CHICAGO — United Airlines is placing new restrictions on the types of pets it will transport in cargo after a series of animal-related incidents led to an internal review earlier this year.
The airline will resume booking pet travel this summer, a practice it halted during the review. But it will only accept dogs and cats and will exclude some snub-nosed and strong-jawed breeds. It also won’t transport animals through four airports in hot climates in summer.
The more conservative approach is meant to “improve the safety of the pet travel experience,” United said Tuesday. But it also leaves owners determined to travel with their pets — especially those often subject to airline restrictions — with one fewer option.
United decided to review its program for pets traveling in the cargo compartment and halt new reservations in March, after a week in which the airline loaded three dogs onto the wrong planes and a fourth died in an overhead bin.
The dog that died was traveling in the cabin, not in cargo, and would not have been affected by the new rules. But the incidents called attention to United’s record when it comes to dealing with four-legged passengers.
United transports more animals in cargo than other airlines, but also reported an above-average number of injuries and deaths among animals in its custody. In 2017, 1.3 out of every 10,000 animals the carrier transported in cargo holds died, according to the Transportation Department, compared with 0.47 out of every 10,000 across all airlines that reported data.
One possible factor: United had been willing to accept animals other airlines didn’t. Some, like JetBlue Airways and Southwest Airlines, only transport pets customers can bring in the cabin. Others, like American Airlines, limit travel during extreme temperatures and don’t let passengers check certain breeds thought to be susceptible to breathing problems.
United also had restrictions, but the list of breeds it banned outright had been shorter than other carriers’.
When United begins accepting new reservations for pets — on June 18, for pets traveling after July 9 in cargo holds on the same flight as their owners, or roughly a month later for pets traveling alone — it will only accept cats and dogs, although 21 dog breeds and four cat breeds will not be allowed in cargo holds due to concerns about risks to animals’ health. The banned dogs and cats are snub-nosed and strong-jawed breeds, such as Cavalier King Charles spaniels and Burmese cats. Six types of bulldogs and 18 types of mastiffs also are banned.
United will also no longer transport pets through airports in Las Vegas; Palm Springs, Calif; Phoenix; and Tucson, Ariz. between May 1 and Sept. 30 because they are more likely to see extreme temperatures. Pets that require crates taller than 30 inches can no longer fly United. Owners also can’t book pets on routes with more than two connections.
“The overwhelming majority of pets get to where they need to be safely and in comfort. What we want to do is further minimize that risk,” said United spokesman Charles Hobart.
United said it will be working with the American Humane organization on pet handling policies and practices, including those covering pets traveling in the cabin with their owners.
“As we continue our review process to ensure that we are always doing what’s right, we are committed to making significant improvements in our program and adhering to the best practices of animal comfort, well-being and travel on behalf of our customers and their pets,” said Jan Krems, United’s vice president of cargo.
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