After Being Met With Complaints, United Airlines Adjusts New Pet Policy

If you follow the world of pet travel at all, you've probably heard some news about a United Airlines policy set to go into effect March 3. Following the recent Continental/United merger, all pets using the airline's newly standardized PetSafe program must now be sent as cargo, which means that some travelers might be facing much higher costs.

In particular, military personnel changing stations in the Pacific would see their pet travel rates dramatically increase. Currently United charges a flat rate, but under the new cargo rules, these travelers would be required to pay a third party freight handler (by Japanese law, items sent via cargo must go through a freight forwarder).

As you might expect, this news was not welcomed by travelers planning pet moves in the coming months, and after a day or so of dealing with backlash and complaints (check out the United Facebook page to see what people have been saying), it looks like United will make adjustments so that military members facing Permanent Changes of Station will not have to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars more to move their pets. Individuals who think they fit this category are invited to contact the United PetSafe desk (800-575-3335) for more information.

Read more about the United PetSafe policy here, and contact PetRelocation if you have any questions.