Alaska Airlines will ban emotional support animals (ESAs) for all bookings made Jan. 11 or later.
In addition, the carrier will prohibit ESAs, even for bookings that have already been made, for all flights beginning March 1.
Alaska is the first carrier to announce such a ban since the DOT issued a final rule early this month eliminating the requirement that airlines accept ESAs free of charge. Beginning next month, carriers will only be required to accept service dogs trained to help people with specific physical or emotional disabilities.
"This regulatory change is welcome news, as it will help us reduce disturbances onboard, while continuing to accommodate our guests traveling with qualified service animals," Ray Prentice, Alaska's director of customer advocacy, said in a Tuesday announcement.
Under the revised policy, Alaska will accept a maximum of two service dogs per guest in the cabin. Customers will be required to complete a DOT form attesting that their animal is a legitimate service dog that has been trained and vaccinated. For reservations booked more than 48 hours in advance, customers must submit the form via email. Flyers who book under 48 hours must submit the form to a customer service agent upon arrival at the airport.
Alaska will charge a fee of $100 each way for the transport of all other pets. Passengers may bring one pet carrier into the cabin for the transport of dogs, cats, rabbits and birds, provided that the pet carrier fits under the seat. In total, up to five pet carriers are allowed in the economy cabin of each plane. Alaska will accommodate just one pet carrier per flight in first class.
All other animals must be transported in the baggage compartment.
The DOT's decision to eliminate ESAs as a regulatory classification came after many flyers began abusing the system as a way to get around airline pet fees. Under the regulation expiring this week, airlines have been required to allow flyers to bring dogs and cats onto the plane as long as they provide a note from a mental health professional attesting that they have an emotional disorder and that they would be helped by an ESA.
The regulatory classification spawned a cottage industry of online businesses providing ESA validation letters from mental health clinicians with same-day delivery, often after only a short online mental health assessment.