Safe travel inside the cargo hold of a Pet Airways airplane.
On July 14, 2009, a very special new airline will take to the skies. Pet Airways will become the first pet-only airline, flying domestic animals of all sizes safely and comfortably in the cabin, rather than the cargo hold.
For many years, pet owners wishing to travel by air with their pets have been forced to send their furry family members to the airplane cargo hold like pieces of luggage. Since the cargo hold was designed for, well, cargo, rather than living beings, it is not uncommon for things to go terribly wrong for pets traveling there.
A study by the San Francisco SPCA found that “of the two million animals transported in the cargo holds of commercial airliners per year, approximately 5,000 are injured in transit.” And the Animal, Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS) states that “virtually every major airline has been cited and fined for repeatedly mishandling animals.”
But this July will mark a new day in pet travel, as Pet Airways begins flights serving five US cities: New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles. The airline plans to add more major metropolitan areas to its roster in the coming months.
Travelers will drop their dogs and cats off at a “pet lounge” in participating regional airports, where they will remain in the care of trained “pet attendants” until it is time to board the flight. Pet Airways promises that pet travelers, called “pawsengers” will be “in the good hands of people who love and know how to take care of pets. Monitored by pet attendants, pets will fly in planes that are fully-lit, climate-controlled and have the proper level of fresh air circulation that pets require.”
Pets will be “boarded and de-boarded from planes as quickly as possible, never left in the cold or heat and, depending on transit time, will be offered toilet facilities, food and water as necessary during stops.” Pet owners are encouraged to rest assured that their four-legged family members will receive “sensitive, careful handling and the peace of mind that their pets are well looked after by people who care as much about their pets as they do.”
It’s about time.
Comments