National Federation of the Blind Statement on Delta's New Service Animal Policy

Introduction

The National Federation of the Blind stated the following with regard to the new service and support animal policy announced by Delta Air Lines on January 19th.

Main Item

We are deeply concerned that Delta Air Lines has taken this action without consulting the National Federation of the Blind, our division the National Association of Guide Dog Users, or any other democratically elected representative of blind Americans.

Blind people have safely and successfully used guide dogs for decades, but this policy fails to make a clear or practical distinction among guide dogs, other "service and support animals" (as Delta puts it), and pets.

Onerous restrictions on guide dog handlers do not resolve anything and violate the principle of equal access for passengers with disabilities.

Furthermore, we believe that elements of Delta's policy, as currently articulated, violate the Air Carrier Access Act.

We are particularly troubled by the requirement that guide dog users submit paperwork to Delta forty-eight hours before flying.

Travelers without guide dogs are not required to plan their travel forty-eight hours in advance.

Furthermore, guide dog users will no longer be able to fly Delta in family, medical, or other emergencies. We believe that this forty-eight hour requirement is both unnecessary and unlawful.

We are asking for an urgent meeting with Delta and stand ready to work with it and other airlines to craft fair and reasonable policies to address the concerns of air carriers, their personnel, and their passengers, without imposing undue, unsupported, and unlawful hardships on guide dog users.

The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind Americans.

Founded in 1940, the NFB consists of affiliates, chapters, and divisions in the fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico.

The NFB defends the rights of blind people of all ages and provides information and support to families with blind children, older Americans who are losing vision, and more.

We believe in the hopes and dreams of blind people and work together to transform them into reality.

Learn more about our many programs and initiatives at www.nfb.org

Attribution/Source(s):
This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its significant relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by National Federation of the Blind, and published on 2018/01/26 (Edit Update: 2019/05/29), the content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, National Federation of the Blind can be contacted at nfb.org. NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.