Delta Air Lines DAL, -0.37% stated on its official website that it will no longer allow customers to check their pets with baggage after March 1, 2016, unless a passenger is a member of the military with active transfer orders or require service animals. Certain pets can still travel inside the cabin for a fee, and a Delta spokesperson says they can travel in the cargo hold of an aircraft after the policy takes effect if shipped as freight via its Delta Cargo service. Prices for Delta Cargo shipping range from $193 to $1,481.
It is possible the move may have been prompted by Delta’s history of pet incidents. The airline has recorded a number of pet deaths between May 2005 and September 2015, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. On Delta flights alone, a total of 74 pets have died in the 10-year time period, accounting for about 25% of all recorded airline pet deaths in the U.S., and 14 pets have gone missing. However, these numbers are just a very small percentage of the thousands of pets which travel on airlines each year.
Once the new policy goes into effect, American Airlines AAL, -1.13% will be the only U.S.-based airline to allow pets to travel in the checked-baggage compartment of its planes, according to data from travel review websiteBringFido.com. Other airlines such as JetBlue JBLU, +1.82% United Airlines UAL, +0.74% and Southwest LUV, +0.61% don’t allow animals to travel in the cargo compartment.
The Humane Society of the United States doesn’t support pets traveling in cargo. They said in statement: “We strongly discourage having your pet travel by air in the cargo hold of a plane,” its policy states. “It can be dangerous and stressful.”
But will Buffy and Tiddles still be able to fly the friendly skies?