Recap: Service Animal Restrictions, AmEx Reaches Parity & More

 

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What Gives?
What Gives? (@guest_890341)
January 27, 2020 17:43

While we’re at it, let’s ban crying kids, old farts, and people with attitudes from planes… /s

Mark
Mark (@guest_890986)
January 28, 2020 08:42

If you want to bring your pet, pay the pet fee and keep them in their travel bags. This isn’t hard.

Peasants!
Peasants! (@guest_890339)
January 27, 2020 17:40

People complaining about dogs on flights are like the overly-eager guy at the gate who is upset that the wheelchairs get to go before First Class… like, maybe disabled people need more time or assistance… but, no, THAT guy’s pissed, because he paid four times what those peasants paid.

MehBahNod
MehBahNod (@guest_890982)
January 28, 2020 08:38

My personal favorite: when the person behind you uses your seat to get up. Like, here you are resting on a 13 hour redeye in economy and *bam* guy rattles you awake. Dude, use your own chair to get up!

Mark
Mark (@guest_891197)
January 28, 2020 11:53

Stop conflating people who actually need assistance with those who want to save a few bucks and not pay their fair share.

Shane
Shane (@guest_890333)
January 27, 2020 17:21

Not a fan of these regs as it affects genuine service animals IE Guide Dogs for blind folks. Requiring an extra hour for checkin at the airport precludes online checkin. It also creates problems where you have a connection on a separate airline.

YoniPDX
YoniPDX (@guest_890219)
January 27, 2020 15:25

Huge difference between Service animals (including miniature horses) are an ADA issue. Where as ESA are a comfort issue – flying is a privilege not a right, just like driving.

Service animals are highly trained and rarely if ever misbehave, or attack people or other animals.

I do think that people have pushed the limits with aggressive dog breeds or exotic animals.

FlyTheFriendlySkies
FlyTheFriendlySkies (@guest_890334)
January 27, 2020 17:27

Millions of people fly every day. Likely thousands of animals with them. We only hear in the news about the lady with the peacock or when a dog dies. Tragic. Why? Because it’s like a shark attack. Great clickbait. Gets people worked up.

AMS
AMS (@guest_891193)
January 28, 2020 11:50

How about regular-sized horses? I think KLM still does that on the 747-combi.

Shame!
Shame! (@guest_890201)
January 27, 2020 14:59

Either people are trolling hard here or there is a lot more hate towards pets and pet-owners than I ever expected from this community.

SamL
SamL (@guest_890245)
January 27, 2020 15:58

It’s not about pets. It’s about people with personality disorders having their extreme sense of entitlement fully catered to.

Shame!
Shame! (@guest_890271)
January 27, 2020 16:16

If people go through the trouble to get doctors notes and fill out necessary paperwork with their respective airlines, that seems like enough red tape to me. Extra fees (bring pets as opposed to ESA or service animals) only benefit airlines’ bottom lines at the detriment of people who may need those animals with them (whether for travel or at their destination). Dogs are gonna be in cabins regardless. These proposed updates to federal guidelines do not reduce entitled people.

SamL
SamL (@guest_890313)
January 27, 2020 17:04

It’s not so much about reducing entitled people, as disempowering them.

Wink
Wink (@guest_890329)
January 27, 2020 17:15

Sounds like you both need emotional support… maybe get a dog, or go on a vacation, how about both? haha…

SamL
SamL (@guest_890417)
January 27, 2020 19:05

@”Wink”
Does your dog changes its name as often as you do?

Wink
Wink (@guest_890949)
January 28, 2020 08:01

Ah, the notorious troll, SamL… when you can’t argue substance, attack the person, gaslight, gatekeep, or share a whataboutism. I still think you two could use a pooch!

lilurbanachiever
lilurbanachiever (@guest_890372)
January 27, 2020 18:22

You can get these “notes” online for like 50 bucks. Actually, I am happy with extra fees, right now I am subsidizing your flying cujo. That is another angle. Why should I be paying for extra weight and cleanup ?

Mark
Mark (@guest_891192)
January 28, 2020 11:49

Those notes are a scam. If people want to bring their pets on airlines, they should pay the damn pet fee. Just like checking an over-sized bag or selecting a specific seat.

parkdanil
parkdanil (@guest_890154)
January 27, 2020 14:09

I’m always happy to get more credit on my cards. Gotta play to win. My current goal in this game is 100k in personal credit.

Well Done, Sire
Well Done, Sire (@guest_890265)
January 27, 2020 16:11

Awesome goal! And get some extra players, spouse, parents, kids in the game. Your bonuses and referrals grow exponentially.

Sarah D
Sarah D (@guest_890096)
January 27, 2020 12:59

The proposed rule gives individual airlines the option of restricting emotional support animals. Which really seems like the best option, let the market sort this out.

Get Over It
Get Over It (@guest_890261)
January 27, 2020 16:10

Haha, sarcasm I hope… it’ll go from airlines waiving pet fees (usually $125), to them charging them for ESA and service animals alike. Just more profit for airlines, still dogs in cabins. Why root for something that’s more costly for people that may actually have a special need? Nope.

MrObvious
MrObvious (@guest_890380)
January 27, 2020 18:27

Terrific idea. I smell breed profiling coming up.

Shultz
Shultz (@guest_890974)
January 28, 2020 08:26

Let’s do people profiling. Oh, wait…

Joe
Joe (@guest_890094)
January 27, 2020 12:58

Peanut allergy: announcements to not open your own snacks on board, no service for the 3 rows in front of and behind the person, and obviously the flight won’t serve anything with nuts.

Pet dander allergy: here’s a seat next to a dog.

Get Over It
Get Over It (@guest_890259)
January 27, 2020 16:08

You’re probably allergic to farts too…

bax
bax (@guest_890090)
January 27, 2020 12:53

Wake me up when AmexGC gets nearly as easy to liquidate as VGC/MCGC.

Noop Noop
Noop Noop (@guest_890257)
January 27, 2020 16:08

This guy gets it.

aubergine
aubergine (@guest_890045)
January 27, 2020 11:45

Maybe Amex is accepted at the same number of businesses as MC/V but they’re not the same type of businesses. A fancy high end boutique selling mink coats isn’t something I really care about. On the day to day stuff – utilities, education, doctors etc – I find that Amex has poor acceptance. I would not be able to get by in daily life carrying only an Amex.

Maybe 20-30 years ago I used to run into the occasional merchant who was Amex only, a few really good restaurants, Costco etc. I never experience that now.

Walk around the average strip mall in America, and compare the front door stickers. Amex is in places where luxury/discretionary spending is happening.

Burton
Burton (@guest_890051)
January 27, 2020 12:03

Agree – I don’t recall ever shopping at a place AmEx worked but Visa wasn’t accepted. I can think of dozens of times over just the last year when we wanted to use AmEx but it wasn’t an option.

aubergine
aubergine (@guest_890206)
January 27, 2020 15:03

I once lived in a place where it seemed like all the sushi restaurants were Amex only. It was crazy. That changed eventually. Only place where I ever experienced that, except for Costco.

Porthakia
Porthakia (@guest_890255)
January 27, 2020 16:08

Amex only?! I’ve only been to once place like that: Ethiopian-French place in Greenwich Village. No silverware, Amex only. Delicious!

lilurbanachiever
lilurbanachiever (@guest_890368)
January 27, 2020 18:15

In-and-out used to be amex only, they take everything now. If anything, it feels like amex is losing its edge not gaining parity.

PT
PT (@guest_890680)
January 28, 2020 00:51

I find that nearly 100% of US businesses I run across in-person & online take all 4 of the big card networks. These are not high end places at all & include even the deep discount grocery store & Dollar Tree. I am actually surprised in the very few times they refuse my Amex or Discover.

Admittedly, the local burger place takes Amex but has no sticker advertising it because they prefer to take Visa/MC as they let me know, but they also flatout refuse Discover.

Strangely, I have found Discover is the card that has acceptance issues for me in places where Amex works. Even still, this is only at 4 restaurants & 2 parking lots, so still pretty rare out of everything.

PG&E (electric & gas utility) takes (for $1.35 flat fee) Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Amex, & even UnionPay works! I’ve used it as part of my signup bonus spend for Amex cards.

Travelers
Travelers (@guest_890980)
January 28, 2020 08:35
  PT

If you think Amex is bad overseas, try Discover… merchants be like: “WTF is this?”

PEK
PEK (@guest_891184)
January 28, 2020 11:42

Ahh, how quaint. You two must have never heard of Union Pay.