Thu Mar 23 17:11:52 PST 2006

Southwest Gate Agent

Glindy and I are in California again. On the way here, we once again took Southwest. This time, though, the gate agent gave me some mild grief.

When I handed him my blue pre-boarding ticket jacket, he looked at Glindy and asked me if she was a Seeing Eye dog. I told him she was a service dog, at which point he asked to see my dog's "papers." I told him that the Air Carrier Access Act does not require me to show any kind of documentation for a service dog, but he remained unconvinced.

He told me that he'd allow me onto the plane, but would check out my assertion and come fetch me from the cabin if he needed more "proof" from me. At that point, I firmly told him that he'd better come with a Complaint Resolution Officer in tow if he did that, and strode off down the jetway.

A minute or two later, I was politely greeted by the cabin crew, who remembered us from a previous flight. They welcomed us aboard, helped Glindy and me settle into our bulkhead seats, and that was the end of our minor drama.

Posted by Todd A. Jacobs | Permalink | Categories: Access Challenges