Delta Bans Support Animals on Flights Longer than 8 Hours

While passengers can no longer bring their emotional-suppport peacock or pig on board flights around the globe after a flurry of complaints hit the skies earlier this year, Delta Air Lines is taking it one step further and not allowing passengers to take their suppoort dogs on flights longer than eight hours. The changes will go into effect on Dec. 18.

Delta’s decision comes after an 84 percent spike in reported incidents involving service and support animals through the 2016-2017 period, including urination, defecation, biting, and an attack by a 70-pound dog (which occurred aboard a Delta flight).

“We will continue to review and enhance our policies and procedures as health and safety are core values at Delta,” John Laughter, Senior Vice President of Corporate Safety, Security and Compliance said in the announcement. “These updates support Delta's commitment to safety and also protect the rights of customers with documented needs – such as veterans with disabilities – to travel with trained service and support animals.”

Those who have already booked their flights and noted that they would be traveling with an emptional-support dog can still bring Fido along as long as the travel date is before the end of February.