WE WON. Birds can now fly in the cabin. Even (now) in Hawai'i

Aloha everyone,

As we all know Alaska Airlines revoked its prohibition against birds in the cabin several weeks ago but only in the mainland. This brought a very happy result for many of you who supported us in this long process, but unfortunately the change in the rules did not extend to Hawaii and we continued to suffer from an unjust ban against birds despite such a great need for all of us living on isolated island environments depending on plane travel to reach advanced veterinary and adoption facilities.

But today, I am writing with news I have been waiting a long time to share: as of August 14, 2026, Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines now permit small household birds to travel in the passenger cabin on interisland flights — flying with you, not in cargo — on Neighbor Island routes within the State of Hawaiʻi. This makes Alaska and Hawaiian the only major U.S. carrier that allows companion birds in the cabin between the islands.

For those of us in Hawaiʻi, where there is no avian veterinarian in public practice on the Neighbor Islands and specialized care means a required flight to Oʻahu, this is not a convenience. It is the difference between a sick or injured bird traveling safely beside its person and being consigned to a cargo hold where its condition could gravely deteriorate. It is a change that will, without exaggeration, save birds' lives.

I want to be precise about what changed, so no one is caught off guard: this elemination of the in-cabin ban applies to interisland flights *within* Hawaiʻi. Birds still may not travel in the cabin on flights to or from the mainland — those routes are unchanged. And a few practical notes to make your bird's first trip smooth:

• You'll need a soft-sided carrier that fits under the seat, and your interisland inspection certificate from the Department of Agriculture, as before.

• Reserve your bird's spot ahead of time — cabin space is limited and first-come, first-served.

• If your bird tends to vocalize, bring a cover; calm, quiet travel is what keeps this policy welcome for everyone and protects it for the birds who come after ours.

How this happened matters, because it wasn't due to only one person. The Association of Avian Veterinarians took up the issue through its Welfare Committee. Joe Annelli, a retired senior USDA official, lent his expertise and his voice. Dr. Anthony Pilny, a board-certified avian veterinarian, stood behind the medical case. The Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture confirmed, in writing, what needed confirming. Each of them mattered. But I want to take an especially big pause here to acknowledge the unbelievably kind and powerful help we received from Jaimie Womach at BirdTricks. Her video and advocacy was brilliant, insightful, and invaluable. There is no way we could have achieved and reached out to all of you if it hadn't been for her decency and her dedication and her support.

But I want to be clear about who mattered the most and who the real heroes are here. They are you — the people reading this, who put your names on a petition and stood behind me while I made our case to the airline. Every signature was evidence that this mattered to real people with real birds. I carried your names into that correspondence, and they are the reason the airline listened. You did this. I was only the one holding the pen.

In the spirit of Aloha, with deep gratitude, and a great deal of joy, I say to all of you: Mahalo.

David Deutsch

Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi