Last year, 75% of animal deaths on commercial flights happened on United Airlines planes. That’s 18 out of the 24 deaths that occurred, out of 506,994 animals in total. So why do United seem to have such a bad reputation when it comes to transporting animals?
Well you might think that the level of care given to the pets in flight is substandard. You might perhaps believe that they simply don’t have the correct procedures in place or they are not ensuring these animals are safe and well looked after during the journey, but when you look more closely into the matter, it isn’t quite as simple as this. There is actually more to it…
A difference in policy could account for these high figures
While many carriers are happy to accept dogs, United will accept those breeds that at a higher risk of death during a flight. Other airlines such as Delta and American Airlines will not carry these high risk dog breeds.
High risk dogs prone to breathing issues
The issue is with the snub nosed dogs, such as Pugs, that have become increasingly popular over recent years. These dogs look adorable with their little squashed faces, so it’s no wonder so many people want to have them as pets. However, these breeds, known as brachycephalic breeds are well known for suffering from respiratory problems due to their short and narrow respiratory tracts. The breeds at risk include, amongst others, Pugs, Shih tzus, Bulldogs and Pekingese. In the aircraft environment, these breeds are more likely to have problems, and are more likely to die during a flight.
So while some airlines won’t take the risk, United will carry your higher risk pet. So, if you own one of these breeds and you simply have to fly with them, you’ll have no choice but to travel with United.
When you look at the issue in more detail, you discover that the majority of dogs that have died on United flights fall into this high risk breed category, and additionally, in most cases, a post mortem has concluded that nothing could have been done by the airline to prevent the death.
Will United ban these breeds?
This issue, when you purely look at the statistics, makes United look pretty bad. On the surface, it appears that they are neglectful of the animals in their care. So will they join the likes of Delta and ban these dog breeds on their flights? It’s certainly a possibility, but that will then pose a big problem for anyone who is relocating and wants to take their dog with them. They may end up with no way doing so which would be heartbreaking for many.
Emily is an avid writer with a passion for the travel industry. She also loves learning and writing about nutrition and healthy living. Emily is based in the UK.
