she can't handle the sight of a guide dog.

And I don't care how cute/cuddly/working dog it is, fear is fear, and just because it's a working dog doesn't mean it won't act strange. There's a mailroom worker in my building who has a guide dog. The few times I've been in its vicinity, it has wanted to check me out, and I don't mean eyeballing. Working dog or no, it was violating its training.

As for how people can be afraid of dogs: Very easily. They have these things called teeth that can very easily sink into you without much warning. This is usually predicated by some angry snarling, but not always. And while some have well trained dogs, the majority of the dogs I've met aren't leashed or controlled in anyway. Where cats tends to run and hide unless pushed, dogs are much quicker to attack.

I'd get worked up into a lather, but it's Delta (AKA the worst airline in the history of air travel). That's exactly the level of service I'd expect from them.

@valueofaloonie: She shouldn't be working on any flights if she's afraid of a guide dog.

"It then she was approached by a Delta employee and told that a flight attendant on the flight was scared of dogs and that she'd have to change her seat. "

And that flight attendant needs a new job. If you're afraid of dogs and your job requires you to deal with people, you WILL see guide dogs (and other guide animals) at some point. Afraid of 'em? Get a new line of work.

[www.aclu.org]

This sounds like an employee that needs serious re-training and a flight attendant that needs to retire. If the woman with the Guide/Service dog needed care in an emergency would the Attendant refuse because of her fear of dogs?

The two most acceptable dogs to me are (in no particular order):

- Beagle Brigade used by the Department of Agriculture. They look adorable in their doggy vests while sniffing your bags for food.

- Seeing Eye Dogs, also vest-wearing service animals, who tend to be vigilant, meticulously trained, and low-key.

Maybe I just hate dogs not wearing vests?

Still, if I were seated next to the dog, I'd ask permission to pet it, and give it a treat or two. We're not ALL weird, dog-fearing freaks (whom, as I said, we do need to accommodate).

Then we got a dog, who's now an 80 pound Siberian Husky and the nicest (people say that but there must be something up with this dog, if someone broke into our house he'd lick their hand leave with them) large dog and I love him. Some big dogs still make me nervous but the Husky helped.

Even my grandmother who my mum said for 30 years wouldn't even go near a dog petted him, so that's a good sign.

It's not the stewardess' fault. It sounds like there have been other issues with Delta, but this one? Just a difficult situation. What would y'all prefer, for this woman and her dog to have to move, or to have a distressed and unable to properly perform her job stewardess?

I sympathize with the flight attendant because I have a phobia about flying. I'm a wreck every time I even think about getting on an airplane, and I know it's the safest way to travel. I understand lift and drag, and none of that matters. Trust me, that flight attendant sat in terror the whole time, and that sucks.

There had to be an option for the flight attendant to sit someplace else.

I don't know that is the case here, but it could be.

Just because you have not experienced that type of reaction doesn't make it less real. I don't have allergies, but I don't mock the people that do.

@Esquire99: I think they started out Telling her, but then the CRO told them they couldn't Tell her, so then they Asked.

My take. Either way, they could always shuffle the attendants. It's not rocket science.

@TheGuinnessTooth: I want to make a rational argument here, but you're clearly an irrational person, so I'm not even going to bother.

@Saboth: Since Natalie's mom let the flight know ahead of time that she would be bringing her service dog, it was still the airline's responsibility to accomodate her, even if it meant changing the employee's schedule so she wouldn't come in contact with something she's afraid of.

And that could be solved by having the attendant work first class that flight.

and she better have curled up in a corner type fear if she is going to make a fuss about a gentle guide dog - who most likely laid like a lump on the ground the entire flight.

It's not rational and it's not the persons fault. It causes real physiological reactions. Hyperventilation, increased heart rate, faintness, shortness of breath.

However it does not mean the person cannot be reasonable or professional away from the dog. Calmly telling the passenger that she has a clinical phobia of dogs and that if she seems curt or mean, she is not trying to be can go a long way.

Or the attendant was just being an ass.

Also, you really want to tell a blind woman, who relies on her dog to BE HER FREAKING EYES, to leave the dog someplace and go sit alone? Really?

You, sir, are way, WAY too cold for comfort.

lol

Animal lovers don't treat dogs like a thing. Not even guide dogs. I know a lot of blind people don't treat their seeing eyes dog as a wheelchair. It is their companion also. Please don't treat your seeing eyes dog like a wheelchair. They are lovely, they help you. Do you even talk to your wheelchair? What do you feed your wheelchair with?

I dunno, I was kind of thinking maybe a dog bit off half her face when she was 5, so she has a phobia. Since I'm a dog lovin kind of guy, that is the only rational explanation!

Sounds more like a control issue than a fear issue. If it was a problem she could have had another flight attendant complain about it if she was truly afraid of it. Except that the other attendants probably knew better than her.

While I think that was way out of line, I'm not entirely sure they'd be required to give her that seat(at the bulkhead) if the dog was able to be accommodated in another seat in the cabin. They have to make reasonable accommodations, but one that is made solely for the comfort of the passenger/dog is probably not encompassed in that requirement. She seems to indicate that she likes the bulkhead seat only because it gives the dog more room. I think that might be outside the intent of the ADA, etc. So long as the dog can be accommodated in the seat they assign her to, even if it doesn't have a ton of room, I suspect they're probably in compliance with the law.

I disagree. Ten years ago at the age of 1 my son was charged and barked at by our neighbor's pit bull. Ever since that moment my son has been terrified of all dogs, big or small. It doesn't take a mauling to put a very real fear of dogs into a person, and once there it is not easy to get rid of, I know, we've tried everything including getting help for him. He's now 11 years old and I still see terror in his eyes whenever he hears or sees a dog. I really think you need to reconsider your lack of trust for people who have a fear of dogs.

"Throughout the flight, the supposedly terrified attendant bothered her every time the dog's tail was in the foot space of the seat next to her - which was empty - asking her to move the dog."

You would think a flight attendant has seen everything and has learned to deal with people properly, but apparently not. Maybe they need to retrain their attendants or find some way to make the company aware of phobias or past traumatic experiences to avoid situations like these that make the company look bad.

What Delta did was wrong, but I think everyone is entitled to their own dose of phobia without having to be judged.

Besides...this act just shows how selfish this flight attendant is. If she/he does not like the color green, do I have to take off my shirt?

@TheGuinnessTooth: So, you are suggesting that the service dog should have been separated from its owner? Now, that's a recipe for disaster.

I can understand someone's fear of an everyday, garden variety dog.

But a WORKING dog? Seriously?! I thought people were aware of the extensive training they go through. Apparently not.

This is beyond stupid. She shouldn't have to go through this to get her dog on the plane.

I don't trust people who are afraid of dogs. I'm serious. Unless that person was mauled by a pit-bull when they were six.. then they can be afraid of dogs and I won't judge them. Otherwise.. you are afraid of dogs? There's probably something wrong with you.

But...be that as it may, this is completely ridiculous.

Wow... agreed.

Don't know the state from your post... but every state has a Protection and Advocacy agency for people with disabilities-- I'd give yours a call to see if they have an interest in this.

[www.napas.org]

Okay, that's beyond ridiculous. Why wouldn't they just have the flight attendant change seats?