Good to know...!
from Jürgen Vogl
In Austria, § 39a of the Federal Disability Act stipulates when a dog is considered a "recognized assistance dog". Usually, once the dog has been trained, a document is issued certifying its status as a guide dog.
The European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC), on the other hand, issued a different recommendation in September 2014. This stated that only dogs trained by certain organizations should be recognized by airlines as guide dogs. Membership of one of two international associations, either the "International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF)" or the "Assistance Dogs International (ADI)", was envisaged as a benchmark for the training organizations.
In Austria, there are still only a few training facilities for assistance dogs that hold a membership in one of the above-mentioned associations, as acquiring one is very time-consuming and cost-intensive. However, while Austrian Airlines, for example, has always been guided primarily by the Federal Disability Act, other airlines have refused to carry assistance dogs in the cabin that have been trained by Austrian institutions without corresponding memberships, citing the ECAC recommendation. For people who are dependent on an assistance dog, this meant a complete refusal of transportation in most cases. In December 2015, the restrictive recommendation was therefore revoked by the ECAC.
Since then, the legal situation in Austria has been clear again: according to the Federal Disability Act, airlines are generally obliged to carry assistance dogs that are trained to Austrian standards and have the appropriate documents in the cabin on flights to and from Austria. However, it is still possible that dogs may be refused transportation, particularly in cross-border air traffic, for example if other regulations apply in the destination country. The apf recommends inquiring about the relevant regulations with the operating airline before booking a flight and, in case of doubt, obtaining written confirmation that the dog will be carried.