That's because the size limits being implemented automatically exclude many popular game species.
Get this: The new policy limits antlers/horns to a total of 120 aggregated linear inches. That means the length, width and height of your trophy cannot exceed 120 inches total. That automatically excludes elk, moose and caribou trophies. It gets worse. If you are flying aboard a United Express Canadair regional jet, the linear dimensions are reduced to 33 inches x 43 inches and the overall linear dimensions cannot exceed 98 inches total. Plus, there is a fee of $175 for all antlers/horns taken by United and you are limited to one set. You can read all of the guidelines for yourself on United Airlines' web site (www.united.com). Go to Services and Information in the top menu bar then click on Baggage and look for Special Items.
We informed the folks at United how their new policy falls short in servicing the hunting travel market. The response we received from a company spokesperson was as follows: "When evaluating the policy change we made certain restrictions on size due to the limited available cargo space on both our traditional mainline aircraft and smaller regional jets. These linear dimensions are also in line with all our competitors and our policy is even more generous than American Airlines' limit of 115 inches. I hope this better clarifies our reasoning behind the linear size limits as we are truly tied to the size of the cargo hold."
If you'd like to tell United how this new policy will affect your travel plans, send your comments to Barbara@huntingreport.com, and we will forward........(continued)
