Service Dogs on Spirit Airlines: What You Need to Know

Service dogs are an essential part of many people's lives, providing support and assistance to those in need. Spirit Airlines allows service dogs to accompany their owners on flights.

To travel with a service dog on Spirit Airlines, you'll need to provide documentation from a licensed healthcare professional. This documentation should include the dog's training, certification, and the owner's medical condition.

Service dogs must be under the owner's control at all times during the flight and must not obstruct aisles or other areas. They can sit in the owner's lap or under the seat in front of them.

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Traveling with Service Dogs on Spirit Airlines can be a bit tricky, but don't worry, we've got you covered. To travel with your service animal, you must fill out the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form and submit it online at least 48 hours before your flight.

You'll need to provide credible verbal assurance that your dog is trained to perform a task for a disability, which a Spirit team member will obtain at the airport. Service animal vests, harnesses, ID cards, and registrations are no longer accepted as proof of a trained service dog.

Intriguing read: Spirit Dog Training Reactivity

Spirit Airlines has specific requirements for service animal seating, so be sure to check out the seating requirements. Your service dog must remain in your foot space and cannot extend into other passengers' foot space or the aisle. If your dog needs more space, you can purchase an additional seat or upgrade to Spirit's Big Front Seats.

Here are the key service animal seating requirements:

Remember to review the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form carefully, as knowingly and willfully making false statements on the Form is a Federal crime. The Form must be dated on or after the date you purchased your flight and include updated rabies vaccinations.

Traveling with your service dog requires some planning and attention to detail. To start, you'll need to obtain credible verbal assurance from a Spirit team member at the airport that your dog is trained to perform a task for a disability.

You'll also need to know that Spirit Airlines no longer accepts a service animal vest, harness, ID card, or registration as the sole indication that an animal is a trained service dog. This means you'll need to be prepared to have a conversation with the airline staff to verify your dog's training.

Spirit allows a maximum of two dogs per guest, so if you have more than two, you'll need to contact the airline directly. Additionally, trained service dogs cannot sit in an emergency exit row, so be sure to choose a different seat.

Your dog also needs to be trained to behave properly in public and cannot display any disruptive behavior such as growling, biting, jumping, etc. If your dog is not well-behaved, it may not be permitted in the cabin.

Here's a summary of the key requirements:

To travel with your service animal, you'll need to fill out the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form. This form is a government document, and knowingly making false statements on it is a Federal crime.

The form must be dated on or after the date you purchased your flight and must include updated rabies vaccinations. You'll also need to complete the form in its entirety.

You'll need to submit one form for every new reservation and for each animal if you plan to travel with two service animals. It's recommended to submit the form online at least 48 hours before your flight.

If you can't submit the form online before your flight, you can bring the completed form to the ticket counter or gate on your travel day for the airline to review. However, Spirit recommends allowing extra time at the airport for the team to review and approve your form.

If the team can't approve your dog for travel as a service animal in time for departure, Spirit will offer to rebook you on the next available flight.

Here are the key requirements for submitting the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form:

When traveling with your service dog, it's essential to understand the pet travel options available to you. Your furry friend can sit on your lap as long as your seat is not equipped with inflatable seatbelts.

Service animals are permitted to sit on the floor in front of your feet, but they must not block the aisle. Your dog should never be blocking the aisle or sitting directly on a seat.

Your dog's carrier must be of an approved size to fit underneath the seat in front of you, and they must be kept inside their carrier at all times in the cabin. No animals are allowed to be checked into the cargo hold.

Your dog should not engage in any disruptive behavior while onboard the aircraft, including barking, growling, running, or jumping when unprovoked. If your dog is disruptive, they will not be accepted by the airline as a service animal.

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To travel with your service animal on Spirit Airlines, you'll want to familiarize yourself with their service animal policy, which adheres to federal regulations set forth by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

You'll need to submit the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Service Animal Air Transportation Form 48 hours prior to your flight, and one form must be submitted for every new reservation and for each dog if you're traveling with two.

Here are the essential details you need to know about the form and advance notice:

To travel with your service dog on Spirit Airlines, you'll need to submit the required forms and provide advance notice. The DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form must be dated on or after the date you purchased your flight.

You'll need to complete the form in its entirety and include updated rabies vaccinations. One form must be submitted for every new reservation and for each dog if you plan to travel with two.

If this caught your attention, see: Do Service Dogs Need to Be Registered

You should submit the form 48 hours prior to your flight. This will give the airline enough time to review your submission and ensure everything is in order.

Here's a quick rundown of the form requirements:

Remember, knowingly making false statements on the form is a federal crime, and the airline may forward your form to the government for review if they suspect it's fraudulent.

Traveling with a service animal can be a wonderful experience, but it's essential to remember that they're there for your comfort, not disturbance. Spirit Airlines has a clear policy on service animal behavior, and it's crucial to understand what's expected of you and your furry companion.

Trained service dogs must be well-behaved at the airport and during the flight. If your dog shows signs of disruption, Spirit will not allow it to travel.

Some examples of disruptive behavior include growling, lunging, barking, biting, jumping on other passengers, relieving itself in the wrong areas, and emitting a strong odor. These behaviors can be avoided with proper training.

By training your dog prior to travel, you avoid the discomfort and embarrassment of having a misbehaving dog or even being ejected from your flight.

The emergency escape row is off-limits to service animals. This is an important rule to follow, as service animals have a crucial role in assisting their owners.

If you keep your service animal on your lap, it cannot be larger than a two-year-old child. This means you'll need to consider the size of your service animal when planning your flight.

You cannot sit in any seat with an inflatable seatbelt for the service animal's safety. Rows with inflatable seatbelts are on planes: 319 (1, 4, 5 or D, E, F), 32A/32N (1, 3, 12,13), and 32B (1, 3).

Your service dog must remain in your foot space and cannot extend into other passengers' foot space or the aisle. This ensures the safety and comfort of both your service animal and other passengers.

If your dog needs more space, you can purchase an additional seat or upgrade to Spirit's Big Front Seats. However, remember that even if you purchase an extra seat, your service animal cannot sit on it, only in the foot space in front.

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The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) is a crucial piece of legislation that protects individuals with disabilities.

Under the ACAA, airlines are not allowed to refuse transportation to individuals with disabilities, but this only applies to service animals, not emotional support animals.

Service animals are protected under the ACAA, which means airlines can't refuse them or require advanced notice.

Emotional support animals, on the other hand, were previously protected under the ACAA, but the Department of Transportation (DOT) changed this in 2020.

The DOT announced that emotional support animals would no longer be protected as assistance animals on flights, citing the need to fight off misrepresentation.

However, some experts argue that this new regulation goes too far and may be considered "textbook discrimination".

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Service dogs are highly trained animals that assist individuals with disabilities, and they're allowed on Spirit Airlines flights.

Service dogs must be at least 4 months old and must be under the control of the handler at all times.

Spirit Airlines requires advance notice of 48 hours for service dog travel, which can be done online or by calling their customer service number.

Service dogs are permitted in all cabins of the aircraft, but they must be in a carrier or harness while in the cabin.

According to Spirit Airlines' service animal policy, emotional support animals do not qualify as service animals, and they require a separate documentation process.

Service dogs are exempt from Spirit Airlines' pet fee, but they must be accompanied by their handler at all times.

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Spirit Airlines allows service animals on board its flights, but only dogs that have been specially trained to work for a person with a disability qualify.

You'll need to have all necessary documentation available to avoid any issues when traveling with your service animal.

Spirit Airlines welcomes emotional support animals as long as they comply with the airline's pet policy.

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Dogs on Planes encourages all travelers with any type of service animal to be familiar with their basic rights and responsibilities.

Spirit Airlines imposes its own set of service animal policies within the parameters of federal regulations.

Spirit Airlines has its own set of rules for traveling with service animals, but they adhere to the U.S. Department of Transportation's guidelines.

Service animals must be highly intelligent and remain calm and able to perform their duty at all times, especially under duress.

Certified service animals are trained to work for a person with a disability and are not just emotional support animals.