Guidance Concerning the Carriage of Service Animals in Air Transportation Into the United Kingdom, 8268-8277 [E7-3195]
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 37 / Monday, February 26, 2007 / Rules and Regulations
instrument approach procedures to
Potosi Washington County Airport, MO.
The Rule
ycherry on PROD1PC64 with RULES
compliance with FAA directives.
Interested parties were invited to
participate in this rulemaking
proceeding by submitting written
comments on the proposal to the FAA.
No comments objecting to the proposal
were received.
I
This rule amends Title 14 Code of
Federal Regulations part 71 by
establishing a Class E airspace area
extending upward from 700 feet above
the surface at Potosi Washington County
Airport, MO. The establishment of Area
Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning
System (GPS) Instrument Approach
Procedures (IAP) to Runways 2 and 20
have made this action necessary. The
intended effect of this action is to
provide adequate controlled airspace for
Instrument Flight Rules operations at
Potosi Washington County Airport, MO.
The area will be depicted on
appropriate aeronautical charts.
Class E airspace areas extending
upward from 700 feet or more above the
surface of the earth are published in
Paragraph 6005 of FAA Order 7400.9P,
Airspace Designations and Reporting
Points, dated September 1, 2006, and
effective September 15, 2006, which is
incorporated by reference in 14 CFR
71.1. of the same Order. The Class E
airspace designation listed in this
document will be published
subsequently in the Order.
The FAA has determined that this
regulation only involves an established
body of technical regulations for which
frequent and routine amendments are
necessary to keep them operationally
current. Therefore, this regulation—(1)
is not a ‘‘significant regulatory action’’
under Executive Order 12866; (2) is not
a ‘‘significant rule’’ under DOT
Regulatory Policies and Procedures (44
FR 11034; February 26, 1979); and (3)
does not warrant preparation of a
Regulatory Evaluation as the anticipated
impact is so minimal. Since this is a
routine matter that will only affect air
traffic procedures and air navigation, it
is certified that this rule will not have
a significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities
under the criteria of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act.
This rulemaking is promulgated
under the authority described in
Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart I, Section
40103. Under that section, the FAA is
charged with prescribing regulations to
assign the use of the airspace necessary
to ensure the safety of aircraft and the
efficient use of airspace. This regulation
is within the scope of that authority
since it contains aircraft executing
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List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 71
Airspace, Incorporation by reference,
Navigation (Air).
Adoption of the Amendment
In consideration of the foregoing, the
Federal Aviation Administration
amends 14 CFR part 71 as follows:
PART 71—DESIGNATION OF CLASS A,
CLASS B, CLASS C, CLASS D, AND
CLASS E AIRSPACE AREAS;
AIRWAYS; ROUTES; AND REPORTING
POINTS
1. The authority citation for part 71
continues to read as follows:
I
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40103, 40113,
40120; E.O. 10854, 24 FR 9565, 3 CFR, 1959–
1963 Comp., p. 389.
2. The incorporation by reference in
14 CFR 71.1 of Federal Aviation
Administration Order 7400.9P, dated
September 1, 2006, and effective
September 15, 2006, is amended as
follows:
I
Paragraph 6005 Class E airspace areas
extending upward from 700 feet or more
above the surface of the earth.
*
*
*
*
*
ACE MO E5 Potosi, MO
Potosi, Washington County Airport, MO
(Lat. 37°55′45″ N., long. 90°43′53″ W.)
That airspace extending upward from 700
feet above the surface within a 6.4-mile
radius of Potosi, Washington County Airport,
MO.
*
*
*
*
*
Issued in Fort Worth, TX, on February 14,
2007.
Walter Tweedy,
Manager, System Support Group, ATO
Central Service Area.
[FR Doc. 07–805 Filed 2–23–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–M
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary
14 CFR Part 382
Guidance Concerning the Carriage of
Service Animals in Air Transportation
Into the United Kingdom
Office of the Secretary,
Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of guidance concerning
the carriage of service animals in air
transportation from the United States to
the United Kingdom.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This notice publishes
guidance concerning the carriage of
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service animals in air transportation
from the United States (U.S.) to the
United Kingdom (U.K.). These
guidelines address the differences
between U.K. laws regulating the
transport of service animals on flights
into the U.K. and U.S. law with respect
to the carriage of service animals in air
transportation. U.K. laws affecting the
transport of service animals in air travel
differ significantly from the
requirements of the Air Carrier Access
Act (ACAA), 49 U.S.C. 41705, and its
implementing regulation in 14 CFR Part
382, resulting in uncertainty for carriers
and persons with disabilities about the
requirements that apply on flights into
or transiting the U.K.
The purpose of this guidance
document is to assist U.S. and foreign
carriers, as well as passengers with
disabilities, in complying with both U.S.
and U.K. regulations concerning the
transport of service animals on flights
from the U.S. to the U.K. by: (1)
Explaining the procedures passengers
must follow to comply with the U.K.’s
Pet Travel Scheme (PETS); (2)
explaining the procedures U.S. and
foreign carriers must follow to obtain an
approved Required Method of Operation
(RMOP) from the U.K.’s Department for
Environment Food and Rural Affairs
(DEFRA); and (3) notifying both U.S.
and foreign carriers operating flights
between the U.S. and the U.K. that
failure to obtain an approved RMOP
from DEFRA will be considered a
violation of the ACAA and may subject
such carriers to enforcement action by
the U.S. DOT.
ADDRESSES: This guidance document is
available on the Department’s Web site
at https://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/ and
future updates or revisions will also be
posted there. Questions regarding this
notice may be addressed to the Office of
the Assistant General Counsel for
Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings,
C–70, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Room
4116, Washington, DC 20590.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kathleen Blank Riether, Attorney, Office
of the Assistant General Counsel for
Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings,
400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington,
DC 20590; (202) 366–9342; e-mail
kathleen.blankriether@dot.gov.
Introduction
Service animals perform many tasks
to improve the quality of life and
independence of persons with
disabilities. Accordingly, the ability to
travel with a service animal is critically
important to those passengers who rely
on them to assist with their disabilities.
For health and safety reasons, until
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February 2000, all animals traveling into
the U.K. were subject to quarantine for
six months. From February 2000 to
April 2004, U.K. law allowed certain
animals to enter the U.K. without a sixmonth quarantine, but required, among
other things, that they travel in a sealed
kennel on flights into the U.K. In April
2004, U.K. laws were changed to remove
the requirement that dogs and cats
meeting the requirements of the U.K.’s
Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) must be
transported in a sealed kennel when
traveling by air into the U.K.
Consequently, airlines could seek
approval to legally transport PETScompliant animals in the aircraft
passenger cabin for the first time,
opening the door for carriers to comply
with many of the U.S. service animal
requirements on flights into the U.K.
U.S. service animal requirements are
based on the ACAA, which was enacted
in 1986 to prohibit U.S. carriers from
discriminating against air travelers on
the basis of disability. The ACAA was
amended in 2000, by the Wendell H.
Ford Aviation Investment and Reform
Act for the 21st Century (AIR–21), Pub.
L. 106–181 (April 5, 2000), to
specifically cover foreign carriers. The
Department’s rule implementing the
ACAA, 14 CFR Part 382 (Part 382),
which was adopted in 1990, does not by
its terms address foreign carriers.
However, DOT’s Office of the Assistant
General Counsel for Aviation
Enforcement and Proceedings
(Enforcement Office) gave notice, on
May 18, 2000, of its intent to use Part
382 as guidance in applying the ACAA
to foreign carriers until that rule is
amended to cover those carriers. In
November 2004, DOT published a
proposed rule to modify Part 382 to
cover foreign carriers. The Department
expects to complete that rulemaking in
2007.
DOT has received a number of
complaints against foreign and U.S.
carriers from passengers alleging
unlawful discrimination under the
ACAA because they were prevented
from traveling into the U.K. with their
service animals. DOT has also received
inquiries from members of the U.S.
Congress on behalf of their constituents
on this issue. Among a number of
actions taken in response to these
complaints and inquiries, the
Department (1) Investigated several U.S.
and foreign carriers; (2) reviewed
relevant European Union (EU) and U.K.
laws and agency guidance documents;
(3) consulted with members of the U.K.
government; and (4) spoke with an
international working group seeking to
establish consensus on best practices for
transporting guide and assistance dogs
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in the passenger cabin, particularly on
long haul flights such as those from the
U.S. to the U.K. We found that there
were many complexities involved in the
transport of service animals in the
passenger cabin on flights into the U.K.
and concluded that guidance for foreign
and U.S. carriers, as well as passengers
with disabilities, was needed to clarify
their respective rights and
responsibilities under the ACAA and
Part 382 in the context of U.K. laws and
agency guidance.
Background
Until 2000, all animals traveling into
the U.K. were subject to a six-month
quarantine upon entry in order to
ensure that they were not contaminated
with rabies. On February 28, 2000, the
U.K. implemented the Pet Travel
Scheme (PETS), a regulatory plan
administered by the U.K.’s Department
for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(DEFRA), that allows certain animals
holding appropriate documentation and
transported by an approved air carrier—
initially dogs and cats, and as of July
2004 also ferrets—from certain countries
to enter England without a six-month
quarantine as long as the animals are
identified by microchip, vaccinated
against rabies, blood tested (except
ferrets), and treated against certain
parasites.
In May 2003, European Union
Regulation (EC) No. 998/2003
established the current health
requirements for animals traveling
under the Pet Travel Scheme between
European Union (EU) member states or
into a member state from third
countries, superseding the earlier U.K.
laws. The EU regulation allows the U.K.
to broadly continue its domestic Pet
Travel Scheme for dogs and cats and
covers import requirements for some
other species, including ferrets. It
should be noted that the Council of the
European Union subsequently adopted a
community regulation on July 5, 2006,
concerning the rights of disabled
persons and persons with reduced
mobility when traveling by air, which
will apply to commercial carriers flying
into, from, or through an airport situated
in an EU member state. The regulation,
effective July 26, 2008, will require
carriers to transport recognized
assistance dogs in the aircraft cabin free
of charge, subject to national legislation.
See https://eur-lex.europa.eu/
LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2006/l_204/
l_20420060726en00010009.pdf.
Following the adoption of the 2003
EU regulation, the U.K. Parliament
passed the Non-Commercial Movement
of Pet Animals (England) Regulations
2004 No. 2363 (NCMPAR 2004), which
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became effective on October 1, 2004,
implementing and enforcing the EU
regulation in England only. The other
regions within the U.K., Scotland, Wales
and Northern Ireland, each have their
own PETS regulations. However, as of
January 1, 2007, the only DEFRAapproved routes for service animals to
enter the U.K. from the U.S. are into
England, primarily through the London
Gatwick and London Heathrow airports.
NCMPAR 2004 outlines the
responsibilities and conditions that
carriers and passengers must meet to
comply with the EU and U.K.
regulations with respect to the transport
of dogs, cats and ferrets into England.
Carriers seeking approval to participate
in PETS must submit written
procedures to DEFRA for transporting
these animals into England from listed
countries on specific routes in
accordance with NCMPAR 2004. Listed
countries, which include the U.S., are
those from which the movement of
animals into the EU Community under
the Pet Travel Scheme may be
authorized, provided that certain
requirements are met, under regulation
(EC) No. 425/2005. See DEFRA’s Web
site for listed and non-listed countries at
https://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/
quarantine/pets/regulation/eu_reg.htm.
Passengers wishing to transport dogs,
cats and ferrets into England and U.K.
airports that opt to accept such animals
also have responsibilities that they must
meet. Passengers are obliged to take
specific steps to ensure their animals
meet PETS health requirements before
entering the U.K. U.K. airports must
establish an onsite DEFRA-approved
animal reception center (ARC) facility in
order to participate in PETS. An animal
reception center is a facility located at
the airport and operated by a public or
private sector organization for the
purpose of verifying the PETS
compliance status of animals arriving on
flights into the U.K. before they deplane
or are removed from the cargo area.
Animals found not to be PETScompliant are detained at the ARC until
they can be transferred to a quarantine
facility or removed from the country.
Although PETS now allows dogs, cats,
and ferrets to enter the U.K. without a
six-month quarantine and without being
sealed in a kennel, from February 2000
to April 2004, PETS required the
animals to travel in a sealed kennel on
flights into England. Given the space
constraints in the aircraft cabin,
participating carriers (i.e., carriers
approved by DEFRA for transporting
PETS-compliant animals) would only
transport such kennels in the cargo hold
of the aircraft. This restriction
discouraged persons with disabilities
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from traveling from the U.S. to the U.K.
with a service animal because the
passenger necessarily would be
separated from his or her service animal
during flight. Separating a service
animal from the passenger with a
disability can impair the passenger’s
ability to function independently when
the animal is unavailable to perform a
vital task (e.g., navigation, mobility
assistance, seizure alert, etc.). The
disability community also advises that
separation can create stress on the
service animal, affecting its ability to
perform necessary tasks for its owner
when the service animal and its user
reconnect.
With the PETS amendment of April
2004, participating carriers were in a
position to seek DEFRA approval to
transport PETS-compliant animals
accompanied by their owners in the
passenger cabin of aircraft on approved
routes into England. This substantive
change in the PETS order then
prompted the U.K.’s Civil Aviation
Authority (CAA) to issue a Flight
Operations Department Communication
(FODCOM) on March 11, 2005,
addressing cabin safety considerations
concerning the carriage of guide and
assistance dogs in the aircraft cabin.
Besides defining the criteria for the
acceptance of guide and assistance dogs
qualifying for carriage in the passenger
cabin, the FODCOM explained that all
other animals should be treated as pets
and that other arrangements be made for
their transport. See Carriage of Guide
Dogs and Assistance Dogs in the Aircraft
Cabin, FODCOM 3/2005 (March 11,
2005). The CAA has informed DOT that
compliance with FODCOM provisions,
which interpret U.K. safety regulations,
is mandatory for all U.K. carriers.
In sum, these changes to EU and U.K.
law have allowed individual carriers to
modify their policies and procedures
and obtain DEFRA approval to carry
guide and assistance dogs in the
passenger cabin. In addition, to comply
with the ACAA and Part 382, U.S.
carriers operating flights from the U.S.,
or any other listed country, into the U.K.
must obtain DEFRA approval to
transport all PETS-compliant animals
that serve as service animals in the
cabin on approved routes into any
participating U.K. airport (i.e., approved
by DEFRA to receive animals coming
into the U.K.) served by the carrier. (See
GLOSSARY for the definition of ‘‘listed
country.’’) It is the position of the
Enforcement Office that the ACAA itself
imposes the same obligation on nonU.K. foreign carriers for flights from the
U.S. into the U.K. Similarly, it is the
position of the Enforcement Office that
the ACAA itself requires U.K. carriers to
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obtain DEFRA approval to transport
PETS-compliant guide and assistance
dogs in the cabin and all other PETScompliant animals that serve as service
animals in the cargo hold in accordance
with FODCOM 3/2005, which is
mandatory for such carriers.
Guidance Concerning the Carriage of
Service Animals in Air Transportation
From the United States to the United
Kingdom
List of Sections
A. Overview
1. What Is the Purpose of This Guidance?
2. To Whom Does This Guidance Apply?
3. What Service Animals May Accompany a
Passenger With a Disability on Flights
Into the U.K.?
4. What About Service Animals That Are Not
PETS-Compliant?
5. Under What Circumstances May a Carrier
Refuse Transport to a Service Animal?
6. Are Carriers Permitted To Require
Passengers To Provide Documentation
That Their Animal Is a Service Animal
as a Condition for Transport in the
Cabin?
7. Why Must Carriers Obtain Approval From
DEFRA To Carry Service Animals on
Flights Into the U.K.?
B. Specific Requirements for Carrier
Compliance With British Laws Governing the
Carriage of Animals Into the U.K.
1. What Steps Must a Carrier Take To Obtain
DEFRA Approval to Participate in PETS?
2. On Which Routes Must Carriers Participate
in PETS?
3. Who Is Responsible for Ensuring That a
Service Animal Is PETS-Compliant
Before Traveling to the U.K.?
4. What Other Requirements Apply to
Carriers?
5. Are There Penalties for a Carrier’s
Noncompliance With U.K. Regulations?
C. Specific Guidelines for Air Carriers on
Dual Compliance With U.K. Regulations and
the ACAA/Part 382
1. May Carriers Require Advance Notice That
A Qualified Individual With A Disability
Plans To Travel With a Service Animal
Between the U.S. (or Any Other Listed
Country) and the U.K.?
2. May Carriers Limit the Number of Service
Animals Allowed Per Flight?
3. May Carriers Limit the Duration of Flights
on Which a Service Animal Will Be
Allowed To Travel?
4. May Carriers Require an Early Check-In for
a Passenger With a Disability Who
Intends To Travel Between the U.S. (or
Any Other Listed Country) and the U.K.
With a Service Animal?
5. May Carriers Designate Seating for
Qualified Individuals With a Disability
Who Travel With a Service Animal?
6. Are There Any Special Equipment
Requirements for Carrying Service
Animals in the Passenger Cabin or in the
Cargo Hold on Flights Between the U.S.
(or Any Other Listed Country) and the
U.K.?
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7. May Carriers Charge a Passenger With a
Disability for Carrying a Service Animal
on Flights Between the U.S. and the
U.K.?
8. May Carriers Require Documentation of
PETS Compliance and a Signed Release
Before They Will Transport a Passenger’s
Service Animal Into the U.K.?
9. May Carriers Require Passengers To
Contact the ARC for Confirmation That
Their PETS Documentation Is in Order?
10. What Information Must Be Made
Available to Passengers Regarding PETS?
D. Guidance for Passengers With Service
Animals Traveling on Flights into the U.K.
1. What Should Passengers Know About
Bringing a Service Animal Into the U.K.?
2. What Documentation Must Be Presented
by Passengers Upon Arrival in the U.K.
Demonstrating That a Service Animal Is
PETS-Compliant?
3. What Specific Steps Must a Passenger Take
to Ensure a Service Animal Is PETSCompliant?
4. What Costs and Fees Must a Passenger Pay
To Bring a Service Animal Into The
U.K.?
5. What Are the Penalties to the Passenger for
Failing To Comply With PETS?
Glossary
A. Overview
1. What Is the Purpose of This
Guidance?
As previously stated in the opening
summary, this guidance assists carriers
in addressing the differences between
U.K. and U.S. law with respect to the
carriage of service animals into the U.K.,
(e.g., the ACAA requirement that
carriers generally must transport all
service animals in the passenger cabin
versus the U.K. rule that requires
carriers to restrict in-cabin transport to
guide and assistance dogs only).
In addition, this guidance notifies
carriers that failure to obtain approval to
participate in the U.K.’s Pet Travel
Scheme (PETS) when flying from the
U.S. (or for U.S. carriers, from any listed
country) into participating U.K. airports
violates the ACAA and may subject the
carrier to enforcement action by the
DOT.
Most importantly, this guidance
provides both carriers and passengers an
overview of what they must do to
comply with U.K. and U.S. laws
affecting the carriage of service animals
accompanying passengers with
disabilities on flights between the U.S.
and U.K.
2. To Whom Does This Guidance Apply?
Foreign carriers operating to and from
U.S. airports are subject to the
provisions of the ACAA, while U.S.
carriers must comply with the ACAA
and the rules set forth in Part 382
wherever they operate. Accordingly,
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this guidance applies to U.S. carriers
under the ACAA and Part 382 on flights
from any point of origin within a listed
country to the U.K. It also applies to
foreign carriers under the ACAA on
flights from the U.S. to the U.K.
It is worth noting that U.S. and
foreign carriers operating flights from
the U.S. into the U.K. under code-share
agreements both have a responsibility
for ensuring the transport of PETScompliant service animals consistent
with U.S. and U.K. law.
3. What Service Animals May
Accompany a Passenger With a
Disability on Flights Into the U.K.?
a. U.S. carriers, under sections
382.55(a)(1) and (2), are required to
permit service animals used by
individuals with a disability to
accompany the person in the aircraft
passenger cabin in accordance with
applicable safety regulations. It is the
Enforcement Office’s position that this
requirement also applies under the
ACAA to foreign carriers operating to
and from the U.S. absent a direct
conflict of law.
b. U.S. regulatory guidance generally
defines as service animals those animals
that are individually trained to perform
functions to assist passengers who are
qualified individuals with a disability,
but recognizes that an emotional
support animal or an animal such as a
seizure alert animal may be capable of
performing functions to assist a
qualified individual with a disability
without formal training regarding the
assistance it performs. Similarly under
DOT guidance, a service animal is (i) An
animal individually trained to perform
a function and which performs that
function to assist a person with a
disability; (ii) an animal that has been
shown to have the innate ability to
assist a person with a disability, e.g., a
seizure alert animal; or (iii) an
emotional support animal. Regardless of
the function it performs to assist a
passenger with his or her disability, a
service animal should be trained to
behave properly in the airport and in
the passenger cabin (e.g., not to run
around freely, bark, bite other persons,
or urinate in the cabin). Improper
behavior indicating a lack of training
may result in the service animal
legitimately being denied transport in
the cabin.
c. Under FODCOM 3/2005, which
interprets U.K. safety regulations, only
guide and assistance dogs may
accompany their owners in the
passenger cabin on a flight. The
FODCOM defines guide and assistance
dogs as dogs trained by an individual or
organization accepted by and affiliated
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with the International Guide Dog
Federation to provide assistance to a
person with a disability and requires
formal identification indicating such
training. Dogs not meeting the above
criteria for guide or assistance dogs, as
well as cats and ferrets, are considered
pets and are not recognized as service
animals in the U.K., even if trained to
perform a function to assist a person
with his or her disability. FODCOM 3/
2005, which is mandatory for U.K.
carriers and guidance for non-U.K.
carriers, states that PETS-compliant
animals other than guide and assistance
dogs should be carried in the cargo
hold.
d. Under Part 382, U.S. carriers must
accept PETS-compliant service dogs and
service cats for transport in the aircraft
cabin on flights into the U.K. when they
can behave appropriately and can be
accommodated without violating FAA
safety regulations. When not, carriers
must transport such animals in the
cargo hold. It is the position of the
Enforcement Office that the requirement
to transport service dogs and service
cats also applies to non-U.K. foreign
carriers under the ACAA on flights from
the U.S. to the U.K. It is also the
position of the Enforcement Office that
U.K. carriers, to whom FODCOM 3/2005
applies, are subject to its requirement to
permit only guide and assistance dogs
in the aircraft cabin. Since U.K. law
does not prohibit U.S. and non-U.K.
foreign carriers from transporting PETScompliant animals in the cabin in
accordance with a carrier’s approved
required method of operation (RMOP),
these carriers must request an approved
RMOP for transporting PETS-compliant
service dogs and service cats in the
cabin in order to comply with the
ACAA and Part 382. (For further
explanation of an RMOP, see ‘‘What
Steps Must a Carrier Take To Obtain
DEFRA Approval To Participate in
PETS?’’)
e. Although ferrets may be accepted
for transport under PETS, U.S.
regulatory guidance permits carriers to
refuse transport to ferrets for safety
reasons (See ‘‘Under What
Circumstances May a Carrier Refuse
Transport to a Service Animal?’’)
f. Under section 382.57, U.S. carriers
may not charge for transporting service
animals from the U.S. or any listed
country to the U.K. It is the Enforcement
Office’s position that this prohibition
also applies to all foreign carriers under
the ACAA on flights from the U.S. to the
U.K. absent a direct conflict of law. The
cost of animal inspections and other
fees to the passenger that airport animal
reception centers bill directly to carriers
for administrative convenience may be
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8271
charged back to the passenger by the
carrier.
g. Because section 382.55(a) requires
that service animals be permitted to
accompany persons with disabilities on
their flights, U.S. carriers with routes
into participating U.K. airports must
also participate in PETS so that the
aforementioned service animals can
enter the U.K. in accordance with
applicable U.K. laws. Under the ACAA,
it is the Enforcement Office’s position
that all foreign carriers operating flights
from the U.S. to the U.K. must also
participate in PETS. The Enforcement
Office may pursue enforcement action
against carriers that fail to participate in
the U.K.’s Pet Travel Scheme, which is
a necessary component to accepting
service animals accompanying
passengers with disabilities on flights to
the U.K.
4. What About Service Animals That
Are Not PETS-Compliant?
a. Due to U.K. law requiring animals
that are not PETS-compliant to be
quarantined or removed from the
country and the penalties that may
result to the carrier for an illegal
landing, a service animal for which a
passenger cannot demonstrate PETS
compliance may be denied transport.
b. Carriers have discretion to transport
dogs, cats and ferrets that are not PETScompliant into the U.K. under the terms
and conditions of a U.K. quarantine
import license. Dogs, cats and ferrets
that must be quarantined because they
do not meet all PETS requirements on
the day they enter the UK, but at a later
date can be shown to meet the necessary
PETS requirements, can be released
early from the six-month quarantine.
c. Carriers may choose to transport
other service animals under the terms
and conditions of a U.K. quarantine
import license, which includes a sixmonth quarantine of the animal upon
entry to the U.K.
d. For further information on import
licensing and quarantine procedures,
see DEFRA’s Web site at https://
www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/
pets/procedures/support-info/
listq&a.htm.
5. Under What Circumstances May a
Carrier Refuse Transport to a Service
Animal?
a. Under U.S. law and regulatory
guidance, refusing any type of service
animal for transport in the aircraft cabin
is permitted only when the animal’s
presence on the aircraft (1) Poses a
direct threat to the health or safety of
passengers or crewmembers (e.g.,
airlines are not required to transport,
either in the cabin or in the cargo hold,
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snakes, other reptiles, ferrets, rodents,
and spiders as DOT has determined that
these animals pose unavoidable safety
and/or public health concerns), or (2)
would cause a significant disruption to
the airline service in the cabin (e.g., the
service animal is not trained to behave
properly in public settings so the animal
barks at other persons on the aircraft,
jumps on people or urinates in the
cabin), or (3) would violate an
applicable Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) safety regulation
(e.g., accepting a service animal for
carriage in the cabin that would block
egress to the aisle from any row of seats
on the aircraft), or (4) is prohibited in
the cabin by the law of the country
where the carrier operates.
b. Under section 382.37(c), U.S.
carriers are required to transport in the
cargo hold any PETS-compliant service
dogs and service cats that cannot be
accommodated in the cabin either for
safety reasons or due to behavior that
significantly disrupts cabin service. It is
the position of the Enforcement Office
that the same requirement applies to
foreign carriers under the ACAA.
c. U.S. and non-U.K. foreign carriers
that permit only service dogs and
service cats to accompany their owners
in the passenger cabin (or in the cargo
hold when safety requires) on flights
from the U.S. into the U.K. will be
considered in compliance with the
ACAA and Part 382. U.K. carriers that
permit only guide and assistance dogs
in the passenger cabin (or in the cargo
hold when safety requires), and
transport other PETS-compliant service
animals in the cargo hold on flights
from the U.S. into the U.K. will also be
considered in compliance with the
ACAA. Due to the quarantine
restrictions for other animal species and
their subsequent unavailability to their
owners for six months following entry
to the U.K., carriers that accept only
PETS-compliant animals on flights from
the U.S. into the U.K. will be considered
in compliance with the ACAA and Part
382.
6. Are Carriers Permitted To Require
Passengers To Provide Documentation
That Their Animal is a Service Animal
as a Condition for Transport in the
Cabin?
a. Under the ACAA and Part 382,
carriers may look for indicators to
confirm that an animal is a service
animal either through (1) An ID issued
by a guide or assistance dog
organization or state or local
government agency; (2) service
equipment on the animal such as a
harness, vest, or side-packs; or (3) the
credible verbal assurance of the
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qualified individual with a disability
using the animal. Under the ACAA and
Part 382, any of these observations or
procedures may be sufficient to make
the determination.
b. Under FODCOM 3/2005, a guide or
assistance dog should meet the full
membership criteria in an accredited
organization (e.g., Guide Dogs for the
Blind Association, Assistance Dogs
International, etc.) and have formal
identification. Therefore, U.K. carriers
may require passengers to present such
identification as a condition for
acceptance of a guide or assistance dog
in the passenger cabin. For other PETScompliant animals, U.K. carriers should
use as indicators of service animal
status those defined under the ACAA
and Part 382.
c. U.S. law allows carrier personnel to
request documentation for service
animals other than emotional support
animals as a means of verifying that the
animal is a service animal only in
limited circumstances. However, the
Enforcement Office urges U.S. and
foreign carriers, in the absence of a
conflict of law, not to require
documentation as a condition for
accepting a PETS-compliant dog or cat
for transport as a service animal in the
cabin or the cargo hold unless a
passenger’s verbal assurance is not
credible. In that case, the airline may
require documentation (e.g., a service
animal organization membership ID).
See Notice of Policy Guidance
Concerning Service Animals in Air
Transportation, 68 FR 24,874 (May 9,
2003), available at https://
airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/rules/
20030509.pdf.
d. In order to prevent abuse by
passengers who do not have a medical
need for an emotional support animal,
DOT permits carriers to require recent
medical documentation of the
passenger’s disability-related need as a
condition for acceptance of an
emotional support animal as a service
animal under the ACAA and Part 382.
(See Notice of Policy Guidance
Concerning Service Animals in Air
Transportation at the above-noted Web
site.)
e. The ACAA, Part 382 and FODCOM
3/2005 allow guide and assistance dogs
in the cabin of any breed and size
provided they can be carried in the
cabin in accordance with applicable
safety regulations.
7. Why Must Carriers Obtain Approval
From DEFRA To Carry Service Animals
on Flights Into the U.K.?
a. The Enforcement Office considers a
covered carrier’s approval by DEFRA to
transport PETS-compliant service
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animals on flights from the U.S. to
participating U.K. airports, in
accordance with this guidance,
necessary to comply with the ACAA
since without such approval service
animals may not be legally transported
into the U.K. See ‘‘To Whom Does This
Guidance Apply?’’ for the definition of
a covered carrier.
b. U.S. air carriers operating between
the U.S. or any other listed country and
the U.K., and foreign carriers operating
between the U.S. and the U.K., are put
on notice that a failure to obtain DEFRA
approval may result in enforcement
action initiated by DOT’s Enforcement
Office for violating the ACAA.
c. To demonstrate to the Enforcement
Office that a carrier is seeking to
participate in PETS, the office
recommends that the carrier retain all
relevant records of the steps taken to
obtain DEFRA approval until it is
granted.
B. Specific Requirements for Carrier
Compliance With British Laws
Governing the Carriage of Animals Into
the U.K.
1. What Steps Must a Carrier Take To
Obtain DEFRA Approval To Participate
in PETS?
a. Before a carrier can participate in
PETS, it first must prepare a proposed
Required Method of Operation (RMOP)
and submit it to DEFRA for approval.
The RMOP must describe the specific
procedures the carrier will follow to
ensure the proper transport of PETScompliant animals in accordance with
applicable DEFRA, CAA and the
International Air Transport Association
(IATA) requirements.
b. The RMOP for carriage of animals
should include all relevant details on:
i. How the carrier will transport the
animals in the passenger cabin and in
the cargo hold;
ii. How the carrier will ensure that the
passenger presents the required PETS
documentation for the animal prior to
departure;
iii. How the carrier will ensure that
the animals are checked-in by the
animal reception center (ARC) upon
arrival into the U.K.;
iv. What contingency plans the carrier
intends in the event of emergencies or
route deviations; and
v. On what routes (point-to-point
between city pairs) the carrier proposes
to transport animals in the passenger
cabin and cargo hold.
c. There is no charge for filing an
RMOP. Instructions for preparing an
RMOP covering the carriage of service
animals in the passenger cabin and in
the cargo hold can be obtained from
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DEFRA by contacting
quarantine@defra.gsi.gov.uk.
d. Carriers must coordinate a written
service level agreement (SLA) with the
local ARC at each airport they serve
with an ARC in the U.K. and submit a
copy with their proposed RMOPs to
DEFRA. The SLA is an agreement
between the ARC and the carrier that
the ARC will verify the PETS
compliance status of any animal
arriving at the local airport over one of
the carrier’s approved routes. This step
is necessary to obtain final approval to
participate in PETS.
e. Failure to reach agreement with
DEFRA on a proposed RMOP does not
exempt the carrier from its obligation to
accommodate service animals under
Part 382 and/or the ACAA. If a carrier’s
initial proposed RMOP is not approved,
the carrier is obliged to pursue good
faith efforts with DEFRA until an
agreement on procedures acceptable to
DEFRA is reached and approval is
granted.
f. The approved RMOP and SLA spell
out the carrier’s legal obligations with
respect to the transport of animals into
the U.K. Failure to adhere to their terms
may result in liability of the carrier
under U.K. law.
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2. On Which Routes Must Carriers
Participate in PETS?
a. London Heathrow and London
Gatwick are the primary U.K. airports
participating in PETS that serve flights
from the U.S. See DEFRA’s Web site at
https://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/
quarantine/pets/procedures/supportinfo/assistance-air.htm#noneu for a list
of approved routes from the U.S. to the
U.K.
b. DEFRA approves a carrier’s
participation in PETS on a per-carrier,
route-by-route basis. To remain in
compliance with the ACAA, U.S.
carriers must seek approval from
DEFRA to participate in PETS on all
direct routes from the U.S., or any other
listed country, to participating U.K.
airports. Foreign carriers must seek
approval from DEFRA to participate in
PETS on all of its direct routes from the
U.S. to participating U.K. airports. For
example, a carrier that only operates
direct flights between Dulles
International Airport and London
Heathrow must seek approval for only
that route. However, if a U.S. carrier
operates direct flights from a number of
cities to participating U.K. airports, it
must seek DEFRA approval for all such
routes.
c. The carrier’s RMOP should be
submitted with a list of all routes (pointto-point between city pairs) on which it
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15:57 Feb 23, 2007
Jkt 211001
proposes to transport service animals in
the aircraft cabin and cargo hold.
d. Although carriers must request
approval for all routes they operate
between the U.S. and participating U.K.
airports, they will be held responsible
under the ACAA and Part 382 for
transporting PETS-compliant service
animals only on those routes for which
they have received approval from
DEFRA.
3. Who is Responsible for Ensuring That
a Service Animal is PETS Compliant
Before Traveling to the U.K.?
a. It is the passenger’s responsibility
to obtain the correct documentation
verifying that his or her service animal
is PETS-compliant, and to present it to
the carrier before take off and again to
the ARC officer upon landing. See
‘‘What Documentation Must Be
Presented Upon Arrival in the U.K.
Demonstrating That a Service Animal is
PETS Compliant?’’
b. The ARC may require these
documents to be faxed to it by the
passenger up to 14 days before travel to
allow sufficient time to notify the
passenger of any deficiencies in the
documentation that must be corrected to
avoid quarantine of the animal upon
landing. Passengers should contact the
ARC to determine how far in advance
the ARC will require the documents.
Final clearance will be given only after
the service animal’s microchip has been
checked and documents have been
found to be in order by ARC personnel
upon the passenger’s arrival in the U.K.
c. The carrier’s sole responsibilities
with respect to PETS documentation are
(1) To ensure that the passenger is
carrying a third country official
veterinary certificate or an EU pet
passport and supporting documents
upon boarding the aircraft with the
animal or when checking the animal in
as cargo; and (2) to affix these
documents to the kennel in the manner
prescribed by DEFRA for animals
transported in the cargo hold.
4. What Other Requirements Apply to
Carriers?
a. The carrier must notify the ARC at
least 24 hours before the scheduled
departure of a flight to the U.K. if an
animal will be onboard. The carrier
must comply with this notification
requirement or be subject to possible
prosecution and penalty by local U.K.
authorities for an illegal landing. (See
Veterinary Checks Legislative Directive,
EU 91/268.) As a best practice, DEFRA
and the Enforcement Office urge carriers
to fax notification to the ARC at the time
of booking, or at least 72 hours before
departure, to ensure that ARC staff are
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8273
available for dispatch to the proper
aircraft and/or cargo location upon
landing.
b. If the carrier discovers a smuggled
animal onboard a flight into the U.K.,
the pilot must ensure that the ARC is
notified before landing.
c. Carriers transporting a PETScompliant service animal in the cargo
hold must ensure that (1) The animal’s
kennel meets IATA specifications, and
(2) the animal’s third country official
veterinary certificate or EU pet passport
and supporting documents provided by
the passenger are affixed to the kennel
in the manner prescribed by DEFRA.
5. Are There Penalties for a Carrier’s
Noncompliance With U.K. Regulations?
a. U.K. regulations require carriers to
(1) Obtain approval from DEFRA to
participate in PETS; (2) comply with the
terms and conditions of the approval;
and (3) notify the ARC at least 24 hours
prior to a flight’s departure to the U.K.
that an animal will be onboard.
b. A carrier that transports an animal
into the U.K. without meeting any one
of the above requirements may be
prosecuted for an illegal landing and
fined up to £5,000 (approximately
$9,890 as of early January 2007) by the
local U.K. enforcement authorities. For
example, a carrier that transports
animals into the U.K. without an
approved RMOP, or a DEFRA-approved
carrier that fails to follow its RMOP
(e.g., brings animals into the country
with insufficient or no documentation,
or that fails to comply with the ARC
notification requirement) may be
prosecuted and fined by the local U.K.
enforcement authorities as stated above.
c. If the carrier notifies the ARC of an
animal’s arrival as described above, and
upon landing the ARC determines that
the animal is not compliant with U.K.
regulations, the passenger, and not the
carrier, will be held liable for any
penalties that may result from the illegal
landing.
C. Specific Guidelines for Air Carriers
on Dual Compliance With U.K.
Regulations and the ACAA/Part 382
1. May Carriers Require Advance Notice
That a Qualified Individual With a
Disability Plans To Travel With a
Service Animal Between the U.S. (or
Any Other Listed Country) and the U.K.?
• U.K. law requires carriers to
coordinate with the ARC at least 24
hours in advance when carrying an
animal into the U.K. to ensure adequate
time to schedule the PETS inspection
required upon landing. Carriers may
legitimately deny boarding to a service
animal when the ARC has had
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insufficient notice to schedule an
inspection. Therefore, carriers may
strongly recommend that passengers
with disabilities intending to travel with
a service animal on a flight from the
U.S. to the U.K. notify them of their
intention when making a reservation, or
at the latest 72 hours before departure,
to avoid the service animal being denied
boarding. Carriers must inform
passengers traveling with a service
animal, and who make a reservation less
than 72 hours before departure, that the
service animal may be denied boarding
if the ARC has insufficient time to
schedule the required inspection.
2. May Carriers Limit the Number of
Service Animals Allowed Per Flight?
a. U.K. regulatory guidance does not
limit the number of guide or assistance
dogs allowed in the passenger cabin on
a given flight, but the Enforcement
Office notes that foreign carriers may
wish to take into account the safety
provisions outlined in the European
Joint Airworthiness Regulations (JAR–
OPS 1.260, Carriage of Persons with
Reduced Mobility) requiring carriers to
ensure that persons with disabilities do
not occupy seats where their presence
could: (1) Impede the crew in their
duties, (2) obstruct access to emergency
equipment, or (3) impede the emergency
evacuation of the aircraft.
b. Under Part 382, U.S. carriers may
not limit the number of service animals
allowed in the passenger cabin on any
given flight except for safety reasons. It
is the position of the Enforcement Office
that the same requirement applies to
foreign carriers operating to and from
the U.S. under the ACAA.
c. Therefore, carriers may only limit
the number of service animals in the
cabin for legitimate safety reasons.
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3. May Carriers Limit the Duration of
Flights on Which a Service Animal Will
Be Allowed to Travel?
• There are no U.K. laws specifically
addressing this issue. The Enforcement
Office’s view is that U.S. law does not
allow carriers covered by Part 382 and/
or the ACAA to limit flight duration for
service animals on flights between the
U.S. and the U.K.
4. May Carriers Require an Early CheckIn for a Passenger With a Disability Who
Intends To Travel Between the U.S. (or
Any Other Listed Country) and the U.K.
With a Service Animal?
• It is the Enforcement Office’s
position that carriers may not require
advance check-in times for passengers
with service animals beyond what is
required of other passengers; however,
carriers may strongly recommend early
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Jkt 211001
arrival at the airport to allow adequate
time to complete all check-in
requirements.
5. May Carriers Designate Seating for
Qualified Individuals With a Disability
Who Travel With a Service Animal?
a. U.S. carriers must and foreign
carriers should provide a bulkhead seat
or any other seat consistent with safety
regulations, as requested by a passenger
accompanied by a service dog.
b. Under Part 382, U.S. carriers must
permit a service animal to accompany
the passenger with a disability at any
seat in which the person sits unless a
legitimate safety reason would preclude
it (e.g., a dog obstructs an aisle or other
area that must remain unobstructed in
order to facilitate an emergency
evacuation). It is the Enforcement
Office’s position that foreign carriers
operating to and from the U.S. must also
provide similar accommodations under
the ACAA.
c. If a service animal cannot be
accommodated at the seat location of
the passenger with a disability, U.S.
carriers must and foreign carriers should
offer the passenger the opportunity to
move with the animal to a seat location
in the same class of service, if present
on the aircraft, where the animal can be
accommodated.
6. Are There Any Special Equipment
Requirements for Carrying Service
Animals in the Passenger Cabin or in
the Cargo Hold on Flights Between the
U.S. (or Any Other Listed Country) and
the U.K.?
a. The FODCOM, which is mandatory
for U.K. carriers and guidance for nonU.K. carriers, states that as a matter of
safety assistance dogs should be
properly secured by a harness during
take-off, landing, and turbulence.
Accordingly, U.K. carriers may require
that passengers use a harness to restrain
guide and assistance dogs in the cabin
on flights between the U.S. and U.K.
U.S. and non-U.K. foreign carriers,
unless required by their nation’s laws,
should not require that a harness be
used to restrain service animals
transported in the passenger cabin on
flights from the U.S. to the U.K.
b. Although it is a standard practice
by some foreign carriers to require that
absorbent mats be placed under guide
and assistance dogs traveling in the
aircraft cabin, it is not required by U.K.
regulations. It is the Enforcement
Office’s view that carriers may require
an absorbent mat to be placed under a
service animal during travel in the
cabin, but should not require passengers
to provide the mat. Carriers that require
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the use of absorbent mats should have
such mats available.
c. Service animals traveling in the
cargo hold must be transported in
kennels that meet specifications for size,
construction, etc., set forth in IATA’s
Live Animal Regulations.
7. May Carriers Charge a Passenger With
a Disability For Carrying a Service
Animal on Flights Between the U.S. and
the U.K.?
• Under Part 382, and it is the
Enforcement Office’s position that
under the ACAA itself, carriers may not
impose charges for transporting service
animals. However, carriers are
encouraged to inform qualified
individuals with a disability traveling
with a service animal that the passenger
is responsible for any on-the-ground
fees or charges by a public or private
sector organization for the purpose of
ensuring the animal is compliant with
PETS. Inspection fees for assistance
dogs are waived by some U.K. airports.
Charges to the carrier by the ARC for
inspections and other services related to
ensuring an animal is PETS-compliant
may be passed on to the passenger along
with a reasonable administrative fee to
cover payment processing expenses.
The passenger will also be responsible
for any veterinary, kenneling and other
costs resulting if the animal is not PETScompliant and must be treated after
arrival, placed in temporary quarantine
for up to six months, or removed from
the country.
8. May Carriers Require Documentation
of PETS Compliance and a Signed
Release Before They Will Transport a
Passenger’s Service Animal Into the
U.K.?
• It is the Enforcement Office’s
position that, as a condition for
transporting a PETS-compliant service
animal accompanying a qualified
individual with a disability into the
U.K., a carrier may require the
individual to: (1) Present a third country
official veterinary certificate or EU pet
passport with supporting documents at
the gate or when checking a service
animal in for cargo hold transport; and
(2) sign a release assuming
responsibility for fees charged by the
ARC to verify that the animal is PETScompliant and for other costs (e.g.,
quarantine charges, treatment fees, etc.),
including penalties assessed to the
passenger by the ARC for failing to
ensure the animal is PETS-compliant.
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9. May Carriers Require Passengers to
Contact the ARC for Confirmation That
Their PETS Documentation is in Order?
• Carriers may require that passengers
contact the ARC for a pre-approval
document indicating that their PETS
documentation is in order if the ARC
requires a pre-approval document be
presented to the ARC inspector upon
landing. Otherwise, the carrier should
strongly recommend that passengers
contact the ARC in advance to verify
that the necessary documents are in
order and avoid the possibility of the
animal being held in quarantine.
10. What Information Must Be Made
Available to Passengers Regarding
PETS?
a. Under section 382.45, U.S. carriers
are required to make available, upon
request, information concerning
facilities and services related to
providing air transportation to qualified
individuals with disabilities. This
would include information concerning
the transport of service animals from the
U.S. or other listed country into the U.K.
It is the position of the Enforcement
Office that such information must also
be provided by foreign carriers under
the ACAA on flights from the U.S. to the
U.K. upon request.
b. Even if not requested, carriers are
encouraged to provide all passengers
who wish to travel to or transit the U.K.
with an animal, whether or not the
animal is a service animal, with as
much information as possible regarding
PETS. It is recommended that this
information include the potential
consequences of an illegal landing such
as prosecution, fines, and quarantine. If
a carrier chooses to provide information
on PETS compliance to passengers, U.S.
carriers are advised that under section
382.55(a)(3), they must provide this
information to all passengers
accompanied by animals traveling with
the carrier into the U.K., including those
accompanied by service animals.
Foreign carriers operating flights from
the U.S. to the U.K. are also urged to
provide all passengers traveling with
animals into the U.K. with information
on PETS compliance, even if not
requested.
ycherry on PROD1PC64 with RULES
D. Guidance for Passengers With
Service Animals Traveling on Flights
Into the U.K.
1. What Should Passengers Know About
Bringing a Service Animal Into the U.K.?
a. The U.K. is a rabies-free country
and its rules governing the entry of
animals into the country, including
service animals, are strictly enforced.
These rules apply to the transport of
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animals on flights that either terminate
in or transit the U.K. enroute to a third
country.
b. Under U.K. law, only airlines
granted official approval by DEFRA may
transport animals into the U.K. on
approved routes under PETS. U.K.
carriers having an approved RMOP may
only transport PETS-compliant guide
and assistance dogs in the aircraft cabin
and must transport other PETScompliant service animals in the cargo
hold. Non-U.K. carriers having an
approved RMOP may transport PETScompliant dogs, cats or ferrets in the
cabin or in the cargo hold of the aircraft.
However, under Part 382, U.S. carriers
having an approved RMOP must
transport PETS-compliant service dogs
and service cats in the aircraft cabin
consistent with FAA safety
requirements. It is the position of the
Enforcement Office that non-U.K.
foreign carriers also must transport
PETS-compliant service dogs and
service cats in the aircraft cabin on
flights into the U.K., consistent with
applicable safety requirements, unless
prohibited by their nation’s laws.
c. Dogs, cats and ferrets that are not
PETS-compliant must be carried in the
cargo hold and are subject to U.K.
import licensing requirements.
d. The ACAA and Part 382 leave it to
the discretion of carriers to accept or
reject ferrets as service animals, even for
transport in the cargo hold.
e. It is a passenger’s responsibility to
ensure that his or her service animal is
fully compliant with PETS
requirements. Passengers living outside
the U.K. must have a licensed
veterinarian certify that all PETS
requirements have been met by
completing, signing and date-stamping a
third country official veterinary
certificate for domestic dogs, cats and
ferrets. See the question below ‘‘What
Documentation Must Be Presented by
Passengers Upon Arrival in the U.K.
Demonstrating That a Service Animal is
PETS Compliant?’’
f. The ARC may require that
passengers fax the third country official
veterinary certificate and supporting
documents to the ARC up to 14 days
prior to the date of travel. The ARC may
issue a pre-approval document to the
passenger indicating that these
documents are in order and require that
it be presented to the ARC inspector.
The passenger is responsible for
obtaining all documents the particular
ARC requires for presentation upon
landing. The Heathrow ARC can be
contacted at
HARC.GeneralEnq@cityoflondon.gov.uk,
011 44 20 8745 7894 (telephone) or 011
44 20 8759 3477 (fax). The Gatwick ARC
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8275
can be contacted at
animalaircare@btconnect.com, 011 44
12 9346 2180, or 011 44 12 9366 6841
(fax).
g. An animal that leaves the aircraft in
a non-listed country will be refused reentry into the U.K. under PETS until a
new blood test and 6 month waiting
period have elapsed.
h. Passengers traveling with a service
animal should provide notice to the
carrier at the time the reservation is
made or at the latest 72 hours prior to
the flight’s departure. This will allow
the carrier to give the ARC ample notice
to plan for the animal’s PETS inspection
upon the flight’s arrival in the U.K.
i. The passenger must present the
required documents to airline personnel
at the gate prior to departure and to ARC
personnel upon landing in the U.K.
before deplaning.
j. There are costs and fees associated
with PETS compliance, all of which are
paid by the passenger, unless the carrier
has voluntarily arranged with the ARC
to pay the fee for the initial inspection
upon landing, or the ARC provides
initial inspection services free of charge
(e.g., at the time this guidance was
published the London Heathrow ARC
inspected guide and assistance dogs at
no charge). Passengers should check
with the ARC concerning any fees for
which they are responsible and
acceptable payment methods.
k. Failing to comply with PETS will
result in additional costs to the
passenger. Egregious or repeated
violations may result in prosecution and
the imposition of fines by the local
British enforcement authorities.
2. What Documentation Must Be
Presented by Passengers Upon Arrival in
the U.K. Demonstrating That a Service
Animal is PETS Compliant?
a. Upon landing in the U.K., a
passenger accompanied by a PETScompliant service animal must present
either a date-stamped third country
official veterinary certificate, signed by
a veterinarian licensed by an approved
country or an EU pet passport
demonstrating that the animal has
received:
i. A microchip implant readable by an
ISO (International Standards
Organization)-compatible scanner or by
another scanner compatible with the
implanted microchip provided by the
passenger,
ii. A vaccination against rabies,
iii. A rabies antibodies blood test
(except for ferrets). This test must be
completed at least six months before the
animal’s initial entry to the U.K. This
waiting period applies only once as long
as subsequent rabies boosters are
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administered in accordance with the
vaccine manufacturer’s instructions;
and
iv. Treatment for certain parasites.
b. A model of the third country
official veterinary certificate can be
found at https://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/
pri/en/oj/dat/2004/l_065/
l_06520040303en00130019.pdf.
c. For PETS-compliant service
animals traveling in the cargo hold, the
veterinary certificate or pet passport
must be presented to the carrier at
check-in so that the carrier can affix the
certificates to the kennel in the manner
prescribed by DEFRA. If the service
animal is found not to be PETScompliant, it may be placed in
quarantine for up to 6 months or
removed from the country, as
determined by the ARC.
3. What Specific Steps Must a Passenger
Take To Ensure a Service Animal Is
PETS-Compliant?
• See DEFRA’s Web site at https://
www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/
pets/procedures/owners.htm for
detailed current information about
compliance procedures, including a
compliance checklist and approved
carriers and routes between the U.S. and
U.K.
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4. What Costs and Fees Must a
Passenger Pay To Bring a Service
Animal Into the U.K.?
a. The passenger will be responsible
for paying all veterinary costs associated
with preparing an animal for travel and
any fees charged by the ARC for
checking the animal upon arrival unless
the airline has voluntarily arranged with
the ARC to pay the fee for the initial
inspection upon landing or the ARC
provides initial inspection services free
of charge. Passengers may also be
required to pay a reasonable
administrative fee to the airline to cover
the cost of processing these payments to
the ARC.
b. If an animal is not PETS-compliant,
the passenger will be responsible for
any costs associated with quarantine for
tick and tapeworm treatment, a sixmonth quarantine after a rabies
vaccination and follow-up blood test, or
removing the animal from the country,
as determined by the ARC.
c. Any penalties resulting from the
illegal landing will be the sole
responsibility of the passenger, unless it
can be shown that the carrier made no
attempt to check for the required PETS
documents when accepting the animal
for transport or to notify the ARC in
advance of an animal on board or both.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:57 Feb 23, 2007
Jkt 211001
5. What Are the Penalties to the
Passenger for Failing To Comply With
PETS?
• In egregious cases of
noncompliance such as concealing and
smuggling an animal not vaccinated
against rabies, or for repeated failures to
have the necessary treatments and tests
performed and certified, a passenger
may be prosecuted by the local British
authorities and be subject to a penalty
of up to £5,000 (approximately $9,890
in early January 2007).
Glossary
ACAA—Air Carrier Access Act: U.S.
legislation prohibiting discrimination
on the basis of disability by both U.S.
and foreign carriers in providing air
transportation services.
ARC—Animal Reception Center: A
facility at an airport for receiving and
inspecting animals arriving in the U.K.
from an EU or third country to ensure
their compliance with EU and domestic
regulations on animal health.
CAA—U.K. Civil Aviation Authority.
Community—A collective term
referring to those countries that
comprise the European Union.
DEFRA—U.K. Department for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Direct conflict of law—A
contradiction between a requirement of
the ACAA and an applicable provision
of the law of a foreign nation,
precluding compliance with both.
FAA—U.S. Federal Aviation
Administration.
IATA—International Air Transport
Association.
ISO—International Standards
Organization.
(EC) No. 425/2005—European Union
regulation amending the list of third
countries from which the movement of
pet animals into the Community may be
authorized.
(EC) No. 998/2003—European Union
regulation on the animal health
requirements applicable to the noncommercial movement of pet animals
between member states and from listed
third countries. The regulation allows
the U.K. to broadly continue with its
domestic Pet Travel Scheme for cats and
dogs. Conditions for the entry of ferrets
into member states from other member
states and from listed third countries
come directly within the scope of this
regulation.
Listed Country—A country listed in
(EC) No. 425/2005, from which the
movement of pet animals into a
European Community member state
may be authorized, provided that
certain requirements are met.
Member State—A country that is a
member of the European Union.
PO 00000
Frm 00016
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
NCMPAR 2004—Non-Commercial
Movement of Pet Animals (England)
Regulations 2004: U.K. legislation
implementing and enforcing the EU
regulation EC 998/2003.
PART 382—Nondiscrimination on the
Basis of Disability in Air Travel: U.S.
regulation implementing the Air Carrier
Access Act, which presently does not by
its terms address foreign carriers except
with respect to disability reporting
requirements.
Participating Airport—An airport
having an animal reception center
approved by DEFRA to receive animals
transported into the U.K. by air from an
EU Community country or a listed third
country.
Participating Carrier—A carrier
whose required method of operation
document (RMOP) has been approved
by DEFRA, authorizing it to transport
animals into the U.K. under the Pet
Travel Scheme.
Pet Passport—A document that
clearly identifies an animal and
officially records the health information
necessary under the Pet Travel Scheme
(PETS) to verify its compliance with EU
and local animal health regulations. A
pet passport allows animals to travel
easily between EU member countries
without undergoing quarantine.
PETS (Pet Travel Scheme)—A
regulatory plan administered by the
U.K.’s Department for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), that
allows certain animals—dogs, cats, and
as of July 2004, ferrets—from certain
countries to enter the U.K. without a
six-month quarantine as long as the
animals are identified by microchip,
vaccinated against rabies, blood tested
(except ferrets), treated against certain
parasites, accompanied by appropriate
documentation and transported by an
approved carrier.
Qualified Individual With a
Disability—An individual with a
disability who (a) With respect to
accompanying or meeting a traveler, use
of ground transportation, using terminal
facilities, or obtaining information about
schedules, fares or policies, takes those
actions necessary to avail himself or
herself of facilities or services offered by
an air carrier to the general public, with
reasonable accommodations, as needed,
provided by the carrier;
(b) With respect to obtaining a ticket
for air transportation on an air carrier,
offers, or makes a good faith attempt to
offer, to purchase or otherwise validly to
obtain such a ticket;
(c) With respect to obtaining air
transportation, or other services or
accommodations required by 14 CFR
Part 382: (1) Purchases or possesses a
valid ticket for air transportation on an
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air carrier and presents himself or
herself at the airport for the purpose of
traveling on the flight for which the
ticket has been purchased or obtained;
and (2) Meets reasonable,
nondiscriminatory contract of carriage
requirements applicable to all
passengers.
Required Method of Operation
(RMOP)—An agreement between a
carrier and DEFRA concerning the
procedures the carrier will use to ensure
the proper transport of animals into the
U.K. under PETS. This document must
be approved by DEFRA before the
carrier can begin PETS participation.
SLA (Service Level Agreement)—An
agreement between an ARC and a carrier
that the ARC will verify the PETS
compliance status of any animal
arriving at the local airport over one of
the carrier’s approved routes.
Issued in Washington, DC, on February 20,
2007.
Samuel Podberesky,
Assistant General Counsel for Aviation,
Enforcement and Proceedings.
[FR Doc. E7–3195 Filed 2–23–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–9X–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
18 CFR Parts 365 and 366
[Docket No. RM05–32–003, Order No. 667–
C]
Repeal of the Public Utility Holding
Company Act of 1935 and Enactment
of the Public Utility Holding Company
Act of 2005
Issued February 20, 2007.
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, DOE.
ACTION: Final order; order denying
rehearing.
ycherry on PROD1PC64 with RULES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: By this order, the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission denies
rehearing of Order No. 667–B. Order No.
667–B addressed requests for
clarification and rehearing of prior
orders that implemented repeal of the
Public Utility Holding Company Act of
1935 and enactment of the Public Utility
Holding Company Act of 2005.
DATES: Effective Date: This order is
effective on March 28, 2007.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lawrence Greenfield (Legal
Information), Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First
Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426,
(202) 502–6415.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:25 Feb 23, 2007
Jkt 211001
Laura Wilson (Legal Information),
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502–
6128.
James Guest (Technical Information),
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502–
6614.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Before Commissioners: Joseph T.
Kelliher, Chairman; Suedeen G. Kelly,
Marc Spitzer, Philip D. Moeller, and Jon
Wellinghoff.
Subtitle F of Title XII of the Energy
Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005)
repealed the Public Utility Holding
Company Act of 1935 (PUHCA 1935)
and enacted the Public Utility Holding
Company Act of 2005 (PUHCA 2005).1
In Order No. 667, the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (Commission)
issued regulations to implement Subtitle
F.2 In Order No. 667–A, the Commission
denied rehearing in part and granted
rehearing in part of Order No. 667.3 In
Order No. 667–B, the Commission
granted clarification in part, denied
rehearing in part and granted rehearing
in part of Order No. 667–A.4 In the
present order, we deny rehearing of
Order No. 667–B.
1. American Public Power Association
together with National Rural Electric
Cooperative Association (APPA/
NRECA) and Florida Municipal Power
Agency together with Seminole Electric
Cooperative, Inc. (FMPA/Seminole)
raise one issue on rehearing of Order
No. 667–B: whether PUHCA 2005’s
accounting, record retention and
reporting requirements should apply to
a holding company system whose
traditional utility operations are
confined substantially to one state but
that holds significant interests in out-ofstate exempt wholesale generators
(EWGs), foreign utility companies
(FUCOs), and qualifying facilities (QFs).
They assert that these requirements
should apply because, they claim,
regulators would not otherwise have
1 Energy Policy Act of 2005, Pub. L. 109–58, 119
Stat. 594 (2005).
2 Repeal of the Public Utility Holding Company
Act of 1935 and Enactment of the Public Utility
Holding Company Act of 2005, Order No. 667, 70
FR 75592 (Dec. 20, 2005), FERC Stats. & Regs.
¶ 31,197 (2005).
3 Repeal of the Public Utility Holding Company
Act of 1935 and Enactment of the Public Utility
Holding Company Act of 2005, Order No. 667–A,
71 FR 28446 (May 16, 2006), FERC Stats. & Regs.
¶ 31,213 (2006).
4 Repeal of the Public Utility Holding Company
Act of 1935 and Enactment of the Public Utility
Holding Company Act of 2005, Order No. 667–B, 71
FR 42750 (July 28, 2006), FERC Stats. & Regs.
¶ 31,224 (2006).
PO 00000
Frm 00017
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
8277
access to relevant accounts and records
and therefore would be unable to
prevent inappropriate crosssubsidization or other misallocations of
costs within the holding company
system. We deny rehearing as discussed
below.
Background
2. Under the Commission’s
regulations under PUHCA 2005, a
‘‘single-state holding company system’’
is eligible for waiver of the
Commission’s PUHCA 2005 accounting,
record retention and reporting
requirements.5 In Order No. 667–A, the
Commission defined ‘‘single-state
holding company system’’ as a system
that derives no more than 13 percent of
its ‘‘public-utility company’’ revenues
from outside a single state.6 In Order
No. 667–B, the Commission clarified
that revenues from EWGs, FUCOs or
QFs do not constitute public-utility
company revenues for purposes of
determining status as a single-state
holding company system.7 As a result,
a single-state holding company system
as defined in Order Nos. 667–A and
667–B may hold interests in EWGs,
FUCOs and QFs without, by virtue of
those interests, being subject to the
Commission’s PUHCA 2005 accounting,
record retention and reporting
requirements.
3. The Commission reasoned that this
approach follows the approach taken
under section 3(a) of PUHCA 1935,
which exempted a holding company
from plenary oversight under PUHCA
1935 if the holding company’s
traditional utility operations were
largely confined to one state.8 The
exemption in section 3(a) reflected
Congress’ assessment that other state
and federal corporate and rate
regulation was sufficient to protect
against abuse in those circumstances.
Further, the 13 percent standard
adopted by the Commission in Order
Nos. 667–A and B to determine who
qualifies for the single state holding
company waiver was the same standard
applied by the SEC under PUHCA 1935,
thus resulting in no more onerous
regulatory requirements than those in
place under PUHCA 1935. In Order No.
667–B, the Commission found that other
state and federal regulation continues to
be sufficient to protect against abuse,
without subjecting a holding company
system to the Commission’s PUHCA
2005 accounting, record retention and
5 18
CFR 366.3(c)(1).
No. 667–A, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,213
at P 28.
7 Order No. 667–B, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,224
at P 20.
8 U.S.C. 79c(a); see 15 U.S.C. 79z–5a and 79z–5b.
6 Order
E:\FR\FM\26FER1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 37 (Monday, February 26, 2007)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 8268-8277]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-3195]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary
14 CFR Part 382
Guidance Concerning the Carriage of Service Animals in Air
Transportation Into the United Kingdom
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of guidance concerning the carriage of service animals
in air transportation from the United States to the United Kingdom.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice publishes guidance concerning the carriage of
service animals in air transportation from the United States (U.S.) to
the United Kingdom (U.K.). These guidelines address the differences
between U.K. laws regulating the transport of service animals on
flights into the U.K. and U.S. law with respect to the carriage of
service animals in air transportation. U.K. laws affecting the
transport of service animals in air travel differ significantly from
the requirements of the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), 49 U.S.C. 41705,
and its implementing regulation in 14 CFR Part 382, resulting in
uncertainty for carriers and persons with disabilities about the
requirements that apply on flights into or transiting the U.K.
The purpose of this guidance document is to assist U.S. and foreign
carriers, as well as passengers with disabilities, in complying with
both U.S. and U.K. regulations concerning the transport of service
animals on flights from the U.S. to the U.K. by: (1) Explaining the
procedures passengers must follow to comply with the U.K.'s Pet Travel
Scheme (PETS); (2) explaining the procedures U.S. and foreign carriers
must follow to obtain an approved Required Method of Operation (RMOP)
from the U.K.'s Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
(DEFRA); and (3) notifying both U.S. and foreign carriers operating
flights between the U.S. and the U.K. that failure to obtain an
approved RMOP from DEFRA will be considered a violation of the ACAA and
may subject such carriers to enforcement action by the U.S. DOT.
ADDRESSES: This guidance document is available on the Department's Web
site at https://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/ and future updates or revisions
will also be posted there. Questions regarding this notice may be
addressed to the Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Aviation
Enforcement and Proceedings, C-70, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Room 4116,
Washington, DC 20590.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen Blank Riether, Attorney,
Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Aviation Enforcement and
Proceedings, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590; (202) 366-
9342; e-mail kathleen.blankriether@dot.gov.
Introduction
Service animals perform many tasks to improve the quality of life
and independence of persons with disabilities. Accordingly, the ability
to travel with a service animal is critically important to those
passengers who rely on them to assist with their disabilities. For
health and safety reasons, until
[[Page 8269]]
February 2000, all animals traveling into the U.K. were subject to
quarantine for six months. From February 2000 to April 2004, U.K. law
allowed certain animals to enter the U.K. without a six-month
quarantine, but required, among other things, that they travel in a
sealed kennel on flights into the U.K. In April 2004, U.K. laws were
changed to remove the requirement that dogs and cats meeting the
requirements of the U.K.'s Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) must be transported
in a sealed kennel when traveling by air into the U.K. Consequently,
airlines could seek approval to legally transport PETS-compliant
animals in the aircraft passenger cabin for the first time, opening the
door for carriers to comply with many of the U.S. service animal
requirements on flights into the U.K.
U.S. service animal requirements are based on the ACAA, which was
enacted in 1986 to prohibit U.S. carriers from discriminating against
air travelers on the basis of disability. The ACAA was amended in 2000,
by the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st
Century (AIR-21), Pub. L. 106-181 (April 5, 2000), to specifically
cover foreign carriers. The Department's rule implementing the ACAA, 14
CFR Part 382 (Part 382), which was adopted in 1990, does not by its
terms address foreign carriers. However, DOT's Office of the Assistant
General Counsel for Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings (Enforcement
Office) gave notice, on May 18, 2000, of its intent to use Part 382 as
guidance in applying the ACAA to foreign carriers until that rule is
amended to cover those carriers. In November 2004, DOT published a
proposed rule to modify Part 382 to cover foreign carriers. The
Department expects to complete that rulemaking in 2007.
DOT has received a number of complaints against foreign and U.S.
carriers from passengers alleging unlawful discrimination under the
ACAA because they were prevented from traveling into the U.K. with
their service animals. DOT has also received inquiries from members of
the U.S. Congress on behalf of their constituents on this issue. Among
a number of actions taken in response to these complaints and
inquiries, the Department (1) Investigated several U.S. and foreign
carriers; (2) reviewed relevant European Union (EU) and U.K. laws and
agency guidance documents; (3) consulted with members of the U.K.
government; and (4) spoke with an international working group seeking
to establish consensus on best practices for transporting guide and
assistance dogs in the passenger cabin, particularly on long haul
flights such as those from the U.S. to the U.K. We found that there
were many complexities involved in the transport of service animals in
the passenger cabin on flights into the U.K. and concluded that
guidance for foreign and U.S. carriers, as well as passengers with
disabilities, was needed to clarify their respective rights and
responsibilities under the ACAA and Part 382 in the context of U.K.
laws and agency guidance.
Background
Until 2000, all animals traveling into the U.K. were subject to a
six-month quarantine upon entry in order to ensure that they were not
contaminated with rabies. On February 28, 2000, the U.K. implemented
the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS), a regulatory plan administered by the
U.K.'s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), that
allows certain animals holding appropriate documentation and
transported by an approved air carrier--initially dogs and cats, and as
of July 2004 also ferrets--from certain countries to enter England
without a six-month quarantine as long as the animals are identified by
microchip, vaccinated against rabies, blood tested (except ferrets),
and treated against certain parasites.
In May 2003, European Union Regulation (EC) No. 998/2003
established the current health requirements for animals traveling under
the Pet Travel Scheme between European Union (EU) member states or into
a member state from third countries, superseding the earlier U.K. laws.
The EU regulation allows the U.K. to broadly continue its domestic Pet
Travel Scheme for dogs and cats and covers import requirements for some
other species, including ferrets. It should be noted that the Council
of the European Union subsequently adopted a community regulation on
July 5, 2006, concerning the rights of disabled persons and persons
with reduced mobility when traveling by air, which will apply to
commercial carriers flying into, from, or through an airport situated
in an EU member state. The regulation, effective July 26, 2008, will
require carriers to transport recognized assistance dogs in the
aircraft cabin free of charge, subject to national legislation. See
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2006/l--204/l--
20420060726en00010009.pdf.
Following the adoption of the 2003 EU regulation, the U.K.
Parliament passed the Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals (England)
Regulations 2004 No. 2363 (NCMPAR 2004), which became effective on
October 1, 2004, implementing and enforcing the EU regulation in
England only. The other regions within the U.K., Scotland, Wales and
Northern Ireland, each have their own PETS regulations. However, as of
January 1, 2007, the only DEFRA-approved routes for service animals to
enter the U.K. from the U.S. are into England, primarily through the
London Gatwick and London Heathrow airports.
NCMPAR 2004 outlines the responsibilities and conditions that
carriers and passengers must meet to comply with the EU and U.K.
regulations with respect to the transport of dogs, cats and ferrets
into England. Carriers seeking approval to participate in PETS must
submit written procedures to DEFRA for transporting these animals into
England from listed countries on specific routes in accordance with
NCMPAR 2004. Listed countries, which include the U.S., are those from
which the movement of animals into the EU Community under the Pet
Travel Scheme may be authorized, provided that certain requirements are
met, under regulation (EC) No. 425/2005. See DEFRA's Web site for
listed and non-listed countries at https://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/
quarantine/pets/regulation/eu_reg.htm.
Passengers wishing to transport dogs, cats and ferrets into England
and U.K. airports that opt to accept such animals also have
responsibilities that they must meet. Passengers are obliged to take
specific steps to ensure their animals meet PETS health requirements
before entering the U.K. U.K. airports must establish an onsite DEFRA-
approved animal reception center (ARC) facility in order to participate
in PETS. An animal reception center is a facility located at the
airport and operated by a public or private sector organization for the
purpose of verifying the PETS compliance status of animals arriving on
flights into the U.K. before they deplane or are removed from the cargo
area. Animals found not to be PETS-compliant are detained at the ARC
until they can be transferred to a quarantine facility or removed from
the country.
Although PETS now allows dogs, cats, and ferrets to enter the U.K.
without a six-month quarantine and without being sealed in a kennel,
from February 2000 to April 2004, PETS required the animals to travel
in a sealed kennel on flights into England. Given the space constraints
in the aircraft cabin, participating carriers (i.e., carriers approved
by DEFRA for transporting PETS-compliant animals) would only transport
such kennels in the cargo hold of the aircraft. This restriction
discouraged persons with disabilities
[[Page 8270]]
from traveling from the U.S. to the U.K. with a service animal because
the passenger necessarily would be separated from his or her service
animal during flight. Separating a service animal from the passenger
with a disability can impair the passenger's ability to function
independently when the animal is unavailable to perform a vital task
(e.g., navigation, mobility assistance, seizure alert, etc.). The
disability community also advises that separation can create stress on
the service animal, affecting its ability to perform necessary tasks
for its owner when the service animal and its user reconnect.
With the PETS amendment of April 2004, participating carriers were
in a position to seek DEFRA approval to transport PETS-compliant
animals accompanied by their owners in the passenger cabin of aircraft
on approved routes into England. This substantive change in the PETS
order then prompted the U.K.'s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to issue
a Flight Operations Department Communication (FODCOM) on March 11,
2005, addressing cabin safety considerations concerning the carriage of
guide and assistance dogs in the aircraft cabin. Besides defining the
criteria for the acceptance of guide and assistance dogs qualifying for
carriage in the passenger cabin, the FODCOM explained that all other
animals should be treated as pets and that other arrangements be made
for their transport. See Carriage of Guide Dogs and Assistance Dogs in
the Aircraft Cabin, FODCOM 3/2005 (March 11, 2005). The CAA has
informed DOT that compliance with FODCOM provisions, which interpret
U.K. safety regulations, is mandatory for all U.K. carriers.
In sum, these changes to EU and U.K. law have allowed individual
carriers to modify their policies and procedures and obtain DEFRA
approval to carry guide and assistance dogs in the passenger cabin. In
addition, to comply with the ACAA and Part 382, U.S. carriers operating
flights from the U.S., or any other listed country, into the U.K. must
obtain DEFRA approval to transport all PETS-compliant animals that
serve as service animals in the cabin on approved routes into any
participating U.K. airport (i.e., approved by DEFRA to receive animals
coming into the U.K.) served by the carrier. (See GLOSSARY for the
definition of ``listed country.'') It is the position of the
Enforcement Office that the ACAA itself imposes the same obligation on
non-U.K. foreign carriers for flights from the U.S. into the U.K.
Similarly, it is the position of the Enforcement Office that the ACAA
itself requires U.K. carriers to obtain DEFRA approval to transport
PETS-compliant guide and assistance dogs in the cabin and all other
PETS-compliant animals that serve as service animals in the cargo hold
in accordance with FODCOM 3/2005, which is mandatory for such carriers.
Guidance Concerning the Carriage of Service Animals in Air
Transportation From the United States to the United Kingdom
List of Sections
A. Overview
1. What Is the Purpose of This Guidance?
2. To Whom Does This Guidance Apply?
3. What Service Animals May Accompany a Passenger With a Disability
on Flights Into the U.K.?
4. What About Service Animals That Are Not PETS-Compliant?
5. Under What Circumstances May a Carrier Refuse Transport to a
Service Animal?
6. Are Carriers Permitted To Require Passengers To Provide
Documentation That Their Animal Is a Service Animal as a Condition
for Transport in the Cabin?
7. Why Must Carriers Obtain Approval From DEFRA To Carry Service
Animals on Flights Into the U.K.?
B. Specific Requirements for Carrier Compliance With British Laws
Governing the Carriage of Animals Into the U.K.
1. What Steps Must a Carrier Take To Obtain DEFRA Approval to
Participate in PETS?
2. On Which Routes Must Carriers Participate in PETS?
3. Who Is Responsible for Ensuring That a Service Animal Is PETS-
Compliant Before Traveling to the U.K.?
4. What Other Requirements Apply to Carriers?
5. Are There Penalties for a Carrier's Noncompliance With U.K.
Regulations?
C. Specific Guidelines for Air Carriers on Dual Compliance With
U.K. Regulations and the ACAA/Part 382
1. May Carriers Require Advance Notice That A Qualified Individual
With A Disability Plans To Travel With a Service Animal Between the
U.S. (or Any Other Listed Country) and the U.K.?
2. May Carriers Limit the Number of Service Animals Allowed Per
Flight?
3. May Carriers Limit the Duration of Flights on Which a Service
Animal Will Be Allowed To Travel?
4. May Carriers Require an Early Check-In for a Passenger With a
Disability Who Intends To Travel Between the U.S. (or Any Other
Listed Country) and the U.K. With a Service Animal?
5. May Carriers Designate Seating for Qualified Individuals With a
Disability Who Travel With a Service Animal?
6. Are There Any Special Equipment Requirements for Carrying Service
Animals in the Passenger Cabin or in the Cargo Hold on Flights
Between the U.S. (or Any Other Listed Country) and the U.K.?
7. May Carriers Charge a Passenger With a Disability for Carrying a
Service Animal on Flights Between the U.S. and the U.K.?
8. May Carriers Require Documentation of PETS Compliance and a
Signed Release Before They Will Transport a Passenger's Service
Animal Into the U.K.?
9. May Carriers Require Passengers To Contact the ARC for
Confirmation That Their PETS Documentation Is in Order?
10. What Information Must Be Made Available to Passengers Regarding
PETS?
D. Guidance for Passengers With Service Animals Traveling on
Flights into the U.K.
1. What Should Passengers Know About Bringing a Service Animal Into
the U.K.?
2. What Documentation Must Be Presented by Passengers Upon Arrival
in the U.K. Demonstrating That a Service Animal Is PETS-Compliant?
3. What Specific Steps Must a Passenger Take to Ensure a Service
Animal Is PETS-Compliant?
4. What Costs and Fees Must a Passenger Pay To Bring a Service
Animal Into The U.K.?
5. What Are the Penalties to the Passenger for Failing To Comply
With PETS?
Glossary
A. Overview
1. What Is the Purpose of This Guidance?
As previously stated in the opening summary, this guidance assists
carriers in addressing the differences between U.K. and U.S. law with
respect to the carriage of service animals into the U.K., (e.g., the
ACAA requirement that carriers generally must transport all service
animals in the passenger cabin versus the U.K. rule that requires
carriers to restrict in-cabin transport to guide and assistance dogs
only).
In addition, this guidance notifies carriers that failure to obtain
approval to participate in the U.K.'s Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) when
flying from the U.S. (or for U.S. carriers, from any listed country)
into participating U.K. airports violates the ACAA and may subject the
carrier to enforcement action by the DOT.
Most importantly, this guidance provides both carriers and
passengers an overview of what they must do to comply with U.K. and
U.S. laws affecting the carriage of service animals accompanying
passengers with disabilities on flights between the U.S. and U.K.
2. To Whom Does This Guidance Apply?
Foreign carriers operating to and from U.S. airports are subject to
the provisions of the ACAA, while U.S. carriers must comply with the
ACAA and the rules set forth in Part 382 wherever they operate.
Accordingly,
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this guidance applies to U.S. carriers under the ACAA and Part 382 on
flights from any point of origin within a listed country to the U.K. It
also applies to foreign carriers under the ACAA on flights from the
U.S. to the U.K.
It is worth noting that U.S. and foreign carriers operating flights
from the U.S. into the U.K. under code-share agreements both have a
responsibility for ensuring the transport of PETS-compliant service
animals consistent with U.S. and U.K. law.
3. What Service Animals May Accompany a Passenger With a Disability on
Flights Into the U.K.?
a. U.S. carriers, under sections 382.55(a)(1) and (2), are required
to permit service animals used by individuals with a disability to
accompany the person in the aircraft passenger cabin in accordance with
applicable safety regulations. It is the Enforcement Office's position
that this requirement also applies under the ACAA to foreign carriers
operating to and from the U.S. absent a direct conflict of law.
b. U.S. regulatory guidance generally defines as service animals
those animals that are individually trained to perform functions to
assist passengers who are qualified individuals with a disability, but
recognizes that an emotional support animal or an animal such as a
seizure alert animal may be capable of performing functions to assist a
qualified individual with a disability without formal training
regarding the assistance it performs. Similarly under DOT guidance, a
service animal is (i) An animal individually trained to perform a
function and which performs that function to assist a person with a
disability; (ii) an animal that has been shown to have the innate
ability to assist a person with a disability, e.g., a seizure alert
animal; or (iii) an emotional support animal. Regardless of the
function it performs to assist a passenger with his or her disability,
a service animal should be trained to behave properly in the airport
and in the passenger cabin (e.g., not to run around freely, bark, bite
other persons, or urinate in the cabin). Improper behavior indicating a
lack of training may result in the service animal legitimately being
denied transport in the cabin.
c. Under FODCOM 3/2005, which interprets U.K. safety regulations,
only guide and assistance dogs may accompany their owners in the
passenger cabin on a flight. The FODCOM defines guide and assistance
dogs as dogs trained by an individual or organization accepted by and
affiliated with the International Guide Dog Federation to provide
assistance to a person with a disability and requires formal
identification indicating such training. Dogs not meeting the above
criteria for guide or assistance dogs, as well as cats and ferrets, are
considered pets and are not recognized as service animals in the U.K.,
even if trained to perform a function to assist a person with his or
her disability. FODCOM 3/2005, which is mandatory for U.K. carriers and
guidance for non-U.K. carriers, states that PETS-compliant animals
other than guide and assistance dogs should be carried in the cargo
hold.
d. Under Part 382, U.S. carriers must accept PETS-compliant service
dogs and service cats for transport in the aircraft cabin on flights
into the U.K. when they can behave appropriately and can be
accommodated without violating FAA safety regulations. When not,
carriers must transport such animals in the cargo hold. It is the
position of the Enforcement Office that the requirement to transport
service dogs and service cats also applies to non-U.K. foreign carriers
under the ACAA on flights from the U.S. to the U.K. It is also the
position of the Enforcement Office that U.K. carriers, to whom FODCOM
3/2005 applies, are subject to its requirement to permit only guide and
assistance dogs in the aircraft cabin. Since U.K. law does not prohibit
U.S. and non-U.K. foreign carriers from transporting PETS-compliant
animals in the cabin in accordance with a carrier's approved required
method of operation (RMOP), these carriers must request an approved
RMOP for transporting PETS-compliant service dogs and service cats in
the cabin in order to comply with the ACAA and Part 382. (For further
explanation of an RMOP, see ``What Steps Must a Carrier Take To Obtain
DEFRA Approval To Participate in PETS?'')
e. Although ferrets may be accepted for transport under PETS, U.S.
regulatory guidance permits carriers to refuse transport to ferrets for
safety reasons (See ``Under What Circumstances May a Carrier Refuse
Transport to a Service Animal?'')
f. Under section 382.57, U.S. carriers may not charge for
transporting service animals from the U.S. or any listed country to the
U.K. It is the Enforcement Office's position that this prohibition also
applies to all foreign carriers under the ACAA on flights from the U.S.
to the U.K. absent a direct conflict of law. The cost of animal
inspections and other fees to the passenger that airport animal
reception centers bill directly to carriers for administrative
convenience may be charged back to the passenger by the carrier.
g. Because section 382.55(a) requires that service animals be
permitted to accompany persons with disabilities on their flights, U.S.
carriers with routes into participating U.K. airports must also
participate in PETS so that the aforementioned service animals can
enter the U.K. in accordance with applicable U.K. laws. Under the ACAA,
it is the Enforcement Office's position that all foreign carriers
operating flights from the U.S. to the U.K. must also participate in
PETS. The Enforcement Office may pursue enforcement action against
carriers that fail to participate in the U.K.'s Pet Travel Scheme,
which is a necessary component to accepting service animals
accompanying passengers with disabilities on flights to the U.K.
4. What About Service Animals That Are Not PETS-Compliant?
a. Due to U.K. law requiring animals that are not PETS-compliant to
be quarantined or removed from the country and the penalties that may
result to the carrier for an illegal landing, a service animal for
which a passenger cannot demonstrate PETS compliance may be denied
transport.
b. Carriers have discretion to transport dogs, cats and ferrets
that are not PETS-compliant into the U.K. under the terms and
conditions of a U.K. quarantine import license. Dogs, cats and ferrets
that must be quarantined because they do not meet all PETS requirements
on the day they enter the UK, but at a later date can be shown to meet
the necessary PETS requirements, can be released early from the six-
month quarantine.
c. Carriers may choose to transport other service animals under the
terms and conditions of a U.K. quarantine import license, which
includes a six-month quarantine of the animal upon entry to the U.K.
d. For further information on import licensing and quarantine
procedures, see DEFRA's Web site at https://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/
quarantine/pets/procedures/support-info/listq&a.htm.
5. Under What Circumstances May a Carrier Refuse Transport to a Service
Animal?
a. Under U.S. law and regulatory guidance, refusing any type of
service animal for transport in the aircraft cabin is permitted only
when the animal's presence on the aircraft (1) Poses a direct threat to
the health or safety of passengers or crewmembers (e.g., airlines are
not required to transport, either in the cabin or in the cargo hold,
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snakes, other reptiles, ferrets, rodents, and spiders as DOT has
determined that these animals pose unavoidable safety and/or public
health concerns), or (2) would cause a significant disruption to the
airline service in the cabin (e.g., the service animal is not trained
to behave properly in public settings so the animal barks at other
persons on the aircraft, jumps on people or urinates in the cabin), or
(3) would violate an applicable Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
safety regulation (e.g., accepting a service animal for carriage in the
cabin that would block egress to the aisle from any row of seats on the
aircraft), or (4) is prohibited in the cabin by the law of the country
where the carrier operates.
b. Under section 382.37(c), U.S. carriers are required to transport
in the cargo hold any PETS-compliant service dogs and service cats that
cannot be accommodated in the cabin either for safety reasons or due to
behavior that significantly disrupts cabin service. It is the position
of the Enforcement Office that the same requirement applies to foreign
carriers under the ACAA.
c. U.S. and non-U.K. foreign carriers that permit only service dogs
and service cats to accompany their owners in the passenger cabin (or
in the cargo hold when safety requires) on flights from the U.S. into
the U.K. will be considered in compliance with the ACAA and Part 382.
U.K. carriers that permit only guide and assistance dogs in the
passenger cabin (or in the cargo hold when safety requires), and
transport other PETS-compliant service animals in the cargo hold on
flights from the U.S. into the U.K. will also be considered in
compliance with the ACAA. Due to the quarantine restrictions for other
animal species and their subsequent unavailability to their owners for
six months following entry to the U.K., carriers that accept only PETS-
compliant animals on flights from the U.S. into the U.K. will be
considered in compliance with the ACAA and Part 382.
6. Are Carriers Permitted To Require Passengers To Provide
Documentation That Their Animal is a Service Animal as a Condition for
Transport in the Cabin?
a. Under the ACAA and Part 382, carriers may look for indicators to
confirm that an animal is a service animal either through (1) An ID
issued by a guide or assistance dog organization or state or local
government agency; (2) service equipment on the animal such as a
harness, vest, or side-packs; or (3) the credible verbal assurance of
the qualified individual with a disability using the animal. Under the
ACAA and Part 382, any of these observations or procedures may be
sufficient to make the determination.
b. Under FODCOM 3/2005, a guide or assistance dog should meet the
full membership criteria in an accredited organization (e.g., Guide
Dogs for the Blind Association, Assistance Dogs International, etc.)
and have formal identification. Therefore, U.K. carriers may require
passengers to present such identification as a condition for acceptance
of a guide or assistance dog in the passenger cabin. For other PETS-
compliant animals, U.K. carriers should use as indicators of service
animal status those defined under the ACAA and Part 382.
c. U.S. law allows carrier personnel to request documentation for
service animals other than emotional support animals as a means of
verifying that the animal is a service animal only in limited
circumstances. However, the Enforcement Office urges U.S. and foreign
carriers, in the absence of a conflict of law, not to require
documentation as a condition for accepting a PETS-compliant dog or cat
for transport as a service animal in the cabin or the cargo hold unless
a passenger's verbal assurance is not credible. In that case, the
airline may require documentation (e.g., a service animal organization
membership ID). See Notice of Policy Guidance Concerning Service
Animals in Air Transportation, 68 FR 24,874 (May 9, 2003), available at
https://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/rules/20030509.pdf.
d. In order to prevent abuse by passengers who do not have a
medical need for an emotional support animal, DOT permits carriers to
require recent medical documentation of the passenger's disability-
related need as a condition for acceptance of an emotional support
animal as a service animal under the ACAA and Part 382. (See Notice of
Policy Guidance Concerning Service Animals in Air Transportation at the
above-noted Web site.)
e. The ACAA, Part 382 and FODCOM 3/2005 allow guide and assistance
dogs in the cabin of any breed and size provided they can be carried in
the cabin in accordance with applicable safety regulations.
7. Why Must Carriers Obtain Approval From DEFRA To Carry Service
Animals on Flights Into the U.K.?
a. The Enforcement Office considers a covered carrier's approval by
DEFRA to transport PETS-compliant service animals on flights from the
U.S. to participating U.K. airports, in accordance with this guidance,
necessary to comply with the ACAA since without such approval service
animals may not be legally transported into the U.K. See ``To Whom Does
This Guidance Apply?'' for the definition of a covered carrier.
b. U.S. air carriers operating between the U.S. or any other listed
country and the U.K., and foreign carriers operating between the U.S.
and the U.K., are put on notice that a failure to obtain DEFRA approval
may result in enforcement action initiated by DOT's Enforcement Office
for violating the ACAA.
c. To demonstrate to the Enforcement Office that a carrier is
seeking to participate in PETS, the office recommends that the carrier
retain all relevant records of the steps taken to obtain DEFRA approval
until it is granted.
B. Specific Requirements for Carrier Compliance With British Laws
Governing the Carriage of Animals Into the U.K.
1. What Steps Must a Carrier Take To Obtain DEFRA Approval To
Participate in PETS?
a. Before a carrier can participate in PETS, it first must prepare
a proposed Required Method of Operation (RMOP) and submit it to DEFRA
for approval. The RMOP must describe the specific procedures the
carrier will follow to ensure the proper transport of PETS-compliant
animals in accordance with applicable DEFRA, CAA and the International
Air Transport Association (IATA) requirements.
b. The RMOP for carriage of animals should include all relevant
details on:
i. How the carrier will transport the animals in the passenger
cabin and in the cargo hold;
ii. How the carrier will ensure that the passenger presents the
required PETS documentation for the animal prior to departure;
iii. How the carrier will ensure that the animals are checked-in by
the animal reception center (ARC) upon arrival into the U.K.;
iv. What contingency plans the carrier intends in the event of
emergencies or route deviations; and
v. On what routes (point-to-point between city pairs) the carrier
proposes to transport animals in the passenger cabin and cargo hold.
c. There is no charge for filing an RMOP. Instructions for
preparing an RMOP covering the carriage of service animals in the
passenger cabin and in the cargo hold can be obtained from
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DEFRA by contacting quarantine@defra.gsi.gov.uk.
d. Carriers must coordinate a written service level agreement (SLA)
with the local ARC at each airport they serve with an ARC in the U.K.
and submit a copy with their proposed RMOPs to DEFRA. The SLA is an
agreement between the ARC and the carrier that the ARC will verify the
PETS compliance status of any animal arriving at the local airport over
one of the carrier's approved routes. This step is necessary to obtain
final approval to participate in PETS.
e. Failure to reach agreement with DEFRA on a proposed RMOP does
not exempt the carrier from its obligation to accommodate service
animals under Part 382 and/or the ACAA. If a carrier's initial proposed
RMOP is not approved, the carrier is obliged to pursue good faith
efforts with DEFRA until an agreement on procedures acceptable to DEFRA
is reached and approval is granted.
f. The approved RMOP and SLA spell out the carrier's legal
obligations with respect to the transport of animals into the U.K.
Failure to adhere to their terms may result in liability of the carrier
under U.K. law.
2. On Which Routes Must Carriers Participate in PETS?
a. London Heathrow and London Gatwick are the primary U.K. airports
participating in PETS that serve flights from the U.S. See DEFRA's Web
site at https://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/pets/procedures/
support-info/assistance-air.htm#noneu for a list of approved routes
from the U.S. to the U.K.
b. DEFRA approves a carrier's participation in PETS on a per-
carrier, route-by-route basis. To remain in compliance with the ACAA,
U.S. carriers must seek approval from DEFRA to participate in PETS on
all direct routes from the U.S., or any other listed country, to
participating U.K. airports. Foreign carriers must seek approval from
DEFRA to participate in PETS on all of its direct routes from the U.S.
to participating U.K. airports. For example, a carrier that only
operates direct flights between Dulles International Airport and London
Heathrow must seek approval for only that route. However, if a U.S.
carrier operates direct flights from a number of cities to
participating U.K. airports, it must seek DEFRA approval for all such
routes.
c. The carrier's RMOP should be submitted with a list of all routes
(point-to-point between city pairs) on which it proposes to transport
service animals in the aircraft cabin and cargo hold.
d. Although carriers must request approval for all routes they
operate between the U.S. and participating U.K. airports, they will be
held responsible under the ACAA and Part 382 for transporting PETS-
compliant service animals only on those routes for which they have
received approval from DEFRA.
3. Who is Responsible for Ensuring That a Service Animal is PETS
Compliant Before Traveling to the U.K.?
a. It is the passenger's responsibility to obtain the correct
documentation verifying that his or her service animal is PETS-
compliant, and to present it to the carrier before take off and again
to the ARC officer upon landing. See ``What Documentation Must Be
Presented Upon Arrival in the U.K. Demonstrating That a Service Animal
is PETS Compliant?''
b. The ARC may require these documents to be faxed to it by the
passenger up to 14 days before travel to allow sufficient time to
notify the passenger of any deficiencies in the documentation that must
be corrected to avoid quarantine of the animal upon landing. Passengers
should contact the ARC to determine how far in advance the ARC will
require the documents. Final clearance will be given only after the
service animal's microchip has been checked and documents have been
found to be in order by ARC personnel upon the passenger's arrival in
the U.K.
c. The carrier's sole responsibilities with respect to PETS
documentation are (1) To ensure that the passenger is carrying a third
country official veterinary certificate or an EU pet passport and
supporting documents upon boarding the aircraft with the animal or when
checking the animal in as cargo; and (2) to affix these documents to
the kennel in the manner prescribed by DEFRA for animals transported in
the cargo hold.
4. What Other Requirements Apply to Carriers?
a. The carrier must notify the ARC at least 24 hours before the
scheduled departure of a flight to the U.K. if an animal will be
onboard. The carrier must comply with this notification requirement or
be subject to possible prosecution and penalty by local U.K.
authorities for an illegal landing. (See Veterinary Checks Legislative
Directive, EU 91/268.) As a best practice, DEFRA and the Enforcement
Office urge carriers to fax notification to the ARC at the time of
booking, or at least 72 hours before departure, to ensure that ARC
staff are available for dispatch to the proper aircraft and/or cargo
location upon landing.
b. If the carrier discovers a smuggled animal onboard a flight into
the U.K., the pilot must ensure that the ARC is notified before
landing.
c. Carriers transporting a PETS-compliant service animal in the
cargo hold must ensure that (1) The animal's kennel meets IATA
specifications, and (2) the animal's third country official veterinary
certificate or EU pet passport and supporting documents provided by the
passenger are affixed to the kennel in the manner prescribed by DEFRA.
5. Are There Penalties for a Carrier's Noncompliance With U.K.
Regulations?
a. U.K. regulations require carriers to (1) Obtain approval from
DEFRA to participate in PETS; (2) comply with the terms and conditions
of the approval; and (3) notify the ARC at least 24 hours prior to a
flight's departure to the U.K. that an animal will be onboard.
b. A carrier that transports an animal into the U.K. without
meeting any one of the above requirements may be prosecuted for an
illegal landing and fined up to [pound]5,000 (approximately $9,890 as
of early January 2007) by the local U.K. enforcement authorities. For
example, a carrier that transports animals into the U.K. without an
approved RMOP, or a DEFRA-approved carrier that fails to follow its
RMOP (e.g., brings animals into the country with insufficient or no
documentation, or that fails to comply with the ARC notification
requirement) may be prosecuted and fined by the local U.K. enforcement
authorities as stated above.
c. If the carrier notifies the ARC of an animal's arrival as
described above, and upon landing the ARC determines that the animal is
not compliant with U.K. regulations, the passenger, and not the
carrier, will be held liable for any penalties that may result from the
illegal landing.
C. Specific Guidelines for Air Carriers on Dual Compliance With U.K.
Regulations and the ACAA/Part 382
1. May Carriers Require Advance Notice That a Qualified Individual With
a Disability Plans To Travel With a Service Animal Between the U.S. (or
Any Other Listed Country) and the U.K.?
U.K. law requires carriers to coordinate with the ARC at
least 24 hours in advance when carrying an animal into the U.K. to
ensure adequate time to schedule the PETS inspection required upon
landing. Carriers may legitimately deny boarding to a service animal
when the ARC has had
[[Page 8274]]
insufficient notice to schedule an inspection. Therefore, carriers may
strongly recommend that passengers with disabilities intending to
travel with a service animal on a flight from the U.S. to the U.K.
notify them of their intention when making a reservation, or at the
latest 72 hours before departure, to avoid the service animal being
denied boarding. Carriers must inform passengers traveling with a
service animal, and who make a reservation less than 72 hours before
departure, that the service animal may be denied boarding if the ARC
has insufficient time to schedule the required inspection.
2. May Carriers Limit the Number of Service Animals Allowed Per Flight?
a. U.K. regulatory guidance does not limit the number of guide or
assistance dogs allowed in the passenger cabin on a given flight, but
the Enforcement Office notes that foreign carriers may wish to take
into account the safety provisions outlined in the European Joint
Airworthiness Regulations (JAR-OPS 1.260, Carriage of Persons with
Reduced Mobility) requiring carriers to ensure that persons with
disabilities do not occupy seats where their presence could: (1) Impede
the crew in their duties, (2) obstruct access to emergency equipment,
or (3) impede the emergency evacuation of the aircraft.
b. Under Part 382, U.S. carriers may not limit the number of
service animals allowed in the passenger cabin on any given flight
except for safety reasons. It is the position of the Enforcement Office
that the same requirement applies to foreign carriers operating to and
from the U.S. under the ACAA.
c. Therefore, carriers may only limit the number of service animals
in the cabin for legitimate safety reasons.
3. May Carriers Limit the Duration of Flights on Which a Service Animal
Will Be Allowed to Travel?
There are no U.K. laws specifically addressing this issue.
The Enforcement Office's view is that U.S. law does not allow carriers
covered by Part 382 and/or the ACAA to limit flight duration for
service animals on flights between the U.S. and the U.K.
4. May Carriers Require an Early Check-In for a Passenger With a
Disability Who Intends To Travel Between the U.S. (or Any Other Listed
Country) and the U.K. With a Service Animal?
It is the Enforcement Office's position that carriers may
not require advance check-in times for passengers with service animals
beyond what is required of other passengers; however, carriers may
strongly recommend early arrival at the airport to allow adequate time
to complete all check-in requirements.
5. May Carriers Designate Seating for Qualified Individuals With a
Disability Who Travel With a Service Animal?
a. U.S. carriers must and foreign carriers should provide a
bulkhead seat or any other seat consistent with safety regulations, as
requested by a passenger accompanied by a service dog.
b. Under Part 382, U.S. carriers must permit a service animal to
accompany the passenger with a disability at any seat in which the
person sits unless a legitimate safety reason would preclude it (e.g.,
a dog obstructs an aisle or other area that must remain unobstructed in
order to facilitate an emergency evacuation). It is the Enforcement
Office's position that foreign carriers operating to and from the U.S.
must also provide similar accommodations under the ACAA.
c. If a service animal cannot be accommodated at the seat location
of the passenger with a disability, U.S. carriers must and foreign
carriers should offer the passenger the opportunity to move with the
animal to a seat location in the same class of service, if present on
the aircraft, where the animal can be accommodated.
6. Are There Any Special Equipment Requirements for Carrying Service
Animals in the Passenger Cabin or in the Cargo Hold on Flights Between
the U.S. (or Any Other Listed Country) and the U.K.?
a. The FODCOM, which is mandatory for U.K. carriers and guidance
for non-U.K. carriers, states that as a matter of safety assistance
dogs should be properly secured by a harness during take-off, landing,
and turbulence. Accordingly, U.K. carriers may require that passengers
use a harness to restrain guide and assistance dogs in the cabin on
flights between the U.S. and U.K. U.S. and non-U.K. foreign carriers,
unless required by their nation's laws, should not require that a
harness be used to restrain service animals transported in the
passenger cabin on flights from the U.S. to the U.K.
b. Although it is a standard practice by some foreign carriers to
require that absorbent mats be placed under guide and assistance dogs
traveling in the aircraft cabin, it is not required by U.K.
regulations. It is the Enforcement Office's view that carriers may
require an absorbent mat to be placed under a service animal during
travel in the cabin, but should not require passengers to provide the
mat. Carriers that require the use of absorbent mats should have such
mats available.
c. Service animals traveling in the cargo hold must be transported
in kennels that meet specifications for size, construction, etc., set
forth in IATA's Live Animal Regulations.
7. May Carriers Charge a Passenger With a Disability For Carrying a
Service Animal on Flights Between the U.S. and the U.K.?
Under Part 382, and it is the Enforcement Office's
position that under the ACAA itself, carriers may not impose charges
for transporting service animals. However, carriers are encouraged to
inform qualified individuals with a disability traveling with a service
animal that the passenger is responsible for any on-the-ground fees or
charges by a public or private sector organization for the purpose of
ensuring the animal is compliant with PETS. Inspection fees for
assistance dogs are waived by some U.K. airports. Charges to the
carrier by the ARC for inspections and other services related to
ensuring an animal is PETS-compliant may be passed on to the passenger
along with a reasonable administrative fee to cover payment processing
expenses. The passenger will also be responsible for any veterinary,
kenneling and other costs resulting if the animal is not PETS-compliant
and must be treated after arrival, placed in temporary quarantine for
up to six months, or removed from the country.
8. May Carriers Require Documentation of PETS Compliance and a Signed
Release Before They Will Transport a Passenger's Service Animal Into
the U.K.?
It is the Enforcement Office's position that, as a
condition for transporting a PETS-compliant service animal accompanying
a qualified individual with a disability into the U.K., a carrier may
require the individual to: (1) Present a third country official
veterinary certificate or EU pet passport with supporting documents at
the gate or when checking a service animal in for cargo hold transport;
and (2) sign a release assuming responsibility for fees charged by the
ARC to verify that the animal is PETS-compliant and for other costs
(e.g., quarantine charges, treatment fees, etc.), including penalties
assessed to the passenger by the ARC for failing to ensure the animal
is PETS-compliant.
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9. May Carriers Require Passengers to Contact the ARC for Confirmation
That Their PETS Documentation is in Order?
Carriers may require that passengers contact the ARC for a
pre-approval document indicating that their PETS documentation is in
order if the ARC requires a pre-approval document be presented to the
ARC inspector upon landing. Otherwise, the carrier should strongly
recommend that passengers contact the ARC in advance to verify that the
necessary documents are in order and avoid the possibility of the
animal being held in quarantine.
10. What Information Must Be Made Available to Passengers Regarding
PETS?
a. Under section 382.45, U.S. carriers are required to make
available, upon request, information concerning facilities and services
related to providing air transportation to qualified individuals with
disabilities. This would include information concerning the transport
of service animals from the U.S. or other listed country into the U.K.
It is the position of the Enforcement Office that such information must
also be provided by foreign carriers under the ACAA on flights from the
U.S. to the U.K. upon request.
b. Even if not requested, carriers are encouraged to provide all
passengers who wish to travel to or transit the U.K. with an animal,
whether or not the animal is a service animal, with as much information
as possible regarding PETS. It is recommended that this information
include the potential consequences of an illegal landing such as
prosecution, fines, and quarantine. If a carrier chooses to provide
information on PETS compliance to passengers, U.S. carriers are advised
that under section 382.55(a)(3), they must provide this information to
all passengers accompanied by animals traveling with the carrier into
the U.K., including those accompanied by service animals. Foreign
carriers operating flights from the U.S. to the U.K. are also urged to
provide all passengers traveling with animals into the U.K. with
information on PETS compliance, even if not requested.
D. Guidance for Passengers With Service Animals Traveling on Flights
Into the U.K.
1. What Should Passengers Know About Bringing a Service Animal Into the
U.K.?
a. The U.K. is a rabies-free country and its rules governing the
entry of animals into the country, including service animals, are
strictly enforced. These rules apply to the transport of animals on
flights that either terminate in or transit the U.K. enroute to a third
country.
b. Under U.K. law, only airlines granted official approval by DEFRA
may transport animals into the U.K. on approved routes under PETS. U.K.
carriers having an approved RMOP may only transport PETS-compliant
guide and assistance dogs in the aircraft cabin and must transport
other PETS-compliant service animals in the cargo hold. Non-U.K.
carriers having an approved RMOP may transport PETS-compliant dogs,
cats or ferrets in the cabin or in the cargo hold of the aircraft.
However, under Part 382, U.S. carriers having an approved RMOP must
transport PETS-compliant service dogs and service cats in the aircraft
cabin consistent with FAA safety requirements. It is the position of
the Enforcement Office that non-U.K. foreign carriers also must
transport PETS-compliant service dogs and service cats in the aircraft
cabin on flights into the U.K., consistent with applicable safety
requirements, unless prohibited by their nation's laws.
c. Dogs, cats and ferrets that are not PETS-compliant must be
carried in the cargo hold and are subject to U.K. import licensing
requirements.
d. The ACAA and Part 382 leave it to the discretion of carriers to
accept or reject ferrets as service animals, even for transport in the
cargo hold.
e. It is a passenger's responsibility to ensure that his or her
service animal is fully compliant with PETS requirements. Passengers
living outside the U.K. must have a licensed veterinarian certify that
all PETS requirements have been met by completing, signing and date-
stamping a third country official veterinary certificate for domestic
dogs, cats and ferrets. See the question below ``What Documentation
Must Be Presented by Passengers Upon Arrival in the U.K. Demonstrating
That a Service Animal is PETS Compliant?''
f. The ARC may require that passengers fax the third country
official veterinary certificate and supporting documents to the ARC up
to 14 days prior to the date of travel. The ARC may issue a pre-
approval document to the passenger indicating that these documents are
in order and require that it be presented to the ARC inspector. The
passenger is responsible for obtaining all documents the particular ARC
requires for presentation upon landing. The Heathrow ARC can be
contacted at HARC.GeneralEnq@cityoflondon.gov.uk, 011 44 20 8745 7894
(telephone) or 011 44 20 8759 3477 (fax). The Gatwick ARC can be
contacted at animalaircare@btconnect.com, 011 44 12 9346 2180, or 011
44 12 9366 6841 (fax).
g. An animal that leaves the aircraft in a non-listed country will
be refused re-entry into the U.K. under PETS until a new blood test and
6 month waiting period have elapsed.
h. Passengers traveling with a service animal should provide notice
to the carrier at the time the reservation is made or at the latest 72
hours prior to the flight's departure. This will allow the carrier to
give the ARC ample notice to plan for the animal's PETS inspection upon
the flight's arrival in the U.K.
i. The passenger must present the required documents to airline
personnel at the gate prior to departure and to ARC personnel upon
landing in the U.K. before deplaning.
j. There are costs and fees associated with PETS compliance, all of
which are paid by the passenger, unless the carrier has voluntarily
arranged with the ARC to pay the fee for the initial inspection upon
landing, or the ARC provides initial inspection services free of charge
(e.g., at the time this guidance was published the London Heathrow ARC
inspected guide and assistance dogs at no charge). Passengers should
check with the ARC concerning any fees for which they are responsible
and acceptable payment methods.
k. Failing to comply with PETS will result in additional costs to
the passenger. Egregious or repeated violations may result in
prosecution and the imposition of fines by the local British
enforcement authorities.
2. What Documentation Must Be Presented by Passengers Upon Arrival in
the U.K. Demonstrating That a Service Animal is PETS Compliant?
a. Upon landing in the U.K., a passenger accompanied by a PETS-
compliant service animal must present either a date-stamped third
country official veterinary certificate, signed by a veterinarian
licensed by an approved country or an EU pet passport demonstrating
that the animal has received:
i. A microchip implant readable by an ISO (International Standards
Organization)-compatible scanner or by another scanner compatible with
the implanted microchip provided by the passenger,
ii. A vaccination against rabies,
iii. A rabies antibodies blood test (except for ferrets). This test
must be completed at least six months before the animal's initial entry
to the U.K. This waiting period applies only once as long as subsequent
rabies boosters are
[[Page 8276]]
administered in accordance with the vaccine manufacturer's
instructions; and
iv. Treatment for certain parasites.
b. A model of the third country official veterinary certificate can
be found at https://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/pri/en/oj/dat/2004/l--065/l--
06520040303en00130019.pdf.
c. For PETS-compliant service animals traveling in the cargo hold,
the veterinary certificate or pet passport must be presented to the
carrier at check-in so that the carrier can affix the certificates to
the kennel in the manner prescribed by DEFRA. If the service animal is
found not to be PETS-compliant, it may be placed in quarantine for up
to 6 months or removed from the country, as determined by the ARC.
3. What Specific Steps Must a Passenger Take To Ensure a Service Animal
Is PETS-Compliant?
See DEFRA's Web site at https://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/
quarantine/pets/procedures/owners.htm for detailed current information
about compliance procedures, including a compliance checklist and
approved carriers and routes between the U.S. and U.K.
4. What Costs and Fees Must a Passenger Pay To Bring a Service Animal
Into the U.K.?
a. The passenger will be responsible for paying all veterinary
costs associated with preparing an animal for travel and any fees
charged by the ARC for checking the animal upon arrival unless the
airline has voluntarily arranged with the ARC to pay the fee for the
initial inspection upon landing or the ARC provides initial inspection
services free of charge. Passengers may also be required to pay a
reasonable administrative fee to the airline to cover the cost of
processing these payments to the ARC.
b. If an animal is not PETS-compliant, the passenger will be
responsible for any costs associated with quarantine for tick and
tapeworm treatment, a six-month quarantine after a rabies vaccination
and follow-up blood test, or removing the animal from the country, as
determined by the ARC.
c. Any penalties resulting from the illegal landing will be the
sole responsibility of the passenger, unless it can be shown that the
carrier made no attempt to check for the required PETS documents when
accepting the animal for transport or to notify the ARC in advance of
an animal on board or both.
5. What Are the Penalties to the Passenger for Failing To Comply With
PETS?
In egregious cases of noncompliance such as concealing and
smuggling an animal not vaccinated against rabies, or for repeated
failures to have the necessary treatments and tests performed and
certified, a passenger may be prosecuted by the local British
authorities and be subject to a penalty of up to [pound]5,000
(approximately $9,890 in early January 2007).
Glossary
ACAA--Air Carrier Access Act: U.S. legislation prohibiting
discrimination on the basis of disability by both U.S. and foreign
carriers in providing air transportation services.
ARC--Animal Reception Center: A facility at an airport for
receiving and inspecting animals arriving in the U.K. from an EU or
third country to ensure their compliance with EU and domestic
regulations on animal health.
CAA--U.K. Civil Aviation Authority.
Community--A collective term referring to those countries that
comprise the European Union.
DEFRA--U.K. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Direct conflict of law--A contradiction between a requirement of
the ACAA and an applicable provision of the law of a foreign nation,
precluding compliance with both.
FAA--U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.
IATA--International Air Transport Association.
ISO--International Standards Organization.
(EC) No. 425/2005--European Union regulation amending the list of
third countries from which the movement of pet animals into the
Community may be authorized.
(EC) No. 998/2003--European Union regulation on the animal health
requirements applicable to the non-commercial movement of pet animals
between member states and from listed third countries. The regulation
allows the U.K. to broadly continue with its domestic Pet Travel Scheme
for cats and dogs. Conditions for the entry of ferrets into member
states from other member states and from listed third countries come
directly within the scope of this regulation.
Listed Country--A country listed in (EC) No. 425/2005, from which
the movement of pet animals into a European Community member state may
be authorized, provided that certain requirements are met.
Member State--A country that is a member of the European Union.
NCMPAR 2004--Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals (England)
Regulations 2004: U.K. legislation implementing and enforcing the EU
regulation EC 998/2003.
PART 382--Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air
Travel: U.S. regulation implementing the Air Carrier Access Act, which
presently does not by its terms address foreign carriers except with
respect to disability reporting requirements.
Participating Airport--An airport having an animal reception center
approved by DEFRA to receive animals transported into the U.K. by air
from an EU Community country or a listed third country.
Participating Carrier--A carrier whose required method of operation
document (RMOP) has been approved by DEFRA, authorizing it to transport
animals into the U.K. under the Pet Travel Scheme.
Pet Passport--A document that clearly identifies an animal and
officially records the health information necessary under the Pet
Travel Scheme (PETS) to verify its compliance with EU and local animal
health regulations. A pet passport allows animals to travel easily
between EU member countries without undergoing quarantine.
PETS (Pet Travel Scheme)--A regulatory plan administered by the
U.K.'s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), that
allows certain animals--dogs, cats, and as of July 2004, ferrets--from
certain countries to enter the U.K. without a six-month quarantine as
long as the animals are identified by microchip, vaccinated against
rabies, blood tested (except ferrets), treated against certain
parasites, accompanied by appropriate documentation and transported by
an approved carrier.
Qualified Individual With a Disability--An individual with a
disability who (a) With respect to accompanying or meeting a traveler,
use of ground transportation, using terminal facilities, or obtaining
information about schedules, fares or policies, takes those actions
necessary to avail himself or herself of facilities or services offered
by an air carrier to the general public, with reasonable
accommodations, as needed, provided by the carrier;
(b) With respect to obtaining a ticket for air transportation on an
air carrier, offers, or makes a good faith attempt to offer, to
purchase or otherwise validly to obtain such a ticket;
(c) With respect to obtaining air transportation, or other services
or accommodations required by 14 CFR Part 382: (1) Purchases or
possesses a valid ticket for air transportation on an
[[Page 8277]]
air carrier and presents himself or herself at the airport for the
purpose of traveling on the flight for which the ticket has been
purchased or obtained; and (2) Meets reasonable, nondiscriminatory
contract of carriage requirements applicable to all passengers.
Required Method of Operation (RMOP)--An agreement between a carrier
and DEFRA concerning the procedures the carrier will use to ensure the
proper transport of animals into the U.K. under PETS. This document
must be approved by DEFRA before the carrier can begin PETS
participation.
SLA (Service Level Agreement)--An agreement between an ARC and a
carrier that the ARC will verify the PETS compliance status of any
animal arriving at the local airport over one of the carrier's approved
routes.
Issued in Washington, DC, on February 20, 2007.
Samuel Podberesky,
Assistant General Counsel for Aviation, Enforcement and Proceedings.
[FR Doc. E7-3195 Filed 2-23-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P