Delta Clarifies Position on 'Fake Service Animals' onboard Flights

Anne Thompson

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Delta Air Lines has clarified that its policy on service animals has not changed following a viral post on Reddit that highlighted the issue of passengers attempting to bring on animals on flights. In a post on the r/Delta subreddit, user u/averagecrazyliberal shared his experience in a post titled: "Delta cracking down on fake service animals!" In the post that has 4,300 upvotes, he explained how while dropping bags at John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, he saw an altercation at the check-in counter. "Another passenger [was] trying to pass off a Shiba Inu (breed of dog) in a red Amazon vest as a service animal," he said. "According to the agent assisting us, turns out Delta is finally cracking down on on the 'support animal' nonsense and only allowing trained service animals without charge [and] out of bags on flights."

Dog and Delta plane — A stock image of a dog in a carrier on board an aircraft, left, and a picture of a Delta Air Lines plane in the sky, right. Delta has clarified its position on support animals... nadisja, Getty Images & Delta Air Lines

As the airport argument continued, the poster said that he had seen four "support animals" in line at the bag check and that many people were upset. However, Delta clarified that its policy on trained service animals on board aircraft has not changed, and told Newsweek: "There hasn't been any change to our policy on this, so not sure if there was some miscommunication between one customer and an agent perhaps." "It seems some sort of actual Department of Transportation documentation is required as proof that your dog is a trained service animal," wrote the Redditor. Last month Delta issued an apology to a woman who was asked by another passenger to give up her seat for an "emotional support" pit bull dog. Airlines in the U.S. have not been required to transport "emotional support" animals since 2020, bringing an end to people taking dogs, horses and even pigs on board planes for psychological reasons. Delta Air Lines allows service animals in the cabin with qualified individuals with a disability. Delta only accepts trained service dogs and has updated its terms so that they do not recognize "emotional support animals" as service animals. "Trained service animals and their associated items travel for free. The size of the animal must not exceed the "footprint" of the passenger's seat," Delta's website explains. After seeing the altercation at the airport, the Redditor was pleased to see the new rules in action. "What a win for us dog lovers who follow the rules when traveling with our pets," he wrote. "We counted literally 4 'support animals' in line with us at sky priority bag check—2 of which were large, full-sized dogs. Lots of rude awakenings in NYC this morning." Commenters on the post also praised a policy that would not allow fake service animals on board. One Redditor said: "If this is honesty true Delta might become my go-to for flying! Fake service animals infuriate me and the people who have them might as well wear a billboard saying so. Usually entitled, rude, inconsiderate and the dogs are often poorly behaved." "It is such a disservice to the people who ACTUALLY NEED their service animals. Right up there with people "needing wheelchairs to board" and walking off," said another comment. u/averagecrazyliberal was approached by Newsweek on Reddit, but did not have further comment for this story.