4-Legged Friends Helping To Make Holiday Travel At LAX A Little Less Stressful

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Holiday travel can be stressful and often brings out the inner-Scrooge in all of us.

But this year, United Airlines is making travel a little more merry and it's all thanks to some four-legged friends.

"I love dogs," said Kayoon Rosenbaum, a passenger. "I just feel very happy."

For three days this holiday week, passengers can admire, pet, kiss and take their photo with the therapy dogs, which are part of a new program called United Paws.

The program is taking place at the seven busiest airports in the U.S., including at Los Angeles International Airport.

"We're just trying to do everything we can from the time you check in at the front curb to the time you get on the airplane to lower the stress level just a bit," Jim Trabuco, a United Airlines
customer service manager, said. "We hope it's doing that."

And it's working.

CBS2 spotted a 4-year-old girl in tears until she spotted Bailey the dog and cracked a smile. A flight attendant also took advantage of a good scratch.

"I just got off of a plane so this is a nice welcome to enter the terminal and have dogs greet me," said Tom Kosgrove said.

The dogs will be back on duty Wednesday greeting passengers between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.