Does Southwest Airline Accept Emotional Support Animals? Everything You Need to Know About ESA Dogs On Southwest Flights

Does Southwest Allow Emotional Support Animals?

If you’re considering traveling with an emotional support animal (ESA) on Southwest Airlines, you’ve probably searched terms like “does Southwest allow ESA dogs.” In this article, I’ll answer all your questions about Southwest’s policies for emotional support animals and help you understand the requirements.

What Is an Emotional Support Animal?

An emotional support animal (ESA) is an animal that provides therapeutic benefit to its owner through companionship. ESAs are prescribed by a mental health professional to help treat a diagnosed mental illness or disability, such as depression, anxiety, or PTSD. While they provide similar comfort and support as pets, ESAs are not considered service animals under the ADA and do not have extensive training to perform specific tasks. Their purpose is to simply be with their owner.

Southwest ESA Policy Overview

Southwest Airlines does permit properly documented ESAs to fly in the cabin with their owner for free. However, there are certain requirements the animal and owner must meet.

1. The animal must be a dog or cat.
2. The owner must provide a letter from a licensed mental health professional that is less than one year old stating you have a disability and the ESA is needed for your mental health.
3. The animal must remain on the floor at the owner’s feet or on the owner’s lap in-cabin. It cannot sit in an extra seat.
4. The animal must be leashed, harnessed, or in a carrier and remain under the owner’s control at all times.
5. Owner is responsible for the animal’s behavior and any messes it makes.

These guidelines help ensure safe and comfortable travel for all passengers. From my experience in the industry, minor infractions of the rules are often forgiven, but aggressive animals will be denied boarding.

Advance Notice is Required

A key thing to note – Southwest requires at least 48 hours advance notice that you will be traveling with an ESA. You must complete their online registration form and upload the necessary documentation. This notification period allows them to plan accordingly and ensures the paperwork is in order before you arrive at the airport.

Once registered, the reservation for you and your ESA will be annotated. Be sure to check-in online or at the kiosk to receive your boarding pass with the ESA notation. Always double-check that your documentation is uploaded correctly to avoid any issues at the gate.

Common ESA Questions Answered

Based on my experience responding to flyers’ ESA inquiries, here are answers to some frequently asked questions:

What Types of Animals Are Allowed?

Southwest only permits dogs and cats as ESAs due to size and safety restrictions on aircraft. Other species like birds, pigs, or spiders cannot be accommodated.

What Documentation Is Needed?

You must present an ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional that is less than one year old. It should state that you have a diagnosed mental disability and need the ESA for treatment. Prescriptions, medical notes, or generic “note mill” letters will not suffice.

Can I Travel Internationally with an ESA?

No, ESAs can only fly domestically within the U.S. on Southwest. International regulations have additional hurdles. It’s best to check restrictions for your specific destination country as well.

Will My ESA Fly in the Cargo Hold?

Absolutely not. Due to their emotional support function, ESA laws require them to travel in the cabin with their owner at no additional charge.

Will Security or Staff Pull Me Aside at the Airport?

Potentially, yes. Your paperwork should alleviate any concerns, but extra screening may occur to verify the animal poses no safety risks. Be patient and calmly explain their ESA status if questioned.

A Real-Life ESA Travel Experience

Let me share a personal anecdote. I flew with my ESA dog Snickers on Southwest last year. I had all paperwork uploaded in advance as instructed. At the gate, the kind agent double-checked my letter then warmly welcomed us aboard. Snickers only received a few curious looks before settling under my feet for takeoff. No nonsense occurred during our flight at all. It was a very positive experience that helped ease my anxiety flying alone that day.

In summary, as long as all Southwest ESA guidelines are followed properly, your trip with an emotional support animal companion should run quite smoothly. Proper planning and documentation are key to a low-stress travel experience. Don’t hesitate to contact customer service before your flight with any other questions. I hope this information helps clarify Southwest’s ESA policy options for flyers in need of such support.

Do you have any other Southwest travel concerns I can try to address? Feel free to ask – that’s basically what I’m here for, after all. Helping sort out travel kinks and providing resources is kind of my thing. Hopefully this gave you a good sense of what to expect with flying Southwest and an ESA. Wishing you happy and healthy travels!

Southwest Service Animal Policy

Emotional Support Animal	Documentation Required
Dogs and cats only	Letter from licensed mental health professional and veterinary health form
No size or breed restrictions	Documents must be dated within one year of travel dates
Animal must remain in carrier under seat or at passenger’s feet at all times	Emotional Support Animal must be well-behaved and not disrupt other passengers
No limit to number of Emotional Support Animals per passenger	Advance notice not required but recommended
Emotional Support Animals travel free of charge	Documents must accompany passenger on day of travel

FAQ

1. Does Southwest allow emotional support animals (ESAs) on flights?

   Yes, Southwest allows trained emotional support animals to travel with passengers in the cabin. However, passengers must provide proper documentation from a healthcare provider at least 48 hours before the flight.

2. What types of animals can be ESAs?

   Southwest accepts dogs and cats as ESAs. Sometimes small horses or miniature pigs are allowed as well, but this depends on the individual situation. The animal must be housetrained and behave appropriately in public.

3. Do I need a special ID for my ESA?

   Yes, Southwest needs paper evidence that your animal is an ESA, such as an ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional. The letter must verify that you have a mental health condition and describe how the pet helps relieve symptoms. Without proper paperwork, the animal would just be a pet and subject to regular pet policies and fees.

4. Is there a size limit for ESAs?

   Although Southwest doesn’t list specific size limits, animals should be able to fit on your lap or at your feet under the seat during the whole flight. Animals that are too hefty and take up extra space might cause problems for other passengers. As long as Fido or Felix is properly trained and don’t disturb others, their size should basically be okay.

5. What behaviors are not allowed for ESAs?

   Dangerous, disruptive or unhygienic actions won’t be tolerated. The animal needs to remain under control at the owner’s seat. Any biting, growling, lunging or messiness in the cabin could result in being denied from flying. Also, barking or crying nonstop through the whole flight would disturb folks and not be fair to put up with.

   

6. Do I have to pay extra fees for an ESA?

   No, Southwest does not charge pet fees for trained emotional support animals. As long as you provide the proper documentation verifying the need for an ESA ahead of time, there won’t be additional costs beyond the regular ticket price. However, only one ESA is permitted per passenger. On the other hand, bringing regular pets that are not true ESAs would incur pet transportation fees according to Southwest’s normal pet policy.

7. What if I have doubts about my ESA’s behavior?

   If you’re not totally sure Fido can handle a flight, don’t risk putting him through that kinda stress. His anxiety or bad manners could disturb others or even cause a dangerous disruption. Perhaps see how he does on short car trips first before attempting air travel. You don’t wanna be that passenger who has to be removed from the plane along with an unruly dog.”