United Airlines Bars Emotional Support Peacock From Boarding At Newark Airport

United Airlines employees at the Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey recently shot down one passenger’s request to bring her emotional support peacock on a flight, reports said Tuesday.

Travel blog Live and Let Fly reported the incident first Monday. The unidentified woman reportedly tried to convince the airlines and offered to buy a separate ticket for the animal, but the airline denied all of her requests.

“This animal did not meet guidelines for a number of reasons, including its weight and size,” United said in a statement to Fox News. “We explained this to the customers on three separate occasions before they arrived at the airport.”

United Airlines told Business Insider that passengers need to “provide documentation from a medical professional and at least 48 hours advance notice” before bringing an emotional support animal onto a flight and asking for it to accompany the passenger.

Photos of the unusual scene were shared to Facebook by travel talk show The Jet Set, sparking social media users to both criticize and praise the airline's decision.

The United Airlines' on its website states: "Pursuant to the Department of Transportation (DOT) guidance for the carriage of service animals, United requires a passenger with a qualified disability traveling with a psychiatric/therapeutic/emotional support type animal to obtain documentation from their medical/mental health professional. This form is valid for one year from the date the licensed medical or mental health professional treating the person has signed this form. Other documentation may be required for travelers entering or exiting an international location."

"Service animals must be properly harnessed for the duration of the flight. Small animals may remain in the passenger's lap during the flight. If a carrier will be used, it must meet the USDA guidelines and fit under the aircraft seat," the policy also adds.

This incident comes after Delta Airlines' controversial announcement that passengers with emotional support and service animals must submit paperwork and proof of vaccinations 48 hours before boarding the flight. Delta also said that the passengers must also prove that the animal is trained well enough to handle a flight, according to Travel + Leisure. Delta's new policy will be enforced from March 1.

The airlines decided to enact stricter rules after they noticed an 84 percent increase since 2016 in incidents involving untrained or badly trained animals. The problems included animals urinating and pooping on the aircraft and biting passengers or crew members. One passenger had been reportedly mauled by an emotional-support dog, according to Business Insider.

However, some organizations like the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) said that Delta's new policy violates certain provisions of the Department of Transportation's Air Carrier Access Act.

"We are particularly troubled by the requirement that guide dog users submit paperwork to Delta 48 hours before flying… Travelers without guide dogs are not required to plan their travel 48 hours in advance," the NFB wrote in a recent statement, according to Sputnik News.

"I sympathize with the airlines," a passenger named Pat Pound, who travels with a guide dog said. "More people are cheating. Airlines are trying to maintain the system. But I don't think Delta's new policies will address the problem. And, as a person with a disability, I'll end up being penalized."