The Transport Security Administration made sure there were no snakes on the plane.
Hiss-tory was made when TSA officers at Tampa International Airport (TPA) spotted a boa constrictor coiled up in a passenger’s carry-on bag on January 6, 2022.
The TSA took to Instagram to share the strange find, stating that the boa constrictor measured four feet in length, and that the traveler claimed the snake, named Bartholomew, was an emotional support animal.
The TSA contacted the unnamed airline, who then advised the agency that no snake was going to be on that plane.
In January 2021, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced that it will no longer require airlines to accommodate emotional support animals. Prior to that, airlines were required by federal law to accommodate owners of emotional support animals with proper documentation from a licensed mental health professional.
However, if you really must travel with a snake, know that there are only a handful of airlines that allow this, and the animal must be in the cargo hold.
As of 2022, the following airlines allow snakes to travel in cargo:
