If you saw the movie "Field of Dreams", you remember that mystical voice saying "If you build it, he will come." That's the idea behind Delray Beach, Florida based Pet Airways, a publicly traded company, NASDAQ Stock Market symbol PAWS, that treats pets as passengers.
It all started as a result of Zoe, the family's Jack Russell Terrier who was a little too big to fit under an airline seat. That gave Dan Wiesel and Alysa Binder, who are now the airline's CEO and Chief Design Officer (CDO), the idea for Pet Airways.
An article in The Arizona Republic on Monday, December 20, 2010, was the latest media to highlight the company's services, which are designed to take the stress out of pet travel. No longer will your beloved best friend be cooped up under your seat, or even worse, fly as checked baggage in a pressurized cargo hold.
Instead, the airline, which serves nine cities on regularly scheduled flights, give all pets pre-boarding walks and bathroom breaks. During the flight, the pets are under the care and monitoring of trained attendants with a check at least every 15 minutes for the flight's duration. A climate control system in the cabin circulates pressurized air to ensure the animal's comfort. Owners can also track their pets via the website.
Currently cities served include, Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Atlanta DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK), Baltimore/Washington DC (BWI), NY/Long Island Republic Airport (FRG), Chicago Midway (MDW), Omaha Eppley Airfield (OMA), Denver Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (BJC), Phoenix Falcon Field (MSC), and Los Angeles Hawthorne Municipal Airport (HHR) by a fleet of 20, 19-passenger twin-engine Beechcraft 1900C, which have their main cabin seats removed to make room for the pet carriers.
The aircraft are operated by Omaha, Nebraska-based Suburban Air Freight (SUB), and there are plans to expand service to 25 cities by late 2011, all with flights that can be booked online at the company's web site. "Pawsengers" are checked in at a pet lounge at each of the airports served by Pet Airways.
All this service is surprisingly affordable. Pet Airways fares start at $99 and go up to $249 each way, with $100 gifts cards available as holiday stocking stuffers.
Besides the added convenience and extra peace of mind, there's other special benefits of using Pet Airways that you, if not your four legged friend, may especially appreciate. If you use their service to transport your furry buddy, there are no TSA enhanced pat downs, your pet will not have to wear a bikini, and the flight won't have to make an emergency landing because your dog has bitten a passenger.
Cheers and Happy Holidays to all my friends and readers around the world.
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Comments
Long overdue idea. A great service that will make dog owners very happy.
This is so much better than having your pet in the cargo area where no one knows if they are faring well or not. This is a great idea.
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