Airports Council Welcomes DOT Rule on Air Travel and Service Animals

Dec. 2, 2020

Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA), the trade association representing commercial service airports in the United States and Canada, welcomed the final rule put forward by the U.S. Department of Transportation related to service animals and air travel.

“ACI-NA strongly supports the Department of Transportation’s rule to clarify the definition of service animals during air travel,” said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke. “We believe this rule strikes the right balance toward accommodating individuals with disabilities while also ensuring the safety and well-being of other passengers and airport workers. The new rule will help to minimize confusion regarding how our airports operate and accommodate individuals who are traveling with animals. This will eliminate potentially dangerous and unhealthy situations that passengers and airport employees have been placed in at airport facilities and in our terminals, including adverse events with untrained animals. Ultimately this rule will keep our airports safer and ensure the air transportation system remains accessible to all.”