No Pet Travel In United Airlines Cargo For Now

After a dog made to travel in the overhead bin in the cabin of a United Airlines flight died and three other dogs were loaded on to the wrong planes in the same week, United has announced that it is temporarily suspending pet travel in the cargo compartment while it reviews the program. Pet travel in the cabin is unaffected though the airline said it is also conducting a review of that program and has already announced some changes.

United said it would partner with independent experts in pet safety, comfort and travel for the review. The airline won't be accepting pets for travel in the cargo compartment till the review is complete, which it expects to finish by May 1.

Any existing reservations made through the PetSafe program confirmed as of March 20 would be honored but the airline said it would assist customers who want to cancel their reservations.

The suspension does not affect pets traveling in the cabin though United says it is also reviewing that service and has already announced that beginning in April, pets traveling in the cabin will be issued bright colored bag tags.

Last week, a dog aboard a United flight headed from Houston to New York died after being made to fly in the overhead bin. A passenger brought the dog onboard in a TSA-approved carrier but was ordered to store it in the bin by a flight attendant, according to news reports. The airline said it accepted full responsibility for the dog's in-flight death.

In a second mishap by the airline last week, the airline mistakenly flew a German Shepherd that was headed to Kansas to Japan and flew a Great Dane that was headed to Japan to Kansas in its place. The German Shepherd has since reunited with the family. The airline planned to send the dog, 10-year-old Irgo, via cargo back to the U.S. but the family protested and Irgo flew home on a United corporate jet. Then on Thursday, a flight headed from Newark to St. Louis was diverted to Akron, Ohio after a pet was loaded on the plane. That pet has also since been returned to its family.

According to statistics from the Department of Transportation, there were 24 pet deaths on airlines in 2017 and the majority of those deaths (18) were on United flights.

SEE ALSO:

• Dead Giant Rabbit On United Flight Creates New Problem For Airline
• Woman Claims Dog Died After 20-Hour Layover in Chicago

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