We groom, feed and love our pets — but to some airlines, our symbiotic family members are nothing more than overweight luggage. Indeed, even the most cramped passengers travel in relative luxury compared to our pooches and kittens — who are typically loaded along with excess baggage and forced to fly down in the hold. And the cost for all of this sky-high squalor: upwards of $250 per trip.
With the holidays coming up, many frequent fliers will migrate to warmer locales or head home for time with family and friends. What is a jet-setter supposed to do with Sparky? For many, the options are to either leave the pet with a sitter, or trust the airlines for their safe arrival. Sadly, the latter option can have tragic results.
In 2011, top model Maggie Rizer purchased a ticket for her golden terrier, Bea, to fly back home with the family to San Francisco from New York. In a post on her blog, Rizer said that Bea had a full examination and received a health certificate from the vet just four days before the flight. When the catwalker arrived to retrieve her pet, a terminal worker told her that Bea was dead. Rizer took her deceased dog in for a necropsy (animal autopsy) which determined the cause of death was a heat stroke from the flight’s fluctuating temps.
During Hurricane Sandy, “Jack the Cat” became an infamous mark in pet travel. The curious golden-colored feline turned up missing at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport after his kennel popped open while waiting in the hold. After a two-month frantic search, Jack re-appeared busting through a ceiling tile and falling into the airport’s customs room. Badly malnourished, dehydrated and wounded, Jack had to be euthanized 12 days later.
Unfortunate stories like these occur constantly, and though it seems the airlines try to accommodate pets, the road to travel pet safety is still a long one.
Pet Airways, an airline designed specifically for animals, provided a temporary solution to the problem. The company’s enforced mantra was, “Pets fly in the main cabin, NOT in cargo.” Pets received optimum first class service with comfort checks from the onboard crew and frequent trips to the bathroom. It was a good idea, but financial constraints forced the pets-only airline to cancel flights and shutter in 2009.
Next year, however, a new project is slated to launch at Building 78 in New York’s JFK Airport — the nation’s first comprehensive aviation animal handling center. Known as The Ark, the $32 million facility will transport 70,000 domestic and wild animals a year with an onsite veterinary hospital and animal daycare services. The Ark is truly a welcome addition to the aviation industry. But until it arrives, pet owners must still exercise extreme caution when transporting animals on flights. Here is a look at some of the best airlines to consider for pet travel when it comes to cost, safety and comfort.
Best perks: JetBlue Airlines
JetBlue adds a human touch to pet travel with its JetPaws Pet Program. The company does not allow pets to fly in the cargo area of the plane, but animals weighing up to 20 pounds are allowed to fly in the cabin in a special carrier bag under the passenger’s front seat. The bag must be 17 inches long, 12½ inches wide and 8½ inches high with proper
ventilation and space for the pet to walk around. As part of the program, passengers receive a carrier bag-tag for $50, a Travel Petiquette guide and 300 TrueBlue points on each flight for True Blue Member. Only four animals are allowed to fly per plane. The cost to fly a cat or a dog on JetBlue is $100 each way.
Best price: Southwest Airlines
Pets that meet weight requirements can fly in the cabin on Southwest Airlines for $75 each way until Jan. 15, 2014, when the fare jumps to $95. Unlike JetBlue, Southwest allows six pets per flight on a first-come, first-served basis. For travelers with multiple pets, the airline allows two cats or two dogs in the same carrier.
Best pet variety: Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines promises to take good care of your best friends, whether they walk on four legs or two. The airline accommodates cabin traveling for cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and small household birds for a one-way fee of $75 or $125, depending on the fare option you purchase.
Best big dog travel: Delta Airlines
Delta Airlines allows dogs up to 100 pounds to travel in the cargo area for $200 each way as part of its Delta Pet First Program. Smaller pets are allowed to travel in the cabin for a $125 fee. A health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian 10 days before travel is required.
All of these amenities certainly sound safe and appealing.