Korean Air has announced that it will no longer transport snub-nosed dogs and cats on its cargo aircraft, following a recently emerged trend from other airlines.
The announcement came in a two-sentence long press release by the company, listing 21 brachycephalic dog breeds and six cat breeds that will be prohibited from flying via its cargo services starting on October 1, 2020.
“Korean Air would like to announce changes to its pet policy that is made to ensure safe pet travel. Brachycephalic(snub-nosed) dogs and cats cannot be accepted as cargo,” the statement read.
Snub-nosed animals are notoriously more sensitive to air quality and temperature changes than their “normal” counterparts due to shorter snouts and underdeveloped respiratory systems. These types of cats and dogs have difficulties breathing and their conditions get only worse in higher altitudes.
In 2020 alone, Qantas and Virgin Australia have issued similar bans on transporting snub-nosed animals after several pet deaths that occurred during their flights.
In 2018, United Airlines also revised its policy regarding brachycephalic animals breeds after a pug died onboard its aircraft, no longer allowing owners to carry their snub-nosed pets as cargo.
In its statement, Korean Air did not specify the reason behind its decision for the ban and did not comment when AeroTime approached them.