Woman Refuses to Give Up Seat on Plane for 'Emotional Support' Pitbull

Delta Air Lines has issued an apology to a woman who was asked by another passenger to give up her seat for an "emotional support" pitbull. TV writer Kiana Fowlkes took to Twitter to detail what unfolded during her Delta flight from LAX to Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport on June 18. U.S. airlines have not been required to transport emotional support animals since 2020, bringing an end to a time when horses, pigs and even peacocks were brought onboard by passengers for psychological reasons. Under the current rules governed by the Department of Transportation, only dogs qualify as service animals. Yet while the rules may have been simplified, three years on, it would appear the system is still experiencing problems.

Fowlkes was surprised, to say the least, by what she found when she boarded her recent Delta flight. "There was a dog in my seat," she told Newsweek. "The woman asked if I would give up my seat for the dog. I immediately said no." She said that the dog's owner reacted as if she was being "unreasonable" at not wanting to give up her seat to the canine. "I don't know where she expected me to go," Fowlkes said. "I was honestly shocked." Fowlkes said she went to the back of the plane to speak to a member of staff about the situation but they "offered little to nothing" to help. As a result, she said both she and the woman sitting on the aisle were "forced" to sit through an entire four-and-a-half-hour flight next to a woman with a pitbull on her lap. While she was keen to stress that the dog was "fine and non problematic" on the flight, both she and the other woman sitting on the other side had to contend with dog hair, the canine becoming increasingly restless and the fact the woman made multiple trips to the bathroom with her dog in tow. Fowlkes also alleges that the dog owner used a vape pen on the flight, despite their use being banned on flights. Fowlkes remains skeptical as to whether the pitbull was actually a service dog. "She kept saying it's emotional support," Fowlkes said. "She said she had service animal paperwork but no vest on the dog to identify it? The dog was still a puppy, and not fully trained. She never stated what she needed the dog for. Service animals also lay on the ground and are trained to fit in the space on the plane." Fowlkes is keen to stress that she is not opposed to emotional support animals or service animals being on flights "as long as they're actually training and not encroaching."

However, she's not convinced this pitbull falls into that category. According to Delta guidelines, service animals are only accepted in cabins for "qualified individuals with a disability" and only "trained service animals that are dogs" are allowed. A spokesperson for Delta Air Lines told Newsweek the incident is now being investigated. "With the exception of approved service animals, Delta requires that all pets brought on-board must be able to fit in a small, ventilated pet carrier that fits under the seat in front of you," the spokesperson said. "What is displayed in these videos ... is both in violation of Delta and federal policy. We are currently conducting an internal investigation and apologize to the customers inconvenienced by this situation." Reflecting on the experience, Fawlkes said: "I just think that this is all unfortunate and very uncomfortable for me and the woman in the aisle seat." "I really wish the flight attendants had stepped up but also fully understand that they are being attacked on flights everyday by customers," she added. "In the end it's on Delta to make sure their staff feels empowered to do their jobs and enforce the rules and to ensure their paying customers have safe and comfortable flights."

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