Delta bans pit bull-type dogs as support animals on flights

Delta Airlines has updated their service and support animal policy to limit passengers to one support animal per customer and to ban pit bull-type dogs as support animals.

The airline said in a press release that the new policy of banning pit bulls is "the direct result of growing safety concerns following recent incidents in which several employees were bitten."

The airline said they experienced an 84 percent increase in reported incidents involving service animals since 2016. One incident involved a passenger being attacked by a 70-pound dog.

Delta says it carries approximately 700 service or support animals daily - nearly 250,000 annually while carrying more than 180 million passengers annually. Customers have attempted to fly with comfort turkeys, gliding possums, snakes, spiders and more, Delta says.

The new policy goes into effect on July 10. The airline's full policies can be seen on their website.