by Donald Wood
Last updated: 12:40 PM ET, Wed November 18, 2015
On Monday, Delta Air Lines announced it will no longer accept pets as checked baggage effective March 1, 2016.
Per a release on its official website Delta said it will continue to transport allowable pets in all cabins of service except Delta One. Customers will also be able to ship their pets within the United States as freight through Delta Cargo.
The airline will still allow military personnel with active transfer orders to transport a pet as checked baggage, and will also accept service and emotional support animals as long as there is proper documentation.
Customers will be able to travel with their pet as checked baggage through Feb. 29, and all passengers who have already booked a flight after March 1 with pets as baggage will be notified by the airline.
In a statement, Delta senior vice president Bill Lentsch said, "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."
For those who don't like the sound of shipping their pets through Delta Cargo, the service will be monitored closely by customer service teams during travel. The airline also keeps all animals in temperature-controlled holding areas and vans, and also offers professional kenneling services.
For more information on the policy changes and guidance for customers traveling with animals, check out the company's official pet page.
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