Pet Travel Expert

Today I came across an article called "Doggone Airlines" by Christopher Elliott, MSNBC's travel writer, discussing the reasons why people shouldn't fly pets.  He failed to mention crucial details surrounding pet fatalities and losses with airlines, which would have helped pet owners in making their decisions.  The general theme of the post was like saying you shouldn't travel with luggage because it's inconvenient and might cost more.

Below the break is my letter in response.  Let us know in the comments section what you think.  Should pets be allowed in cabin?  Under the plane?  Not at all?

Hi there Christopher,

I just read your recent article on MSNBC about why pets shouldn't fly ("Doggone Airlines!"), and while I usually enjoy your travel blog (loved the post about the top travel Twitterers to follow great resource!), I've gotta disagree with you on this one.

Now, granted, I've got a bit of a bias. As the director of new media/PR for a company that pretty much exclusively moves pets by air for people moving for work, PetRelocation.com, I certainly am not an objective outsider! However, my close involvement with moving pets worldwide for the last three years has allowed me to see the true do's-and-do not's of pet air travel. So, for my rebuttal:

1. Pet Air Travel is Inevitable

We live in a global economy, where people are moving and living abroad now more than ever. To rule out air travel for pets would mean that thousands of people would not have been able to bring their pets with them when they moved across the country or around the world. What would have become of Francesco the Siamese fighting fish who moved to Amsterdam with his owner who worked for Starbucks? Or Jake the German Shepherd, a repeat-customer of ours who has moved from Texas to Panama, and from Panama to Tokyo with his owners who work for Dell?

2. Pet Air Travel is Safe - When done right.

When looking at the fatality numbers, it's important to see how those numbers related to the amount of pets the airline was handling as well as the type of pets and the cause of death. While it's true that Continental had the most fatalities, they're also regarded as the best airline for pets moving domestically, due in no small part to their PetSafe program. And, if you want to look at the numbers, take into account the fact that Continental estimates they ship 250,000 pets a year. This would mean that out of approximately 1,000,000 pets they've shipped since 2005, only 34 have died; in 2008, out of 250,000 pets, only 7 died. I'd like to see an anesthesiologist with a similar record!

They keep pets in climate controlled conditions, and are never exposed to waits on the tarmac when waiting to get on/off the plane. Also, if you look at the incident reports of the fatalities, all causes of death were due to pre-existing conditions, not Continental's fault. Many were Brachycephalic (also known as snub-nosed) dogs, who are notoriously the most delicate breed of dog due to their underlying health concerns. Most pets, if they are in good health, are not going to have an issue when flying on pet-friendly airlines.

3. Not All Airlines are Created Equal

While many airlines claim to be pet-friendly (like American or United), that is really not the case. You have to look at more factors than just the airlines' claims.

Climate Controlled Conditions - From Check-in to Check-out

Some airlines have summer and winter temperature restrictions for pets traveling if it is too hot or too cold, they are unable to fly pets. While most people think this has to do with the cargo hold being unsafe, it actually has more to do with the wait on the tarmac. The cargo holds on most large-bodied airplanes are pressurized and climate-controlled just like the passenger cabin above. The airlines that have temperature restrictions have no way to keep pets out of the elements while they wait to get on their flight. Pet friendly airlines, on the other hand, promise to keep pets in climate-controlled conditions from the time they're checked in typically in an "animal lounge" or in their climate-controlled cargo offices. This means that your pet, while he waits for his flight, is never sitting out on the tarmac in the sun or in the cold.

Dedicated Live Animal Handlers

If you're working with a pet friendly airline, they will see to it that your pet is always being cared for by a staff that is set up to handle pets at the airports. For example, KLM Airlines has live animal handlers whose only job is to check on the well-being and safety of pets when they are loaded and unloaded from the flights. Pets are even couriered to and from the airplane in specialized climate-controlled vans.

Comfort Stops for Traveling Pets

Most pet friendly airlines have an on-site pet hotel at their major hubs. When your pets arrive for their connecting flight, the animal attendants are able to walk dogs in safe enclosures, give them food and water, and even clean out their crates for the next leg of the trip! These pet hotels are set up like traditional boarding facilities, so if there are any delays, you know your pet will be well cared for during his stay. Continental has one at IAH & EWR, KLM has one at AMS, and Lufthansa (a great option for European travelers) has one at FRA. Other airlines might contract with off-site boarding kennels in case of delay, but an on-site kennel is key for situations where the delay is longer (8 hours) but not warranting calling the off-site kennel.

I will agree that pets traveling in cabin can be a bad idea, as it then becomes the responsibility of the pet owner to control the animal and provide any proof of vaccinations.  So it's understandable that people would be concerned -- what if the pet is not up to date on its vaccinations or carrying an infectious disease? Not to mention the health of the pet being a danger to itself -- the health certificate required by airlines and issued by the vet before travel is essential to ruling out any underlying health issues that might cause the pet to grow ill or worse while traveling with its owner.

Ultimately, I hope this helps to put things into perspective for you & other people considering traveling with pets. Deaths occur because animals are not acclimated to their crates and not checked out well enough prior to transport (meaning they need blood work, chest x-rays and EKGs to ensure that they do not have an underlying cardiac or other condition). These are both things that pet owners can avoid by doing their research or working with a professional pet transportation company like ours that sees to all of the pre-move details.

Cheers,

Rachel Farris

Director, PR & New Media

PetRelocation.com

512.264.9800 x 113