Hi,
As someone who has flown on SW at least 10 times in the last 2 years, I just wanted to add my voice to those above with severe cat and dog allergies, in hoping that SW will either end this new pets-in-the-cabin policy or change it - like the ideas of "no animal" planes or HEPA filters that someone mentioned above, or some area in cargo specially-adapted for the comfort of pets, so that they can still travel safely and happily to their destinations with their owners, without endangering human passengers.
Whenever I take a plane, I always "pre-medicate" with extra medication on top of what I usually take, in case people around me are carrying dander on their clothing from their pets, and - still - often for a couple of days after the plane trip I have cold-like symptoms and trouble breathing. Having the actual animal in the cabin - even under the seat - will cause a severer reaction (whose symptoms can last for days) and/or asthma attack for me, and there are many people whose reactions are much worse than mine, and may require hospitalization. Not sitting close to the pet may help somewhat, but - since the air in an airplane is always recirculating - there's no real "safe" spot. (This is one of the reasons smoking is no longer allowed on board; no matter where you sit on the plane, we're all sharing the air, and the health and comfort of passengers is - and should be - a priority.)
(I understand that there'd be service animals in the cabin anyway, but these are a lot rarer and are more-often dogs, which tend to be somewhat-less-allergenic/allergy-causing than cats to many people (since cats clean more, their dander/skin cells tend to be shed a lot more often, and the dander is what causes the allergic reaction.))
Please reconsider/adapt your decision, because I love flying with your airline - and was looking forward to booking a flight with you for this summer - but I won't jeopardize my health and spend half my trip sick to do so.
Thanks for your time and consideration.
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