Service Dog Can't Fly, ADA Doesn't Help

You want to go on a flight with your service dog. You follow the procedures getting all the information you may need ready. What do you do when you're denied entry because your 'service dog' is just an ordinary dog. Then you try another airline and the two of you are allowed to fly without issue.

Would the ticket agent be skeptical of someone in a wheelchair? Using American Sign Language?

A Continental Airline ticket agent did just that. A United airline followed through and allowed the woman to fly with her service dog.

Continental has kind of admitted a mistake as they say the ticket agent "failure to provide you with the correct information would be considered a violation of federal disability law."

But Continental thinks the woman is a valuable customer and doesn't want to lose her business as they "offered her a couple of coupons to make good -- one for 10 percent off of a flight and another for a free drink. She says she'll need to give them to a friend because she's given up on flying for the time being."

Good job Continental. Hopefully this is an isolated incident and not normal.

http://consumerist.com/2010/08/continental-refuses-to-believe-womans-service-dog-is-real.html

http://consumerist.com/2010/09/continental-sorta-apologizes-for-not-allowing-service-dog-on-flight.html