AFA News: Delta Airlines Rescinds Ferret Ban

Delta Airlines RESCINDS Order Banning Ferrets In-Cabin

July 13, 2006

Delta Airlines has long been a wonderful ally to the ferret community, being the only domestic airline carrier to allow ferrets in-cabin as carry-on baggage. Ferret owners around the country have come to rely on Delta to afford them the means of flying with their ferrets across the U.S. In great appreciation, the ferret community has continued to support Delta Airlines by choosing to patronize them even when not flying with their companion ferrets.

All of this was about to change, when AFA recently learned that, effective June 13, 2006, Delta Airlines had decided to change its policy, refusing to allow ferrets to fly in-cabin as carry-on baggage. This would mean the ferret community would now be without this most trusted and relied-upon resource, leaving ferret owners no way of traveling by air with their ferrets in-cabin with them.

As the AFA was preparing its official response to Delta Airlines regarding this recent change in policy, something miraculous occurred! Apparently, reaction from the ferret community was overwhelming and Delta was inundated with calls and emails about this new rule change. As a result of this enormous response from ferret owners across the U.S., effective June 28, 2006, Delta Airlines has rescinded its order to ban ferrets as in-cabin, carry-on baggage- ferrets will remain on Delta's list of pet companions allowed in-cabin with approved carriers.

The AFA wishes to acknowledge Gail Suzanne Burlaka, AFA Member-at-Large, for the instrumental role she played in convincing Delta that it was making a terrible mistake in changing their policy to ban ferrets in-cabin. Gail spent numerous hours in contact with Delta Airlines educating Delta on the domestic ferret and why they should continue to be allowed in-cabin on flights. Much gratitude goes out to Gail for her efforts in getting this policy change rescinded.

Delta Airlines' website continues to state that ferrets are allowed as in-cabin, carry-on baggage. For those holding an airline ticket with Delta Airlines and traveling with their ferrets, please reference Rule # GRS 4514/2-11 should any problems occur at check in. This revised rule will now state, as it had previously:

"Delta permits small, warm-blooded, domesticated household pets (dog/cat/rabbit/bird/hamster/guinea pig/ferret) in aircraft cabin provided pet is at least 8 weeks old".

On behalf of ferret owners across the United States, the AFA wishes to send its sincerest thanks and appreciation to Delta Airlines for rescinding this policy change and AGAIN allowing ferrets as in-cabin, carry-on baggage. We're proud to recognize Delta Airlines as the only domestic airline supporting the domestic ferret and the ferret community at large.

→ AFA's Official Response (.pdf 84kb) to Delta Airlines Upon Its Rescinding of this Policy Change.

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