14 ms·

Pet Airways

111 points by Kaibeezy 5y ago

nwatab 5y ago
I want to bring my two cats from Tokyo to California. Only possible choose is American airlines where I can bring them beneath seats. I'm interested in another ways.
- goldenkey 5y ago
  I suggest you go with that method. If you call AA shortly before the flight, it's possible to get allowance to get you and your pets put in an empty row on the plane. I have this done almost every time for me and my cats. Just have to try to get it done even when you are boarding. Any decent airline with a plane that isn't full, will accommodate the request.
  - nwatab 5y ago
    Thank you for sharing your experiences. How was toilet and food for cats? Did they cry all the time?
    - goldenkey 5y ago
      No problem. I have brought a foldable litter box from Sturdi [1, 2] with litter in a ziploc. The cats didn't use it. Yes they cried but a carrier that lets you pet them is a way to help with this. I sometimes took them out of the carrier and got away with it most of the time, but one time got told they had to go back in. YMMV In any case, them being on the seats (in carrier) rather than under them, helped a ton. The cats aren't as freaked out. [1] https://sturdiproducts.com/products/folding-water-tight-boxes-one-gallon https://sturdiproducts.com/products/folding-water-tight-boxe... [2] https://sturdiproducts.com/products/folding-water-tight-boxes-2-gallon https://sturdiproducts.com/products/folding-water-tight-boxe...
      - nwatab 5y ago
        Thank you for sharing your experience. It is really appreciated. I'm glad to know that you can put a litter box under seats and get away with cats. Thank you so much.
        goldenkey 5y ago
        No problem. Sturdi's carriers are also really good. I took them to the bathroom to use the litter box. I'm sure you could place it on the floor though if they give you a row to yourself.
        nwatab 5y ago
        Thanks. I checked Sturdi's carriers. It's a little bit over my budget, but looks nice for an in-cabin flight. I see you can bring cats to restroom with a litter box. Now I can imagine better how an in-cabin flight is like. My worries are faded. Thank you so much!
        goldenkey 5y ago
        Ah yeah, they are expensive but they do last for years and are machine washable. I've had the same Sturdi XL for over 7 years. Glad I could help with the info. Cheers.
        nwatab 5y ago
        That's nice. This will be the last question, how long is your flight? My flight will be 10 hours.
- nicolexcaba 5y ago
  You can double check and confirm which flight your two cats can fly from on avvinue.com, which is our new pet travel startup. Otherwise there are options on charter as well - but many airlines allow two of the same species to travel in the same carrier, so if they get along :)
  - nwatab 5y ago
    You're doing really great jobs. Thank you so much. I'll check it!
  - nwatab 5y ago
    Hey. I checked your site. It suggests Alaska Airlines, Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airlines and Air Canada. Do they allow cats under seats, or should cats go to a cargo room? It is huge difference. Thanks!
elefantastisch 5y ago
Apparently the company ceased operations in 2011, though indicates they plan to return: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pet_Airways https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pet_Airways
dmpk2k 5y ago
I detest the dehumanization of airlines; it is all very bureaucratic now, compared to when I was a child. I flew two cats from oceania to Europe, and the process was jarring; some regulation at the time prevented them even flying together. I remember their panicked howls when I saw them again at the airport, something that hadn't happened with any other mode of transport.
- adonovan 5y ago
  > I detest the dehumanization of airlines; it is all very bureaucratic now, compared to when I was a child. Yup, but it's also a heck of a lot cheaper, largely due to mechanization, automation, homogenization, and bureaucratization.
  - SOLAR_FIELDS 5y ago
    Your chances (as a human) of dying on a flight have also decreased by exponential factors. I’ll take bland and homogenized if it’s safe for situations like flight where I have zero control over the outcome once the plane takes off.
- TacticalCoder 5y ago
  > I detest the dehumanization of airlines; it is all very bureaucratic now, compared to when I was a child. Not to mention the feeling that you're treated like cattle. And that many people taking care of luggage clearly hate their job and have absolutely zero respect for people's belongings and shall happily throw luggage instead of handling them with care. Screw flying. I drive (and, yup, it's a problem if crossing an ocean is required).
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
- paxys 5y ago
  The prices you were paying as a child are probably equivalent to first class travel today (or even more). If you pay for it you can still have that same luxury experience.
fullshark 5y ago
Are the images below the improvement? What does it look like in an commercial airliner? Edit: Yes I mean what perardi shares below, it’s not far off what I imagine traveling in cargo hold is like for pets.
- xeromal 5y ago
  It looks like petairways has the animals in a temperature controlled environment and they're monitored during transit.
- perardi 5y ago
  You mean this one? https://secureservercdn.net/166.62.114.250/tje.5a9.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/great-red-carpet-shot-in-plane-scaled.jpg https://secureservercdn.net/166.62.114.250/tje.5a9.myftpuplo... It’s actually better if you view the full-resolution version—looks far less like a prison. Poor choice of on-camera flash, and poor choice of moping dog.
  - jjtheblunt 5y ago
    but great name for the little dog!
- rootusrootus 5y ago
  > What does it look like in an commercial airliner? Depends. Unaccompanied animals are transported in the cargo hold, though I believe some care is taken (they're not just tossed in like luggage). Small animals can be taken with you if they will fit under the seat, on some airlines.
  - ldoughty 5y ago
    In order to fit under the seat... Would that mean your pets are mice? Or ants? Barely enough room for my feet under some airline seats... I doubt any breed of cat or dog would fit, unless they were <1 year old.
    - 5y ago
drewcoo 5y ago
Great! Now let's see someone do that with kids.
- pigtailgirl 5y ago
  recently discovered screaming kids & wild children are fantastic tools for practicing patience & tolerance - especially without any of my own -
  - askonomm 5y ago
    I have the opposite thing. I become more and more frustrated and intolerant towards kids and especially their parents for making the rest of us go through that. I get it that they wanted kids and were ready for the screaming and whining and moaning, but I didn't want that. And yet I have no option, I have to tolerate it, too. If I could pay for child-free transport, I would.
    - jghn 5y ago
      In general you can get closer to this by paying more. For instance with air travel families with children don’t often fly first class or stay at hotels at the upper tier of cost. But it’s not perfect on most cases
    - sokoloff 5y ago
      You can. Planesense, NetJets, Delta Black, and many others would be happy to take your business. Far short of that, first class on trans-oceanic tend to be kid-free or well-behaved kids at least. Domestic flights, first-class is less pricey and therefore more prone to having kids in it.
      - Zhenya 5y ago
        What is delta black. I can’t find anything after a cursory search.
        5y ago
avalys 5y ago
I have heard horror stories of people collecting their pets after being transported in the cargo hold of a commercial airliner, and discovering that they've gone deaf, probably because they were left out on the ramp for too long near a running jet engine by some careless worker. I have a 50-pound dog and am just resigned to taking a road trip with him or leaving him with friends when I have to travel. I wish at least one commercial airline would adopt a "pet-friendly" policy and just allow people to purchase an extra seat for their dog. My dog would be happy to take the middle seat between me and my girlfriend, would stay out of the way of others, and I'd pay a significant amount of money if this were an option.
- danhak 5y ago
  Some people are allergic. Some people have phobias. Some people would simply prefer not to be near an animal that may drool, shed, bark or otherwise act unpredictably when stressed on a flight. None of that is unreasonable. I have nothing against dogs and dog owners but too many owners these days seem oblivious to the fact that many other people would prefer not to be forced to share space with animals.
  - powerset 5y ago
    If we're being honest, many people would prefer not to be forced to share space with other humans, either
    - majormajor 5y ago
      Yeah, and it's easier for me to deal with that as a result: I can pay extra and get a first class ticket to get (depending on the plane) either some more space or A LOT more space to myself. Would be nice if airlines would make it just as easy to buy some more space for my pet. Pay more to buy the row out, pay more to get on a limited selection of "pet friendly" flights, probably other ideas could work too...
      - dwighttk 5y ago
nostromo 5y ago
And don’t put your pets in the overhead bin. People have done this (without the flight attendants even noticing) to find that their pet has suffocated in-flight.
- robbrown451 5y ago
  You'd have to be spectacularly stupid to do that. The case I heard where that happened the flight attendant it there, without realizing there was a pet in the container. (the family told her, but somehow she didn't hear or understand)
- missedthecue 5y ago
  Obviously a bad idea, but are the overhead bins airtight?
  - ______-_-______ 5y ago
    They're not airtight, but without ventilation, CO2 will build up.
whycombinetor 5y ago
LOL at the idea of [my pet flying separate from me, in the main cabin of a separate plane just for pets] being a superior option to [my pet being in my hands the entire time and handled literally only ever by myself, which is what happens when you take your pet in-cabin on a normal passenger airline like Southwest].
- sahila 5y ago
  You do realize that you can only fly in-cabin with your pet if it fits underneath the seat ahead of you, usually < 20 lbs. Many pets don't fit this criteria, but otherwise I agree with you.
  - jjtheblunt 5y ago
    or if you buy a seat for it...which i say having done so on Virgin.
    - deleted 5y ago
      [deleted]
    - sahila 5y ago
      When's the last time you've flown doing this? I haven't gone on Virgin with my pet but Googling shows it doesn't allow pets in cabin (https://www.bringfido.com/travel/airline_policies/virgin_atlantic/ https://www.bringfido.com/travel/airline_policies/virgin_atl...). Southwest certainly your pet has to be in the small crate. There might be exceptions for service animals though.
      - jjtheblunt 5y ago
        may 2016, two pets at once, both feline, extra purchased seat(s). the dullards at SFO wanted to put them through the Xray conveyor belt, btw, which was corrected by asking for a supervisor, who damn near backhanded the dopes i first interacted with. looks, from other comments, they've tightened this since, as there was no "service animal" shenanigans. they're just particularly hairy family members.
latchkey 5y ago
I'm about to travel from Cali to NYC with my ~10 lbs dog. Got a soft-sided carrier off Amazon for pretty cheap in the required dimensions and plan to have him in the cabin with me. These are the rules for AlaskaAir (+$100 each way): For pets traveling in the cabin, hard-sided carriers must have maximum dimensions of 17" x 11" x 7.5" (43 cm x 28 cm x 19 cm) and soft-sided carriers must not exceed 17" x 11" x 9.5" (43 cm x 28 cm x 48 cm). They must be leak-proof, have adequate ventilation, and be lined with absorbent bedding. For pets traveling in the hold, carriers must not exceed the dimensions 30" x 27" x 40" (76 cm x 68 cm x 101 cm). Kennels must be solid, have handles, adequate air ventilation, and a sturdy roof. Pets must be provided with food and water bowls attached to the interior. https://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/policies/pets-traveling-with-pets https://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/policies/pets-... He's a super chill dog that sleeps all the time anyway. Did a trial run of him in the carrier and he just fell asleep.
rmatt2000 5y ago
This sounds more luxurious than my last flight from ORD to RDU.
izacus 5y ago
I've never dared to fly our pets, but do they really put them right between all the other luggage in the hold like depicted? No separate section? And leave them freezing?
- spaetzleesser 5y ago
  As far as I understand a lot of airlines have climate controlled compartments for animals now. Too many died in the luggage compartment.
- makeitdouble 5y ago
  Your best course of action is to bring them as extra size cabin luggage. Anything short of that would be rolling the dice, and the best outcome would still be a horrible experience for the pet. Edit: even on companies with “pet friendly” adjustments. Looking at how they treat special luggage and other “no really, I’ll pay for it so treat it nice” cargo, I wouldn’t trust major airline companies to be consistently good with animals.
dwighttk 5y ago
It is not clear how this is different from a pet shipper (which I've only heard of from their website)
- kelnos 5y ago
  Looks like the pet shippers put your pet on a commercial airline, as cargo, same as you'd do it. They just deal with the logistics, and transport to/from the airport for you.
  - dwighttk 5y ago
    Gotcha… they should play that up “has almost all the same issues as doing it yourself” or something.
korse 5y ago
First world countries are proposing to fight climate change, while rolling out air carrier services to transport bulk chihuahuas. I feel like this is going to be an excellent target for those in favor of a carbon neutral future.
bmitc 5y ago
I have flown with my cat several times. It’s unbelievably annoying and my cat is the by far the least of my worries. Usually, it’s a $100 or so fee one way, so around $200 round trip. But yet, the pet takes up one of your carry on luggage bags, and you have to sign something that they (the airline) will provide absolutely no additional service for anything and they have no liability. Then, they only allow a certain amount of pets on the flight (their discretion?), and so it amounts to a first come, first serve basis. There’s no way to pre-register the pet. You have to do it when you check in. So, what is the ridiculous fee even for? Oh, and to go through security, you have to take a nervous and scared cat out of their carry case in the middle of the security line, walk through the metal detector, and then they have to test both of your hands for residue while still carrying the cat. They will not let you put the cat back before they’ve tested your hands. It makes no sense. The whole process and fee is basically security and the airlines saying “we’re annoyed, so we’ll make you pay for it with process and fees”. I always make it a point to notify the passengers next to me that I have a cat in case they are allergic. This again is something the airline does not care about to do themselves, which again makes no sense because it’s probably the single biggest risk for the flight and passengers (someone having an allergic reaction in the middle of a flight).
- digisign 5y ago
  The fee is to discourage it and make a little scratch on the side.
- eiz 5y ago
  I've done this a few times too. > There’s no way to pre-register the pet. At least on Delta, you can. You need to call the airline and arrange it. > Oh, and to go through security, you have to take a nervous and scared cat out of their carry case in the middle of the security line, walk through the metal detector, and then they have to test both of your hands for residue while still carrying the cat. I always refuse the normal line and get a private screening. So far I haven't had any issues doing that. Still, it's a huge pain in the ass.
  - bmitc 5y ago
    I can't remember Delta's exact policy, but if I recall correctly, you can call ahead of time but when it comes to flight day, they can still refuse you if too many pets have already checked in. Don't quote me on that though.
rdl 5y ago
People have tried this so many times and it always fails. It's a huge issue for going to/from Puerto Rico, due to 1) weather 2) shitty ground services 3) no land connection. My friend has planes and one of them will be part 135 (charter) compatible, so I've been looking at doing monthly flights with a vet and ~10 animals for 2.5h from South Florida to Puerto Rico (especially for people with animals banned on flights due to size or facial structure, or people who value their pets enough to be less price sensitive generally). (I fly cats for adoption from PR to ATL, MIA, FLL, TPA sometimes; it's interesting traveling with them in the cabin. Usually they are very young kittens and very quiet the whole time.)
- throwaheyy 5y ago
  > banned on flights due to … facial structure Can you expand on this a bit? Edit: did a bit of researched and found the answer: https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/pet-friendly-travel/virgin-australia-flat-face-animals-pets-ban https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/pet-friendly-tra...
  - blantonl 5y ago
    Usually bulldogs and another genetic abominations that are already on the cusp of chocking to death on their own airways.
sf_rob 5y ago
I think it's just not overriding a Wordpress template default, but it's hilarious that their main homepage link goes to a wedding rsvp url* lol. *https://divi.dev/wedding/#rsvp https://divi.dev/wedding/#rsvp
oceanghost 5y ago
I have read that you can hire FedEx to transport a horse, and that they have a special plane that has a stable inside.
- nickt 5y ago
  Horses on a plane. Sounds like a sequel. https://blog.privatefly.com/air-horse-one-a-private-jet-for-the-equine-passenger https://blog.privatefly.com/air-horse-one-a-private-jet-for-...
avereveard 5y ago
I need something like this as I'm going to be moving internationally in a few months and got a pet to bring along but goddamn this site is janky The flight date goes anywhere from 2021 to 2022 the call to action on mobile goes to a unreachable Dev site with a sketchy wedding/rsvp URL and there's absolutely no useful information about coverage Also, pawsenger
- GrifMD 5y ago
  I brought my cat from the United States to Australia (a notoriously strict country). If you'd like any advice let me know.
  - avereveard 5y ago
    sure, if you can name the vector I would love it. we just moving italy to spain, so it's not a long trip, but I won't immediately have a car to do it.
    - jules-jules 5y ago
      I'd say the risk of something happening to your pet is far too high to justify such a short flight. I'd suggest borrowing a car from a friend or renting one for a couple of days; and have one of you stay with the pet in the new place while the other drives the car back.
      - goldenkey 5y ago
        You can just pay a bit extra and bring your pet in an extra seat in the cabin. I've been doing this for years. Many times I'll often be given 3 seats if there's an empty row, just to make it more comfortable for me and my cat.
    - fvztdk 5y ago
      you can take the ferry from italy to spain, takes around 24h and the pet can be free in your cabin and they have a special deck for you to walk it around
pontus 5y ago
When I used to fly with my dog (~10lbs so they were allowed in the cabin) I had to pay $200 for them which is fine. But then it turns out that the dog also counted toward my carry-on! WTF!? I mean either charge me or have it count toward my carry-on, but both??
- nicolexcaba 5y ago
  That's unfortunate! Not all airlines do this, so on www.avvinue.com, you're able to see the exact price for your pet to not be charted twice.
givemeethekeys 5y ago
Whens the IPO?
dv35z 5y ago
I need to internationally travel with two small anxious dogs (10 lbs) from Austin Texas to Medellin Colombia (in about 3 months). Any recommendations or advice from the world-traveler / dog owners crowd? When the pups are happy, I’m happy!
- saganus 5y ago
  I suggest you go to https://www.ipata.org/ https://www.ipata.org/ to find pet shippers and then write or call them to figure out what you need. Haven't yet shipped my dogs as I'm still doing some research, but that site has helped having a place to start the research.
- goldenkey 5y ago
  I suggest you find an airline that will let you purchase seats or allowances to travel with the pets in the normal cabin next to you. After all, they are anxious and will really be quelled by being next to you during something nerve-wracking like a flight.
- xenospn 5y ago
  Yes! My friend just launched Avvinue (https://www.avvinue.com https://www.avvinue.com) to solve this exact problem.
kndjckt 5y ago
Super excited to see this. There's plenty of demand for flying with a pet. Especially given the removal of all ESA stuff and the current cost of kennels being so high.
- caymanjim 5y ago
  This isn't flying with a pet. This is your pet flying in a pets-only plane. I'd be concerned about the logistics. The plane they show (presumably their best) is a turboprop. That's shorter range and slower than a jet. If you're flying somewhere and planning to drop your pet off when you get to the airport, even if you align departure times well, you might be waiting a couple hours for your pet to arrive on the other side. While they appear to have a presence in the airport terminal (or strongly imply they do), I suspect there are still different logistics paths in loading and unloading the pets. Do they have to use cargo terminals? Are there layovers on the pet's flight? On yours? What happens if one of the planes is delayed or the flight is completely canceled? There's not likely to be another Pet Airways plane sitting there as backup. I can't imagine this would work at all without frequent traumatic experiences for the pets, where owners are separated for days at a time due to logistics breakdowns.
  - PretzelPirate 5y ago
    > If you're flying somewhere and planning to drop your pet off when you get to the airport I used Pet Airways years ago before it first shut down and they flew out of regional airports, so it’s unlikely you’d fly out of the same airport. Back then, you'd drop your pet off at one airport and they’d be at the destination the next day. They only had a few airports they flew in and out of.
oskapt 5y ago
This site is a scam. They can’t even spell “breathe” properly. Airlines have pressurized, climate controlled cargo areas where a small number of pets can be transported. They have strict rules and regulations about carrier sizes and other things that are there to ensure that your pet is safe. The site is pure FUD - saying that darkness is bad for animals is garbage. Saying that cargo areas can get above 140 or below freezing is not true for the areas where pets are shipped. How are you supposed to drive your pet internationally across an ocean? My money says that if you ship with this company, they will charge you a premium and ship your pet via the same methods available to you directly with the carrier. You should use a pet shipper because they will handle the paperwork for clearing customs, and they know the carriers who will ship your pet properly. I brought two 65 pound dogs from Chile to the US and spent $7k to do it because they are family. I also moved with three cats from the US to Poland and back, and then to 2y later moved with them to Chile. No one died in transit.
- aaaaaaaaata 5y ago
  > No one died in transit. Meanwhile, on the other side of anecdote land, people in the last thread were talking about deaths, or hearing of pets going deaf.
wanderr 5y ago
I have severe animal allergies. I used to get really frustrated by people bringing their pets onto the plane. There is generally no way to let the airline know ahead of time that I can't be seated next to an animal, and no guarantee that there will be a place they can relocate me to. Now I always have an n95 mask on me, so it's not a huge deal unless the flight is super long (itchy eyes are still a thing). Wish I had thought of that sooner.
- Kranar 5y ago
  Antihistamines such as Reactin don't help? I am also allergic to cats and dogs and Reactin does wonders.
  - wanderr 5y ago
    Pseudoephedrine helps with some sinus issues but isn't an antihistamine. There are a cocktail of allergy meds that help, but are not fast acting so I need to be on them all the time to account for one-off exposures. They don't stop the allergic reaction entirely but they do make it more bearable and buy me time - with those built up in my system I can generally be around animals for about 4 hours before my allergies become unbearable.
- goldenkey 5y ago
  If it really bothers you, 3M makes foldable N100 masks (FFP3.) They are just as easy to breathe through as the 95s and are about $7 per unit.
nicolexcaba 5y ago
This airline is only trying to solve the issue of pets flying in cargo / excess baggage, and instead putting them in the cabin area; but this doesn't allow any passengers. So for those of you looking to actually travel with your pets, I actually launched my startup, Avvinue, that helps you search and book pet-friendly flights, hotels and more. It captures IATA airline pet policy data and country pet import requirements so that you book the exact flight that your pet is allowed on. No more calling the airlines, researching for hours only to find out that your pet can't fly. You can search flights now here: www.avvinue.com and we're expanding our core team after raising a pre-seed round, so feel free to send a message on our website if you're interested.

111 points by Kaibeezy 5y ago

I want to bring my two cats from Tokyo to California. Only possible choose is American airlines where I can bring them beneath seats. I'm interested in another ways.

goldenkey 5y ago
I suggest you go with that method. If you call AA shortly before the flight, it's possible to get allowance to get you and your pets put in an empty row on the plane. I have this done almost every time for me and my cats. Just have to try to get it done even when you are boarding. Any decent airline with a plane that isn't full, will accommodate the request.
- nwatab 5y ago
  Thank you for sharing your experiences. How was toilet and food for cats? Did they cry all the time?
  - goldenkey 5y ago
    No problem. I have brought a foldable litter box from Sturdi [1, 2] with litter in a ziploc. The cats didn't use it. Yes they cried but a carrier that lets you pet them is a way to help with this. I sometimes took them out of the carrier and got away with it most of the time, but one time got told they had to go back in. YMMV In any case, them being on the seats (in carrier) rather than under them, helped a ton. The cats aren't as freaked out. [1] https://sturdiproducts.com/products/folding-water-tight-boxes-one-gallon https://sturdiproducts.com/products/folding-water-tight-boxe... [2] https://sturdiproducts.com/products/folding-water-tight-boxes-2-gallon https://sturdiproducts.com/products/folding-water-tight-boxe...
    - nwatab 5y ago
      Thank you for sharing your experience. It is really appreciated. I'm glad to know that you can put a litter box under seats and get away with cats. Thank you so much.
      - goldenkey 5y ago
        No problem. Sturdi's carriers are also really good. I took them to the bathroom to use the litter box. I'm sure you could place it on the floor though if they give you a row to yourself.
        nwatab 5y ago
        Thanks. I checked Sturdi's carriers. It's a little bit over my budget, but looks nice for an in-cabin flight. I see you can bring cats to restroom with a litter box. Now I can imagine better how an in-cabin flight is like. My worries are faded. Thank you so much!
        goldenkey 5y ago
        Ah yeah, they are expensive but they do last for years and are machine washable. I've had the same Sturdi XL for over 7 years. Glad I could help with the info. Cheers.
        nwatab 5y ago
        That's nice. This will be the last question, how long is your flight? My flight will be 10 hours.
nicolexcaba 5y ago
You can double check and confirm which flight your two cats can fly from on avvinue.com, which is our new pet travel startup. Otherwise there are options on charter as well - but many airlines allow two of the same species to travel in the same carrier, so if they get along :)
- nwatab 5y ago
  You're doing really great jobs. Thank you so much. I'll check it!
- nwatab 5y ago
  Hey. I checked your site. It suggests Alaska Airlines, Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airlines and Air Canada. Do they allow cats under seats, or should cats go to a cargo room? It is huge difference. Thanks!

elefantastisch 5y ago

Apparently the company ceased operations in 2011, though indicates they plan to return: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pet_Airways https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pet_Airways

dmpk2k 5y ago

I detest the dehumanization of airlines; it is all very bureaucratic now, compared to when I was a child. I flew two cats from oceania to Europe, and the process was jarring; some regulation at the time prevented them even flying together. I remember their panicked howls when I saw them again at the airport, something that hadn't happened with any other mode of transport.

adonovan 5y ago
> I detest the dehumanization of airlines; it is all very bureaucratic now, compared to when I was a child. Yup, but it's also a heck of a lot cheaper, largely due to mechanization, automation, homogenization, and bureaucratization.
- SOLAR_FIELDS 5y ago
  Your chances (as a human) of dying on a flight have also decreased by exponential factors. I’ll take bland and homogenized if it’s safe for situations like flight where I have zero control over the outcome once the plane takes off.
TacticalCoder 5y ago
> I detest the dehumanization of airlines; it is all very bureaucratic now, compared to when I was a child. Not to mention the feeling that you're treated like cattle. And that many people taking care of luggage clearly hate their job and have absolutely zero respect for people's belongings and shall happily throw luggage instead of handling them with care. Screw flying. I drive (and, yup, it's a problem if crossing an ocean is required).
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
paxys 5y ago
The prices you were paying as a child are probably equivalent to first class travel today (or even more). If you pay for it you can still have that same luxury experience.

fullshark 5y ago

Are the images below the improvement? What does it look like in an commercial airliner? Edit: Yes I mean what perardi shares below, it’s not far off what I imagine traveling in cargo hold is like for pets.

xeromal 5y ago
It looks like petairways has the animals in a temperature controlled environment and they're monitored during transit.
perardi 5y ago
You mean this one? https://secureservercdn.net/166.62.114.250/tje.5a9.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/great-red-carpet-shot-in-plane-scaled.jpg https://secureservercdn.net/166.62.114.250/tje.5a9.myftpuplo... It’s actually better if you view the full-resolution version—looks far less like a prison. Poor choice of on-camera flash, and poor choice of moping dog.
- jjtheblunt 5y ago
  but great name for the little dog!
rootusrootus 5y ago
> What does it look like in an commercial airliner? Depends. Unaccompanied animals are transported in the cargo hold, though I believe some care is taken (they're not just tossed in like luggage). Small animals can be taken with you if they will fit under the seat, on some airlines.
- ldoughty 5y ago
  In order to fit under the seat... Would that mean your pets are mice? Or ants? Barely enough room for my feet under some airline seats... I doubt any breed of cat or dog would fit, unless they were <1 year old.
  - 5y ago

drewcoo 5y ago

Great! Now let's see someone do that with kids.

pigtailgirl 5y ago
recently discovered screaming kids & wild children are fantastic tools for practicing patience & tolerance - especially without any of my own -
- askonomm 5y ago
  I have the opposite thing. I become more and more frustrated and intolerant towards kids and especially their parents for making the rest of us go through that. I get it that they wanted kids and were ready for the screaming and whining and moaning, but I didn't want that. And yet I have no option, I have to tolerate it, too. If I could pay for child-free transport, I would.
  - jghn 5y ago
    In general you can get closer to this by paying more. For instance with air travel families with children don’t often fly first class or stay at hotels at the upper tier of cost. But it’s not perfect on most cases
  - sokoloff 5y ago
    You can. Planesense, NetJets, Delta Black, and many others would be happy to take your business. Far short of that, first class on trans-oceanic tend to be kid-free or well-behaved kids at least. Domestic flights, first-class is less pricey and therefore more prone to having kids in it.
    - Zhenya 5y ago
      What is delta black. I can’t find anything after a cursory search.
      - 5y ago

avalys 5y ago

I have heard horror stories of people collecting their pets after being transported in the cargo hold of a commercial airliner, and discovering that they've gone deaf, probably because they were left out on the ramp for too long near a running jet engine by some careless worker. I have a 50-pound dog and am just resigned to taking a road trip with him or leaving him with friends when I have to travel. I wish at least one commercial airline would adopt a "pet-friendly" policy and just allow people to purchase an extra seat for their dog. My dog would be happy to take the middle seat between me and my girlfriend, would stay out of the way of others, and I'd pay a significant amount of money if this were an option.

danhak 5y ago
Some people are allergic. Some people have phobias. Some people would simply prefer not to be near an animal that may drool, shed, bark or otherwise act unpredictably when stressed on a flight. None of that is unreasonable. I have nothing against dogs and dog owners but too many owners these days seem oblivious to the fact that many other people would prefer not to be forced to share space with animals.
- powerset 5y ago
  If we're being honest, many people would prefer not to be forced to share space with other humans, either
  - majormajor 5y ago
    Yeah, and it's easier for me to deal with that as a result: I can pay extra and get a first class ticket to get (depending on the plane) either some more space or A LOT more space to myself. Would be nice if airlines would make it just as easy to buy some more space for my pet. Pay more to buy the row out, pay more to get on a limited selection of "pet friendly" flights, probably other ideas could work too...
    - dwighttk 5y ago

nostromo 5y ago

And don’t put your pets in the overhead bin. People have done this (without the flight attendants even noticing) to find that their pet has suffocated in-flight.

robbrown451 5y ago
You'd have to be spectacularly stupid to do that. The case I heard where that happened the flight attendant it there, without realizing there was a pet in the container. (the family told her, but somehow she didn't hear or understand)
missedthecue 5y ago
Obviously a bad idea, but are the overhead bins airtight?
- ______-_-______ 5y ago
  They're not airtight, but without ventilation, CO2 will build up.

whycombinetor 5y ago

LOL at the idea of [my pet flying separate from me, in the main cabin of a separate plane just for pets] being a superior option to [my pet being in my hands the entire time and handled literally only ever by myself, which is what happens when you take your pet in-cabin on a normal passenger airline like Southwest].

sahila 5y ago
You do realize that you can only fly in-cabin with your pet if it fits underneath the seat ahead of you, usually < 20 lbs. Many pets don't fit this criteria, but otherwise I agree with you.
- jjtheblunt 5y ago
  or if you buy a seat for it...which i say having done so on Virgin.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - sahila 5y ago
    When's the last time you've flown doing this? I haven't gone on Virgin with my pet but Googling shows it doesn't allow pets in cabin (https://www.bringfido.com/travel/airline_policies/virgin_atlantic/ https://www.bringfido.com/travel/airline_policies/virgin_atl...). Southwest certainly your pet has to be in the small crate. There might be exceptions for service animals though.
    - jjtheblunt 5y ago
      may 2016, two pets at once, both feline, extra purchased seat(s). the dullards at SFO wanted to put them through the Xray conveyor belt, btw, which was corrected by asking for a supervisor, who damn near backhanded the dopes i first interacted with. looks, from other comments, they've tightened this since, as there was no "service animal" shenanigans. they're just particularly hairy family members.

latchkey 5y ago

I'm about to travel from Cali to NYC with my ~10 lbs dog. Got a soft-sided carrier off Amazon for pretty cheap in the required dimensions and plan to have him in the cabin with me. These are the rules for AlaskaAir (+$100 each way): For pets traveling in the cabin, hard-sided carriers must have maximum dimensions of 17" x 11" x 7.5" (43 cm x 28 cm x 19 cm) and soft-sided carriers must not exceed 17" x 11" x 9.5" (43 cm x 28 cm x 48 cm). They must be leak-proof, have adequate ventilation, and be lined with absorbent bedding. For pets traveling in the hold, carriers must not exceed the dimensions 30" x 27" x 40" (76 cm x 68 cm x 101 cm). Kennels must be solid, have handles, adequate air ventilation, and a sturdy roof. Pets must be provided with food and water bowls attached to the interior. https://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/policies/pets-traveling-with-pets https://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/policies/pets-... He's a super chill dog that sleeps all the time anyway. Did a trial run of him in the carrier and he just fell asleep.

rmatt2000 5y ago

This sounds more luxurious than my last flight from ORD to RDU.

izacus 5y ago

I've never dared to fly our pets, but do they really put them right between all the other luggage in the hold like depicted? No separate section? And leave them freezing?

spaetzleesser 5y ago
As far as I understand a lot of airlines have climate controlled compartments for animals now. Too many died in the luggage compartment.
makeitdouble 5y ago
Your best course of action is to bring them as extra size cabin luggage. Anything short of that would be rolling the dice, and the best outcome would still be a horrible experience for the pet. Edit: even on companies with “pet friendly” adjustments. Looking at how they treat special luggage and other “no really, I’ll pay for it so treat it nice” cargo, I wouldn’t trust major airline companies to be consistently good with animals.

dwighttk 5y ago

It is not clear how this is different from a pet shipper (which I've only heard of from their website)

kelnos 5y ago
Looks like the pet shippers put your pet on a commercial airline, as cargo, same as you'd do it. They just deal with the logistics, and transport to/from the airport for you.
- dwighttk 5y ago
  Gotcha… they should play that up “has almost all the same issues as doing it yourself” or something.

korse 5y ago

First world countries are proposing to fight climate change, while rolling out air carrier services to transport bulk chihuahuas. I feel like this is going to be an excellent target for those in favor of a carbon neutral future.

bmitc 5y ago

I have flown with my cat several times. It’s unbelievably annoying and my cat is the by far the least of my worries. Usually, it’s a $100 or so fee one way, so around $200 round trip. But yet, the pet takes up one of your carry on luggage bags, and you have to sign something that they (the airline) will provide absolutely no additional service for anything and they have no liability. Then, they only allow a certain amount of pets on the flight (their discretion?), and so it amounts to a first come, first serve basis. There’s no way to pre-register the pet. You have to do it when you check in. So, what is the ridiculous fee even for? Oh, and to go through security, you have to take a nervous and scared cat out of their carry case in the middle of the security line, walk through the metal detector, and then they have to test both of your hands for residue while still carrying the cat. They will not let you put the cat back before they’ve tested your hands. It makes no sense. The whole process and fee is basically security and the airlines saying “we’re annoyed, so we’ll make you pay for it with process and fees”. I always make it a point to notify the passengers next to me that I have a cat in case they are allergic. This again is something the airline does not care about to do themselves, which again makes no sense because it’s probably the single biggest risk for the flight and passengers (someone having an allergic reaction in the middle of a flight).

digisign 5y ago
The fee is to discourage it and make a little scratch on the side.
eiz 5y ago
I've done this a few times too. > There’s no way to pre-register the pet. At least on Delta, you can. You need to call the airline and arrange it. > Oh, and to go through security, you have to take a nervous and scared cat out of their carry case in the middle of the security line, walk through the metal detector, and then they have to test both of your hands for residue while still carrying the cat. I always refuse the normal line and get a private screening. So far I haven't had any issues doing that. Still, it's a huge pain in the ass.
- bmitc 5y ago
  I can't remember Delta's exact policy, but if I recall correctly, you can call ahead of time but when it comes to flight day, they can still refuse you if too many pets have already checked in. Don't quote me on that though.

rdl 5y ago

People have tried this so many times and it always fails. It's a huge issue for going to/from Puerto Rico, due to 1) weather 2) shitty ground services 3) no land connection. My friend has planes and one of them will be part 135 (charter) compatible, so I've been looking at doing monthly flights with a vet and ~10 animals for 2.5h from South Florida to Puerto Rico (especially for people with animals banned on flights due to size or facial structure, or people who value their pets enough to be less price sensitive generally). (I fly cats for adoption from PR to ATL, MIA, FLL, TPA sometimes; it's interesting traveling with them in the cabin. Usually they are very young kittens and very quiet the whole time.)

throwaheyy 5y ago
> banned on flights due to … facial structure Can you expand on this a bit? Edit: did a bit of researched and found the answer: https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/pet-friendly-travel/virgin-australia-flat-face-animals-pets-ban https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/pet-friendly-tra...
- blantonl 5y ago
  Usually bulldogs and another genetic abominations that are already on the cusp of chocking to death on their own airways.

sf_rob 5y ago

I think it's just not overriding a Wordpress template default, but it's hilarious that their main homepage link goes to a wedding rsvp url* lol. *https://divi.dev/wedding/#rsvp https://divi.dev/wedding/#rsvp

oceanghost 5y ago

I have read that you can hire FedEx to transport a horse, and that they have a special plane that has a stable inside.

nickt 5y ago
Horses on a plane. Sounds like a sequel. https://blog.privatefly.com/air-horse-one-a-private-jet-for-the-equine-passenger https://blog.privatefly.com/air-horse-one-a-private-jet-for-...

avereveard 5y ago

I need something like this as I'm going to be moving internationally in a few months and got a pet to bring along but goddamn this site is janky The flight date goes anywhere from 2021 to 2022 the call to action on mobile goes to a unreachable Dev site with a sketchy wedding/rsvp URL and there's absolutely no useful information about coverage Also, pawsenger

GrifMD 5y ago
I brought my cat from the United States to Australia (a notoriously strict country). If you'd like any advice let me know.
- avereveard 5y ago
  sure, if you can name the vector I would love it. we just moving italy to spain, so it's not a long trip, but I won't immediately have a car to do it.
  - jules-jules 5y ago
    I'd say the risk of something happening to your pet is far too high to justify such a short flight. I'd suggest borrowing a car from a friend or renting one for a couple of days; and have one of you stay with the pet in the new place while the other drives the car back.
    - goldenkey 5y ago
      You can just pay a bit extra and bring your pet in an extra seat in the cabin. I've been doing this for years. Many times I'll often be given 3 seats if there's an empty row, just to make it more comfortable for me and my cat.
  - fvztdk 5y ago
    you can take the ferry from italy to spain, takes around 24h and the pet can be free in your cabin and they have a special deck for you to walk it around

pontus 5y ago

When I used to fly with my dog (~10lbs so they were allowed in the cabin) I had to pay $200 for them which is fine. But then it turns out that the dog also counted toward my carry-on! WTF!? I mean either charge me or have it count toward my carry-on, but both??

nicolexcaba 5y ago
That's unfortunate! Not all airlines do this, so on www.avvinue.com, you're able to see the exact price for your pet to not be charted twice.

givemeethekeys 5y ago

Whens the IPO?

dv35z 5y ago

I need to internationally travel with two small anxious dogs (10 lbs) from Austin Texas to Medellin Colombia (in about 3 months). Any recommendations or advice from the world-traveler / dog owners crowd? When the pups are happy, I’m happy!

saganus 5y ago
I suggest you go to https://www.ipata.org/ https://www.ipata.org/ to find pet shippers and then write or call them to figure out what you need. Haven't yet shipped my dogs as I'm still doing some research, but that site has helped having a place to start the research.
goldenkey 5y ago
I suggest you find an airline that will let you purchase seats or allowances to travel with the pets in the normal cabin next to you. After all, they are anxious and will really be quelled by being next to you during something nerve-wracking like a flight.
xenospn 5y ago
Yes! My friend just launched Avvinue (https://www.avvinue.com https://www.avvinue.com) to solve this exact problem.

kndjckt 5y ago

Super excited to see this. There's plenty of demand for flying with a pet. Especially given the removal of all ESA stuff and the current cost of kennels being so high.

caymanjim 5y ago
This isn't flying with a pet. This is your pet flying in a pets-only plane. I'd be concerned about the logistics. The plane they show (presumably their best) is a turboprop. That's shorter range and slower than a jet. If you're flying somewhere and planning to drop your pet off when you get to the airport, even if you align departure times well, you might be waiting a couple hours for your pet to arrive on the other side. While they appear to have a presence in the airport terminal (or strongly imply they do), I suspect there are still different logistics paths in loading and unloading the pets. Do they have to use cargo terminals? Are there layovers on the pet's flight? On yours? What happens if one of the planes is delayed or the flight is completely canceled? There's not likely to be another Pet Airways plane sitting there as backup. I can't imagine this would work at all without frequent traumatic experiences for the pets, where owners are separated for days at a time due to logistics breakdowns.
- PretzelPirate 5y ago
  > If you're flying somewhere and planning to drop your pet off when you get to the airport I used Pet Airways years ago before it first shut down and they flew out of regional airports, so it’s unlikely you’d fly out of the same airport. Back then, you'd drop your pet off at one airport and they’d be at the destination the next day. They only had a few airports they flew in and out of.

oskapt 5y ago

This site is a scam. They can’t even spell “breathe” properly. Airlines have pressurized, climate controlled cargo areas where a small number of pets can be transported. They have strict rules and regulations about carrier sizes and other things that are there to ensure that your pet is safe. The site is pure FUD - saying that darkness is bad for animals is garbage. Saying that cargo areas can get above 140 or below freezing is not true for the areas where pets are shipped. How are you supposed to drive your pet internationally across an ocean? My money says that if you ship with this company, they will charge you a premium and ship your pet via the same methods available to you directly with the carrier. You should use a pet shipper because they will handle the paperwork for clearing customs, and they know the carriers who will ship your pet properly. I brought two 65 pound dogs from Chile to the US and spent $7k to do it because they are family. I also moved with three cats from the US to Poland and back, and then to 2y later moved with them to Chile. No one died in transit.

aaaaaaaaata 5y ago
> No one died in transit. Meanwhile, on the other side of anecdote land, people in the last thread were talking about deaths, or hearing of pets going deaf.

wanderr 5y ago

I have severe animal allergies. I used to get really frustrated by people bringing their pets onto the plane. There is generally no way to let the airline know ahead of time that I can't be seated next to an animal, and no guarantee that there will be a place they can relocate me to. Now I always have an n95 mask on me, so it's not a huge deal unless the flight is super long (itchy eyes are still a thing). Wish I had thought of that sooner.

Kranar 5y ago
Antihistamines such as Reactin don't help? I am also allergic to cats and dogs and Reactin does wonders.
- wanderr 5y ago
  Pseudoephedrine helps with some sinus issues but isn't an antihistamine. There are a cocktail of allergy meds that help, but are not fast acting so I need to be on them all the time to account for one-off exposures. They don't stop the allergic reaction entirely but they do make it more bearable and buy me time - with those built up in my system I can generally be around animals for about 4 hours before my allergies become unbearable.
goldenkey 5y ago
If it really bothers you, 3M makes foldable N100 masks (FFP3.) They are just as easy to breathe through as the 95s and are about $7 per unit.

nicolexcaba 5y ago

This airline is only trying to solve the issue of pets flying in cargo / excess baggage, and instead putting them in the cabin area; but this doesn't allow any passengers. So for those of you looking to actually travel with your pets, I actually launched my startup, Avvinue, that helps you search and book pet-friendly flights, hotels and more. It captures IATA airline pet policy data and country pet import requirements so that you book the exact flight that your pet is allowed on. No more calling the airlines, researching for hours only to find out that your pet can't fly. You can search flights now here: www.avvinue.com and we're expanding our core team after raising a pre-seed round, so feel free to send a message on our website if you're interested.