An award-winning service dog and Marine Corps veteran handler were denied access to American Airlines flight because an airline employee did not believe the german shepherd was a real service dog, according to The Washington Free Beacon. Despite handler Jason Haag showing Axel's service dog credentials as well as the dog wearing his required service dog vest, the pair was still denied access.
Haag, a former Marine with two tours of duty in the Middle East, has been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury and PTSD. Axel is his certified service dog and ironically enough won Service Dog of the Year from the American Humane Association (AHA) , which named him a Hero and presented the award at a star-filled black-tie event on Saturday night in Beverly Hills, Calif. The flight home the following day, from Los Angeles, with Hagg's award in hand, is when Axel and Haag were both questioned for legitimacy and denied the flight.
"We got to LAX and everything was fine," Haag said. "I checked into the ticket counter with Axel with no problems at all. They knew he was a service dog. Didn't have any problems. We were issued our ticket. We got through security and checked our bags. We ate lunch and then went and sat down right at our gate."
"We were there probably an hour and a half before we were supposed to board."
"Then about five minutes before we were supposed to board I got pulled out of line," Haag said. "[The agent] called me up to the ticket counter and the first thing out of his mouth was, 'Is that a real service dog?'"
Axel was wearing his service dog vest, as per airline policy.
"He can take me out of anxiety attacks, he can pull me out of flashbacks... my dog is my lifeline," Haag said, according to the Inquisitr.
Haag had actually flown just three days prior, on American Airlines, after Haag called prior to ensure no issues would be encountered. That flight was uneventful as they flew into Los Angeles.
"He's like, 'Well, what's your disability?' and I was like, 'Excuse me?' because that's not a question you're allowed to ask under the rules and regulations," Haag said. "Then he started firing off questions in rapid succession."
Haag said the airline employee even accused him of having fake credentials. "He tells me, 'You could've just bought this off the Internet, it's fake,' and he throws it back down on the desk."
"Then my wife chimed in and said 'what about the service vest he's got on? He said 'you can buy that online too.'"
At this point, the Haag family was left stranded with no flight home, no clothing (bags were already checked in) and nowhere to go. Luckily the AHA stepped in and took care of them, getting them clothing, a hotel room at the Beverly Hilton (where the awards banquet was held) and a flight home.
"Captain Haag is a decorated Marine officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, multiple tours of duty," said Robin Ganzert, CEO of AHA. "He came back suffering those invisible wounds of war, PTSD."
Ganzert was disgusted to hear about Haag's treatment and tweeted her displeasure to the airlines.
"There was really not much help at all offered on Sunday to get this wounded warrior back home with his family," Ganzert said. "He has three kids back home. He needed to be back home on Sunday."
"It was just a terrible situation and embarrassing! In front of a busy gate for a cross-country flight and you're singling this man out asking questions about his disability? It's just inconceivable to me."
