If you're traveling with your furry friend - may it be your pet cat, pet dog, or whatever it is - it's pretty difficult not to worry about them, especially when they're stored with the rest of the cargo.
Now, Delta Airlines is making a decision to relieve you of your worries, since your pets won't be flying as cargo anymore.
The decision was due to the rising amount of fatalities and vanishings of pets in the last few years. According to Life With Dogs:
"Following the deaths and disappearances of dozens of pets in the last 10 years, Delta has recently announced that beginning in March of 2016, they will no longer make pets fly in the cargo hold of their passenger planes."
In fact, there have been 74 deaths in pets, and another 14 missing while under the care of Delta Airlines in the past ten years. MarketWatch reports that these deaths have accounted for approximately "25 percent of all airline pet deaths."
In addition, Delta said in a statement:
"Delta will no longer accept pets as checked baggage, but will continue to transport allowable pets in all cabins of service except Delta One, effective March 1, 2016. [...] Customers may also ship pets for travel within the United States as freight through Delta Cargo.
Unfortunately, not all dogs can sit in the cabin with their owners -- large dogs in particular, because of their size. However, owners are given the option to transfer their dogs through Delta Cargo. The company said:
"Pets that are transported via Delta Cargo are monitored closely by customer service teams during their travel. [...] While at airports, pets are handled in temperature-controlled holding areas and vans. Also, Delta Cargo enlists professional kenneling services if overnight stays are required."
Senior vice president for airport customer service and cargo operations Bill Lentsch also expressed his sentiments regarding the new decision:
"Many of us at Delta are pet lovers and we know that they are important members of the family. [...] This change will ultimately ensure that we have a high-quality, consistent service for pets when their owners choose to ship them with Delta Cargo."
On the other hand, military personnel with active transfer orders, along with people with service and therapy dogs will still need to check their pets in as "baggage."
