Taking assistance dogs with you

Recognized assistance dogs (Service Animals – SVAN, e.g. seeing-eye dog, hearing dog, diabetes alert dog, seizure alert dog) can be taken with you on board free of charge with Discover Airlines. Please note the information on the following page.

Assistance dogs can be registered via the Medical Operation Center at specialservices.discover-airlines@lufthansa-group.com. If you have any questions, our colleagues will be happy to answer them on +49 (0)69 696 55077. To register your assistance dog in the passenger cabin, we ask you to send the following information 48 hours before departure at the latest:

Dog’s breed and weight
Dog’s age
Which task your dog was trained for or which task your dog performs for you
Required forms

We distinguish between:

Assistance dogs on non-stop flights to/from the US
Assistance dogs on all flights outside the US

If your dog is not an assistance dog, the general requirements for taking dogs with you apply.

To the general advice for traveling with pets in an aircraft

General requirements for taking an assistance dog into the cabin

To ensure the safe and undisturbed operation of the flight, your dog must be trained to be obedient to your commands and must behave appropriately in a public space (in other words, no barking, growling, or jumping up at people or other animals). On no account may the dog relieve itself in the cabin or at the boarding gate, or may only be permitted to do so in such a way as to cause no health risk or hygiene problems. If your dog does not behave in an appropriate manner, Discover Airlines may refuse to transport the animal. You are liable for any damage and additional cost arising from the transport of your dog.

On board:

Your dog must fit in the foot space of your seat and be attached to your seat belt with a pet harness provided by Discover Airlines. The animal may on no account sit on a passenger seat.
We recommend securing the dog with a harness rather than a collar.
You must bring a muzzle for your dog. Should a situation arise in which your dog poses a threat to the safety of other passengers, you will be required to muzzle your dog. Otherwise your dog will be denied travel on Discover Airlines flights. For travel to/from the US and Canada, it is not a requirement to bring a muzzle, however, we strongly request that you bring a muzzle as an added precaution and out of consideration for other passengers.

Information on taking and registering assistance dogs on non-stop flights to/from the US

On direct flights to/from the USA, passengers are permitted to travel with an assistance dog, including a psychotherapeutic assistant dog. The dog must be individually trained to perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability, including a visual, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability, in the way and to the extent required and as defined by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations. Discover Airlines will transport assistance dogs free of charge. The number of assistance dogs per passenger is limited to a maximum of two (2) assistance dogs.

Definition of assistance animal and person with a disability (for purposes of compliance with 14 C.F.R. 382):
Assistance animal

A dog, regardless of type or breed.
That is individually trained to support a person with a disability.
Including a visual, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.
Other animal species than dogs, emotional support animals, comfort animals, companionship animals and assistance animals in training are not assistance animals.

Note: Pursuant to 14 C.F.R. Part 382, emotional support animals are no longer classified as assistance animals under U.S. Department of Transportation regulations, and Discover Airlines will no longer accept or allow this category.

Person with a disability

A person with a physical or mental impairment that, on a permanent or temporary basis, substantially limits significant life activities.
Has proof of the impairment.
Or is accepted as a person with such an impairment pursuant to 14 C.F.R. § 382.3

(a) who, as a passenger, with regard to the purchase (1) of a ticket for transportation by an airline, offers or endeavours in good faith to purchase such a ticket, to purchase or in an otherwise valid way to obtain such a ticket, or (2) air transportation or other services or accommodations required by 14 C.F.R. Part 382 (i) buys or otherwise validly obtains, or attempts in good faith to obtain a ticket for transportation with an airline and presents himself or herself at the airport for the purpose of using the flight to which the ticket pertains; and (ii) meets reasonable, nondiscriminatory contract of carriage requirements applicable to all passengers; or
(b) who uses the ground transport or facilities of a terminal to accompany or collect a person who is travelling, or seeks information about timetables, fare offers, reservations or guidelines, takes steps that are necessary for the use of facilities or services offered to the general public by an airline, and by appropriate means which are provided on demand by the airline.

Entry requirements of the CDC

The entry of dogs into the USA is strictly regulated by the regulation of the CDC (= Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Some countries are categorized by the CDC as high-risk countries for rabies. For details about the restrictions (entry ban) and also the list of high-risk countries, please refer to the following Internet site.

Bringing an animal into the US

Forms required

To travel with an assistance dog, as a precondition of transportation, you are required to complete and submit the following forms to Discover Airlines. This must be done on or after the date you purchase your ticket.

Note:

If you are travelling with an assistance dog and have made a reservation more than 48 hours before the first scheduled departure time of your itinerary, you must transfer these forms to Discover Airlines electronically or in hard copy at least 48 hours in advance of your date of travel.
If you are travelling with an assistance dog and have made a reservation less than 48 hours before the first scheduled departure time of your itinerary, you must hand over these forms to Discover Airlines at your departure gate on the day of travel.

Please complete the following forms and send them via email to the Medical Operation Centre (specialservices.discover-airlines@lufthansa-group.com):

Download U.S. Department of Transportation Service Animal Air Transportation Form (pdf)

Download U.S. Department of Transportation Service Animal Relief Attestation Form (pdf)

If you have a connecting flight/feeder flight outside the USA, we will additionally require a training certificate to book for an assistance dog. Please send us the certificate together with the above-mentioned forms via email.

It is a criminal offence to make false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements knowingly and wilfully on the Service Animal Air Transportation Form or Service Animal Relief Attestation Form to utilise disability support provided under U.S. regulations.

Travel permission: in agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation regulations, Discover Airlines may check whether an animal is approved as an assistance dog. To determine whether an animal is an assistance dog, Discover Airlines may (1) observe the animal to determine whether it displays disruptive or aggressive behaviour that demonstrates that it has not been successfully trained to behave properly in a public setting, or (2) check for certain physical indicators.

Size of assistance dogs: all assistance dogs must fit in the foot space at the passenger’s seat unless transport would contradict the safety requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or German/European law or restrict the space of another passenger.

Tethering/restraining/leashing: Discover Airlines requires that all assistance dogs be kept on a lead at all times by the assistance dog keeper or handler (if applicable) while onboard Discover Airlines aircraft and in airport areas that are owned, leased, or controlled by Discover Airlines.

Refusal to transport an assistance dog: Discover Airlines may refuse to transport an assistance dog in accordance with the U.S. Department of Transportation regulations in the following circumstances:

The assistance dog represents a direct danger to the health or safety of another person.
The assistance dog causes significant disruption in the cabin or in the gate area of the airport or its behaviour in the aircraft or in the gate area of the airport allows one to conclude that it has not been sufficiently trained for appropriate behaviour in public areas.
The assistance dog’s carriage would violate applicable safety or health requirements of a U.S. federal authority, U.S. territory or a foreign government.
The passenger with a disability who wishes to travel with an assistance dog in the cabin of the aircraft does not present the completed relevant forms required by Discover Airlines.

Damage: Discover Airlines reserves the right to take legal action against a passenger travelling with an assistance dog for any damage caused by the assistance dog in accordance with the U.S. Department of Transportation regulations.

Taking assistance dogs with you

General requirements for taking an assistance dog into the cabin

Information on taking and registering assistance dogs on non-stop flights to/from the US

Entry requirements of the CDC

Forms required

Advice on taking and registering approved assistance dogs on all flights outside the US

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