Airports Are Making Traveling With Animals Easier
Airports around the country are making life easier for travelers with pets.
Thanks to a ruling from the Department of Transportation, airports that service more than 10,000 passengers annually must install one animal relief area in each terminal post-security.
The rule was passed September 2015 and airports across the country are now unveiling the new areas. The pet relief areas are meant to make airports more accessible for those traveling with service animals.
Earlier this month, Denver International and Lambert St. Louis airports debuted brand new animal relief areas. At Denver Airport, the pet relief area was installed with Astroturf, a drainage system and artificial rock. The St. Louis airport relief space is decked out with a fire hydrant. Bags, disposal containers and soap are all on-site for messier situations.
This is another step in improving the travel experience for all of our passengers, especially those who rely on service animals to travel, Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge, director of the St. Louis airport, said in a statement. Now those passengers with long layovers or connecting flights can more easily accommodate their animals with these new facilities without the hassle of going back through a security checkpoint.
In August, Los Angeles International Airport unveiled seven relief stations across its terminals.
Post-security pet relief rooms have been installed at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, San Diego International Airport, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Memphis International Airport, among others.
The DOT estimates that over 800 relief areas will be installed over the next 20 years, costing about $88 million, according to NBC News.
Related Articles
