Over the last five years, airline pet policies have been both in constant flux and under the microscope. While many pet owners have been calling for laxer rules to bring their smaller friends onboard as “emotional support animals,” a widespread attempt to allow this has led to a number of in-air problems that caused airlines to walk back the change for any animal above a certain size and not specifically designated as a service dog.
Last month, a dog on a United Airlines (UAL) flight which was wearing a service vest but acting in a way a service dog never would went viral on Reddit (RDDT) and caused some to point out how some travelers were flouting the rules to get their pets into the cabin.
Related: United Airlines viral video: 'No way that's a real service dog'
Amid the push-and-pull around which pets are allowed and under which conditions, American Airlines (AAL) announced that it was updating its pet policy to not count a pet carrier as a large personal item for those who want to bring their pet onto the flight.
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American Airlines: ‘Your pet stays in the pet carrier and under the seat in front of you’
“On flights with American you can bring one pet carrier as a carry-on if: you pay the carry-on pet fee [and] your pet stays in the pet carrier and under the seat in front of you the entire flight,” the airline wrote in the updated page on pet transportation rules on its website.
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The carry-on pet fee is $150 for most flights. While the size of the pets allowed has not changed (they need to fit into a carrier that is 18 x 11 x 11 inches), the update has to do with whether they are counted as a large personal item.
Previously, travelers were only allowed to bring one other small personal item like a purse or backpack onboard without paying extra. Now, they can also bring a small carry-on suitcase like anyone else on the plane.
‘You can only bring one with your pet carrier, not both’
While not a huge change, it will significantly bring down the expense of bringing a pet aboard as owners can avoid paying what can sometimes amount to another $100 for a checked bag because they cannot bring anything but a small item onboard.
The change does not affect any larger pet accessories or items that will still need to be checked as a regular or oversized item depending on their size and dimensions. It is also a way for Americans to stand out from competitors like Delta Air Lines (DAL) and United which currently count the pet carrier as the traveler’s main personal item.
“Remember, you can only bring one with your pet carrier, not both,” the airline reminds passengers. “Pet strollers must be checked at the ticket counter, and all checked bag fees apply.”
The policy also applies exclusively to flights within the U.S. and a few rare international exceptions for nearby countries such as Mexico as bringing an animal to another country generally requires specific transportation and custom declaration rules with significantly more paperwork.
