Overview

• The traveler, posting as u/DallasBroncos, reported that a large black service dog named Bear occupied his bulkhead footwell for the entire flight to Houston.
• The passenger said the handler apologized once but did not move the dog, and he chose not to escalate because he did not want to challenge a claimed disability.
• Newsweek reported it could not verify the account and said it had sought comment from American Airlines and the Reddit user.
• American Airlines’ policy allows fully trained service dogs in the cabin at no charge only if they fit at the handler’s feet, under a seat, or on a lap, with options such as rebooking or buying an extra seat if the animal is too large.
• Industry commentary in Live and Let’s Fly criticized inconsistent enforcement of these rules and argued that lax oversight can infringe on other passengers’ space and undermine trust in legitimate service animals.