Delta bans puppies and kittens from all its flights

By Andrea Diaz, CNN
Updated 1255 GMT (2055 HKT) December 13, 2018

In keeping with a recent industry trend, the airline is placing more restrictions on service and emotional support animals on its flights.

Delta will ban service and emotional support animals under four months of age from all their flights beginning December 18. The airline also announced Monday they are prohibiting emotional support animals on flights that are over eight hours long.

The changes appear to be partly intended to address animals relieving themselves on airplanes. According to the airline, incidents involving service and support animals -- included urination, defecation, and biting -- increased 84% from 2016 to 2017.

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The airline says its new policy aligns with the US Department of Transportation's Air Carrier Access Act, which states that "airlines may require documentation stating that your animal will not need to relieve itself, or can do so in a sanitary way," on flights longer than eight hours.

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