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>> Delta Airlines on Friday tightening the leash on passengers who want to fly with their pets. The carrier is raising requirements for bringing service and emotional support animals on board, following a sharp uptick in animal related safety issues over the last few years. Reuters correspondence, Alana Weiss.>> They've seen upwards of 80% increase in the number of instances involving animals, including animals urinating or defecating on planes.
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Animals barking or growling at be it Delta employees or other passengers. And instances of animals going so far as to bite other passengers, which we saw, in Georgia. A man was bitten pretty badly by a 70 pound dog on a Delta flight, before takeoff, and it was stuck in a window seat and couldn't get out.
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So these are the reasons why Delta is now implementing these tighter rules.>> And because of vague definitions for what qualifies, Delta said passengers in the past have even carried turkeys, possums, and snakes on planes, as comfort animals. The new rules come in response to what the carrier said was a 150% increase in the number of service and support animals carried on board since 2015.
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The second largest US airline by traffic said passengers seeking to fly with pets, will now need to present additional documents 48 prior to the scheduled flight, outlining their need for the animal. They will also require proof of vaccinations and a signed letter stating the animal is trained to behave without a kennel.