U.S. Legacy Carriers Ban Hunting Trophies

With policy change, Delta, United and American become the latest airlines to ban hunting trophies.

In the wake of multiple hunting scandals, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and American Airlines are banning big game trophies. The U.S. legacy carriers have changed their policies effective immediately, forbidding hunters from transporting trophies aboard their aircraft.

The New York Times reports Delta was the first legacy carrier to officially change its policies Monday. Under the new policy, the carrier will ban the transport of all large animal trophies as cargo aboard its flights. The policy extends to lions, as well as leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and buffalo trophies.

“Prior to this ban, Delta’s strict acceptance policy called for absolute compliance with all government regulations regarding protected species,” Delta spokesperson Morgan Durrant told the Times. “Delta will also review acceptance policies of other hunting trophies with appropriate government agencies and other organizations supporting legal shipments.”

Delta was soon joined by United, which also changed its policies to stop the transportation of big game aboard their flights. Bloomberg reports the United policy extends to the same “big five” animals as Delta’s. When asked about the policy change, United spokesperson Charles Hobart told Bloomberg: “We felt it made sense to do so.”

American also joined in the ban Monday evening, tweeting:

Effective immediately, we will no longer transport buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion or rhino trophies.

— American Airlines (@AmericanAir) August 4, 2015

With the changes in policies, the U.S. legacy carriers join a number of international airlines in banning the transportation of slain African animals. The Times reports the airlines joins Air France, KLM, IAG Cargo and Singapore Airlines in the restrictions. In May, Emirates announced its would ban large game trophies aboard their flights as part of a larger effort to prevent poaching and illegal trade.

[Photo: iStock]