LI Man Claims Southwest Denied Email From Doctor For Support Dog

KINGS PARK, NY - A Kings Park man is claiming that he and his emotional support dog were not allowed to board a Southwest Airlines flight despite showing an email from his doctor.

Thomas Pollicino, 27, was attempting to boarding a flight at MacArthur Airport with his dog, a 3-year-old husky named Bianca, but when he showed an email from his doctor the airline said they could not accept it because it was not on a doctor's letterhead.

“It’s very frustrating; you plan a trip for a long time,” said Pollicino told Newsday.

He says he has used the same documentation on several different flights before, including on Southwest, with no issues.

“I spoke with them on the telephone; they told me it was acceptable proof,” he told Newsday. “I use it all the time.”

Southwest said in a statement that he presented a "large dog" as an emotional support animal and could not "produce the documentation as required."

The airline offered to re-book Pollicino on a later flight, if documentation could be provided but he chose not to travel.

"I thought it was a great thing that the airlines came up with this policy allowing service animals...and when they told me she couldn't fly with me…I was upset," Pollicino told News12.

The airline's website states that customers "must provide to a Southwest Airlines Employee current documentation (not more than one year old) on letterhead from a mental health professional or medical doctor who is treating the Customer's mental health-related disability."

What do you think? Should the airlines have accepted the email as documentation? Let us know your opinon in the comments below.

AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File