x
Breaking News
More () »

United Airlines' 4-city summer pet ban excludes Texas airports. Why?

United Airlines updated their pet policy on June 18, which includes halting pet travel altogether in Phoenix, Tucson, Palm Springs and Las Vegas.

AUSTIN -- United Airlines on June 18 updated their pet policy, or its "PetSafe" program.

The program is designed to transport pets that are not eligible to travel in the aircraft cabin. Under the new rules, only dogs and cats will be allowed to be transported. Twenty-one dog breeds and four cat breeds were also banned under the program.

As an additional safety precaution, pets will also be banned when the ground temperature is below 45 degrees or above 85 degrees. During the summer months, United has announced it will stop pet travel altogether in four airports: Phoenix, Tucson, Palm Springs and Las Vegas.

Notably excluded was the notoriously torrid state of Texas.

RELATED:

New United Airlines policy halts travel for pets during extreme temperatures

Dog dies on United flight after being stowed in overhead bin

A spokesperson for United Airlines said that in areas like Houston, Dallas and Austin, United has resources to make sure animals are not at risk of extreme temperatures and are comfortable with travels. This includes climate-controlled vehicles and employees whose job is to ensure animals are taken care of. Phoenix, Tucson, Palm Springs and Las Vegas are on the embargo list because they do not have enough of the same resources.

The spokesperson said the airline works with American Humane, an organization that works with companies to ensure the safety, welfare and well-being of animals.

"The number one priority is the well-being of the animals, so if it does get too hot, United won't fly [them]," said spokesperson Charlie Hobart.

As of June 20, United Airlines has not resumed flying pets full time. Those operations will resume July 9.

Here is what other airlines had to say to KVUE about United's announcement:

American Airlines

American said it already had a summer embargo in place for pets, which includes the same four cities. When asked if there were plans to include Texas in that list, a spokesperson said American Airlines already had temperature limits in place.

"We have temperature limits for all cities, as you can see on our website," a spokesperson said. "We just have a limit for those cities, as the temperatures are already normally above the limits."

Southwest Airlines

"We are pleased to say that we do not accept pets for travel as cargo, and we only accept pets that can fit in the aircraft cabin, underneath a seat," the Southwest Communication Team said. "Therefore, extreme temperatures do not affect our pet polices."

Delta Airlines

Delta Airlines would not comment on the United pet policy or if the organization has a similar plan, but directed KVUE to their policy page which can be viewed here.

More information on their policies can be found here.

United's new restrictions come after numerous incidents involving pets on their flights gained national attention, including one in which a dog was found dead after being stored in an overhead bin.

Before You Leave, Check This Out