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United Airlines Rescinds ‘No Antlers No Horns’ Policy

After receiving complaints from thousands of sportsmen from across the country, United Airlines has decided to rescind its ‘Antler and Animal Horn Policy,’ once again making the skies more friendly to fly for sportsmen.

In October, United had quietly introduced a policy that prohibited carrying on or checking antlers or animal horns of any kind. The policy was blatantly biased against millions of sportsmen, and numerous sportsmen- and wildlife-focused organizations, including the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance, helped get the word out.

In a public statement, United wrote:

“As you have recently contacted us, I wanted you to be the first to know that we have heard our customers’ feedback about our Antler and Animal Horn policy, and are responding. Soon we will begin accepting Antlers and Animal Horns as checked baggage again.

As many of you may recall or have seen on our web site, in October 2008 we stopped accepting Antlers and Animal Horns because of the damage the tips caused to the cargo section of the aircraft and to the luggage belonging to our other guests.

We will soon publish new requirements – and ones we previously did not have – about packaging and cleaning Antlers and Animal Horns to ensure their safe, clean transport. These travel requirements will also provide information on the size of Antlers and Animal Horns we can accept based on the type of aircraft being flown (i.e., traditional jet vs. a regional jet) and the special handling fee, which we previously had in place and is similar to other items that require special care.

Stay tuned for further updates on the baggage section of United.com.”

“We are very pleased that United Airlines elected to heed the concerns of sportsmen and change this policy,” says John Meng, ADWA president. “We are obviously anxious to see the new policy and we will continue to be vigilant against rules that are discriminatory against sportsmen and wildlife professionals. On a broader note, this has been a great example of how sportsmen can stand united and prevail on issues that impact all of us.”