from the hunting reports
United Airlines has announced its new policies on accepting antlers and horns as checked baggage. The restrictions on the size of acceptable trophies, however, will leave many hunters in the lurch.

You'll recall, I told you in the January issue of The Hunting Report, e-mailed to you just last week, that United was backing off a ban it had quietly implemented on all antlers and horns as checked baggage. At press time the airline had not released the specifics of its new policy but had issued a statement that it had "heard" its customers and was reversing the ban on hunting trophies. Well, it seems United did not hear us well enough.

That's because the new policies are so restrictive that many trophies will not be accepted under the guidelines. 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. You can read all of the guidelines for yourself on United Airlines' web site by clicking below.

I have informed the folks at United about how their new policy falls short in servicing the hunting travel market. It remains to be seen whether they "hear" us again. If you'd like to tell United how this new policy will affect your travel plans, send your comments to me at Barbara@huntingreport.com and I will forward them through my media relations contacts there. Or you can send your message to United’s Customer Relations Department by going to their web site at www.united.com and clicking on Customer Service in the top right-hand corner. From there, click on "Submit a Question" and select Customer Relations.

I sent a message to United.

I would hate to continue to lose carrier options for my hunting trips.

ddj

I sent them an Email to let them know that we have cancelled all three flights we had booked with them for 2010 strictly because of the Antler/Horn baggage nonsense. Polite, but firm explaining that there are too many airlines out there that would love our business to deal with one that does not appreciate it. My wife does most of the ticketing for her staff.

Rich