In reply to dean1484 :
Or you could require that all passengers bring their own 'chute, just in case they get too loud 
In reply to dean1484 :
Or you could require that all passengers bring their own 'chute, just in case they get too loud
In reply to fasted58 :
So you also belong to PETA, People Eating Tasty Animals. I've been a member for a long time. Not for nothing, but if true, that gal needs more than a hamster to calm her act down.
My guess is the interaction went down something like this:
Stewardess: I'm sorry, miss. Is that a hamster? Ummm, you can't fly with that hamster.
Chick: Bu-bu-bu-but it's an emotional support hamster. *My* emotional support hamster.
Stewardess: Is he a service animal then?
Chick: No.
Stewardess: I'm so sorry. We can't allow it aboard.
Chick: Well, I really want--I *NEED* to get on this flight.
Stewardess: I understand.
Chick: What if I, uh, flush him? Can I fly then?
Stewardess: I suppose, but that seems drastic. Why not get another flight on a different airline that will accept your emotional support hamster? I mean, we are not suggesting that you kill him.
Chick: I'll get another one. I can get one that looks just like Charley for 5 bucks. I'll flush him...I can go over there to the lavatory, right? I'll be right back.
Stewardess: Uhhh....
I was nervous this was going to be a bad Habitrail story.
There goes my plan for a support sloth.
If he was to be flushed at cruising altitude, does he freeze on the way down? Or.......
Just wondering how the physics work.
I wonder what the terminal velocity of a hamster at 35,000 feet is?
In reply to Appleseed :
Laden or unladen?
Instead of flushing the little fella, perhaps she should have inquired if anyone on board had a support python she could feed him to.
Seriously though, this problem comes from two sides. The ADA has pushed extremely hard for service animal acceptance, and rightfully so. Service dogs used to be limited, and their owners were excluded from a lot of stuff. Grocery stores, public transport, parks, you name it. So they fought, and won.
This opened Pandoras box. As acceptance for service animals increased, so did need and acceptable diagnosis. And with that comes perceived need. Suddenly blind and paraplegic becomes blind, para, diabetic, epileptic, etc. Then....mental health got in. Ptsd is a popular one. Know what one of the major components of ptsd is? Anxiety. An emotional disorder. Suddenly- "emotions" become an acceptable disability. Some people are allergic to dogs. So...cats. birds. berkeleying hamsters. Peacocks. There's a woman that brings a berkeleying monkey to wdw. Everyone knows about her. She's almost as famous as ferrari man.
And because it's the internet, you don't even need an actual dx or referral to get one. All you need is an inkjet and a credit card. Now, even the ADA differs in what defines a "service animal" and an emotional support animal. Service animals go through extremely rigorous training. Not all pass. You've seen these before. They have on vests, usually a handle, say "service animal do not pet" and could give two E36 M3s about you. They are hyper focused on what's going on for their person. Commonly known as "four on the floor". All paws down and in action at all times. Ess animals don't technically need anything. They are also not subject to the same rules, and are not legally covered by the ADA, NOR is there any real rules as to what qualifies. What Rico said about an ess komodo dragon wasn't far off. I actually went through a good portion of the process myself to highlight the ridiculousness of the issue..... turns out paperwork is a lot easier than acquiring a sloth. However, asking "is that a service animal" is about as far as people can go without getting into some seriously murky discriminatory issues, and the ADA LOVES a good legal battle. So, when I see things like a pug in a goddamn stroller in my store, I can get myself in a whole heap of legal trouble and lose my job, despite knowing goddamn well what the rules are. And everyone knows it.
Case in point. I know of a guest at a wdw property with an "ess" dog, that she claimed was a service animal. She threw a E36 M3 fit because the dog couldn't come in the pool with her. Legally, a service animal isn't allowed in the pool anyways. It can be on the deck, like 3 feet from the water. Same as taking the damn thing on space mountain, really. Not a good plan regardless. The kicker? This was a E36 M3ty little white football of a dog (locally known as a rat on a string) that she carried around in a Louis vuitton purse or some E36 M3. Not a service animal in any sense. Not legally protected in any way shape or form. But, all that woman had to say was "service animal" and everyone backed away from that fight like she had the plague.
I won't get into how I feel personally about these people, because...i just won't. All I will say is it's symptomatic of a much larger issue. But people are abusing the privilege, and cases like this are perfect examples. Spirit knew that wasn't a service animal, and had every right to deny her. ADA will take spirit to task, because everyone likes to hate corporate, double for airlines, and triple for spirit. I just hope it doesn't screw everyone in the process, both from a people who legitimately need it perspective, and from a logistical nightmare side.
dean1484 said:Yay I want to be locked in a metal tube sitting next to some one who depends on a therapy hamster to get by.
I want to start an airline called “NOBS”. Basically you sit quietly when on our plains. Talking is ok but must be kept in hushed tones. You must be dressed to a minimum standard. No kids. We reserve the right to kick you off at any time for any reason. Don’t like it don’t fly with us. Flying with us is not a right it is a privilege.
How much? I’m serious. Shut up and take my money. Im really, really serious.
In reply to Mndsm :
I don't disagree with anything you said. I think the biggest issue is that there's no repercussions for claiming it is a service animal when in fact it isn't which leads to flagrant abuse.
On the flip side ADA limits the definition to dog. Period. There's a handful of edge cases where it's a miniature pony or very rare cases a gross ass monkey. So it's pretty easy to challenge people with peacocks, komodo dragons, and hamsters and be sure you aren't running afoul of the ADA.
Richard Gere. Who today remembers the 90s?
Appleseed said:What do you mean I can't fly with my emotional support flame-thrower?
Emotional support not flame throwers are ok
Wally said:First they turned away the service peacock, now the support hamster, I'm afraid they'll turn away my therapy gator when I go away too.
"How is this a 'therapy' gator?"
"It eats people who annoy me and I feel better."
In reply to The0retical :
You're right. It's very easy to challenge someone. However , no one wants to do it. Everyone is so far up everyone else's ass about things like the customer is always right that no one stands up for themselves . Case in point, I had a woman reading me the riot act years ago because I wouldn't do something the way she wanted, despite it being impossible. I told her she needed to do it right, and ended the conversation. This was after she and her supervisor spent 10 minutes quite literally screaming at me(they put the call on speaker phone). She decided to pull the race card. Despite having the entire call recorded, I'm the one that took the hit, because no one wants to fight a discrimination issue anymore and everyone knows it. Especially when I happen to be the straight white male with blonde hair and blue eyes that clearly was being racist. (Notice I said phone call. No way anyone could 100% guarantee race. Sure, voices and accents, but that's not grounds legally)
This is exactly what happens with ADA cases. And especially when you're a property like disney, it's easier to turn a blind eye than suffer the slings and arrows of a mob looking to lynch Frankensteins monster.
Here's an article on the recent explosion of service animals:
Mndsm said:In reply to The0retical :
Despite having the entire call recorded, I'm the one that took the hit, because no one wants to fight a discrimination issue anymore and everyone knows it. Especially when I happen to be the straight white male with blonde hair and blue eyes that clearly was being racist. (Notice I said phone call. No way anyone could 100% guarantee race. Sure, voices and accents, but that's not grounds legally)
Reminds me of a thing that happened to my uncle, a man with pale skin, blond hair, and blue eyes, in the '80s.
Living in Ontario, he mentioned to a friend that he was from Barbados. With a look of shock on her face, she exclaimed "Why Chris, I had no idea that you're black!"
Mndsm said:In reply to Appleseed :
Laden or unladen?
Don’t you mean “African or European”. 
EastCoastMojo said:In reply to dean1484 :
Or you could require that all passengers bring their own 'chute, just in case they get too loud
Perfectly ok BUT. That is your one piece of carry on luggage. And we also reserve the right to leave any and all carry on luggage at the gate if we deem it to be a nuisance to other passengers. And no we will not check it for you. It goes to the dumpster.
Interesting attitudes from a bunch of people that constantly modify there cars to no longer meet state and/or federal regulations.
z31maniac said:Interesting attitudes from a bunch of people that constantly modify there cars to no longer meet state and/or federal regulations.
What are you talking about. Every one of my cars is completely legal. I am a state inspector. I of all people have to be compliant.
Also what is the relevance of what some does to and with there car have anything to do with our opinion of air travel.
z31maniac said:Interesting attitudes from a bunch of people that constantly modify there cars to no longer meet state and/or federal regulations.
Yeah, but if I get pulled over for violating I'm not gonna flush my car down the toilet and sue the cops for a new one. I'm gonna take my lumps and move on. Plus, I'm not faking a disability. I'm being an asshat and owning it .
Mndsm said:z31maniac said:Interesting attitudes from a bunch of people that constantly modify there cars to no longer meet state and/or federal regulations.
Yeah, but if I get pulled over for violating I'm not gonna flush my car down the toilet and sue the cops for a new one. I'm gonna take my lumps and move on. Plus, I'm not faking a disability. I'm being an asshat and owning it .
You're assuming she is faking it. Not to mention, "support" animals don't fall under the same Federal guidelines as "service" animals.
You guys are basically saying "I think it's stupid so who cares if they forced her to kill her animal."
That seems incredibly callous.
No one forced her to kill it. She had many other options including not boarding the flight.
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