Service and emotional support animals
Flying in the cabin
Fully-trained service animals and emotional support / psychiatric service animals may fly in the cabin at no charge if they meet the requirements.
Emotional support / psychiatric service animals
Emotional support / psychiatric service animals assist individuals with emotional, psychiatric or cognitive disabilities.
Advanced notice and approval is required to bring an emotional support / psychiatric service animal with you in the cabin.
Trained service animals
Trained service animals have been specifically trained to perform life functions for individuals with disabilities, including but not limited to:
- Visual impairments
- Deafness
- Seizures
- Mobility impairments
We encourage advanced notice for service animals, but it isn’t required. We also recommend that you travel with current vaccination documentation for your animal.
As the requirements for transporting each type of animal differ, our employees are trained to ask certain questions to determine the classification applicable to your animal.
Requirements
- 1 emotional support / psychiatric service animal per person
- Cats and dogs (trained miniature horse may be permitted as a service animal) are generally acceptable as service and support animals; any other animals must comply with the US Department of Transportation requirements for health and safety including documentation of the animal’s up to date vaccination records and may not cause significant cabin disruption
- Animal must be 4 months or older
- Animal must be clean and well-behaved
- Animal must be able to fit at your feet, under your seat or in your lap (lap animals must be smaller than a 2-year old child)
- Final approval for travel will not happen until you arrive at the airport and it is determined that the animal will safely fit at your feet.
- If the animal is in a kennel, it must fit under the seat in front of you with the animal in it.
Animals may not:
- Be seated in an exit row
- Protrude into or block aisles
- Occupy a seat
- Eat from tray tables
If your animal is too large or too heavy to be safely accommodated in the cabin, you may need to:
- Rebook on a flight with more open seats
- Buy a ticket for the animal
- Transport the animal as a checked pet
Animal behavior
Animals must be trained to behave properly in public and they won’t be permitted in the cabin if they display any form of disruptive behavior that can’t be successfully corrected or controlled, including but not limited to:
- Growling
- Biting or attempting to bite
- Jumping on or lunging at people
Emotional support / psychiatric service animals must be in your control at all times by leash and / or harness.
If this behavior is observed at any point during your journey and isn't corrected or controlled, the animal will be considered a pet and all requirements and applicable fees will apply.
Advance notice required
To travel with an emotional support / psychiatric service animal in the cabin, you must submit all required forms to the Special Assistance Desk at least 48 hours before your flight. We’ll notify you upon document approval.
If you don’t complete or meet all the requirements, your animal may be able to fly as a pet. All applicable fees apply.
Forms required for travel
Emotional support / psychiatric service animals
You must complete, submit and receive approval of all 3 forms before your animal will be allowed to fly:
- Medical / Mental Health Professional Form
- Veterinary Health Form, or vaccination record with current rabies vaccination information
- Confirmation of Animal Behavior Form
Download the emotional and psychiatric service animal document packet
Instructions
- Read and complete all 3 forms
- Submit all 3 forms together at least 48 hours before your flight
- Keep documents with you during your trip
Fax forms to: 817-967-4715
All service and support animals
If you have a flight over 8 hours in your itinerary, the Animal Sanitation Form is also required stating your animal won’t need to relieve itself or can do so in a way that doesn’t create a health or sanitation issue.
Destinations with restrictions
Emotional support and trained service dogs and cats can travel in the cabin to / from all Hawaiian islands. All other animals (with the exception of service dogs and cats) must first go through Honolulu for acceptance by Hawaiian quarantine officials.
Your service animals must meet our travel requirements as well as the quarantine restrictions and documentation requirements set by the state of Hawaii. You must provide applicable documentation for both at check-in.
Dogs and cats traveling to LHR need approval from the Heathrow Animal Reception Center (HARC). You should contact them as soon as possible, but at least 7 days before your flight. The HARC charges a fee (£366) for animals that do not meet the criteria for assistance animals.
Emotional support animals aren't accepted on flights operated by British Airways for destinations outside the U.S.
To fly to LHR:
- Notify the HARC via email
- If approved, a letter will be sent
- Print the letter and provide it at check-in
Contact the HARC Opens another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines
To fly with dogs and cats, email Scotland’s animal travel agency at least 48 hours before your flight. You'll need to carry an ID card or valid certificate from the organization that trained or supplied the animal.
Dogs and cats need pre-approval letters from the Animal Reception Center in your destination city. You’ll need to travel with the letter and any required health documentation.
Service animals and emotional support / psychiatric service animals can travel in the cabin to / from Ireland. All dogs must be fully compliant with the rules for entering Ireland. You’ll need to notify the Irish Authorities in advance to arrange a mandatory veterinary compliance check upon arrival.
A €50 compliance check fee applies for emotional support and psychiatric service animals and will be collected when you present your animal at the airport in Ireland.
Dogs and cats can travel in the cabin. You'll need to contact the Animal Quarantine Service no less than 40 days before your arrival.
Only dogs can be accepted as service animals; emotional support animals of any kind cannot be accepted.
Only dogs can be accepted as service animals; emotional support animals of any kind cannot be accepted. You’ll need to contact the Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department at least 10 days before your arrival to complete all requirements.
Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department
Service and emotional support animals require an animal import permit from the Guyana Ministry of Agriculture. You must travel with and provide the import permit at check-in.
Only dogs can be accepted as service animals; emotional support animals of any kind cannot be accepted. You’ll need to complete the St Vincent and the Grenadines Animal Import Permit Application and submit it to the St Vincent and the Grenadines Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. You must travel with and present the import permit and a valid health certificate at check-in for your service dog.