“He fails to discuss, however, the most important reason why people fake service animals on airplanes–cost.”

Actually, he sort of does address this if you read all the way to the end of the article.

He spends the last paragraph wondering why, given the obvious demand for people to travel with their pets why no one has tried starting a “pet friendly” airline or why the major airlines haven’t created individual pet’s welcome flights on popular routes.

cost may not be the most important reason for people who love their pets too much. Flying a pet checked as cargo can be dangerous to the animal. Small pets such as cats or small dogs can be brought into the passenger cabin in a travel crate as a carry-on at some cost, but larger dogs and other animals can only be in the passenger cabin as service animals.

He fails to discuss, however, the most important reason why people fake service animals on airplanes–cost. Pets cost money, sometimes a lot. Service animals fly free.