Video: Celebrity travellers allowed dogs on flight as "psychiatric service"
TV presenter Steve Jones and his American girlfriend Phylicia Jackson were allowed to carry their two dogs on a flight because they were providing a "psychiatric service". SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO
According to The New Zealand Herald, the two French bulldogs were sat uncaged by their owners' feet in dog beds on a ten-hour flight from Los Angeles to London.
The couple were travelling with Air New Zealand with their pooches Frances and Dexter.
Journalist Jenny Southan was on the same flight and questioned the airline's pet policy.
Stuff.co.nz reports that Air New Zealand's policy states that animals must be shipped as cargo and that they are not allowed to travel in the passenger cabin, with the exception of guide dogs.
In her review for Business Traveller, Southan wrote: "I was interested to notice that a certain well-known British TV presenter and his glamorous girlfriend were sitting across from me in 23A/B, and that they were travelling with their two pet Frenchies, which were sitting on the floor in front of them.
"They were not in a cage.
"I couldn't imagine where they were meant to go to the loo."
Air New Zealand spokeswoman Claire Byrom-Jones told AOL Travel: This is nothing to do with whether the passengers are celebs or not.
"The legislation requires that we, like all airlines operating to, from and within the US, must carry service dogs," she said.
"Service dogs include guide dogs, hearing dogs and psychiatric service dogs.
"US Department of Transport legislation regarding 'non discrimination on the basis of disability' requires that we, like all airlines operating to, from and within the US, must carry service dogs. Service dogs include guide dogs, hearing dogs and psychiatric service dogs.
"Where a passenger seeks to be accompanied by a psychiatric service dog they must provide documentation from a licensed mental health professional treating the passenger. Unlike US based carriers, we are not required to carry animals other than dogs.
"To be clear, this only applies to flights to and from the US. It does not apply to flights to or from any other jurisdictions or domestically.
"We do have a section on our website with some information regarding service dogs http://www.airnewzealand.co.uk/special-assistance-service-dog."
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