Many years ago, I transported my German Shepherd Dog in an airline's cargo hold from San Francisco to New York so I could start a new job. It was a frightening experience - for me and for her - but she made the five-hour flight with no problem.
I never did it again, but I feel the pain of others who have lost treasured pets after they put them in the care of airlines - only to discover that cargo holds were either too cold in winter or too hot in summer. Most airlines no longer transport animals this way.
Last week, I saw an item on several Web sites about a Florida-based company called Pet Airways that plans to begin pet-only flights in July with service to five cities: Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, New York and Washington D.C. Maybe this is what we've needed for many years.
If you've always worried about shipping your dog or cat in a plane's cargo hold, this is your airline. In essence, your pet will fly in the main cabin for about $250 each way (introductory rates on the site are just $149 for a limited time). Pets will ride in kennels, and in-flight attendants will check on them every 15 minutes and make sure they have regular potty breaks. Owners can't fly with their pets but will be able to monitor their flights on a Web site.
I had trouble calling up the Petairways.com site last week, presumably because it crashed from too many visitors trying to log on. But I finally got in Saturday night and found the cheaper fares.
If you're planning to travel soon and want to bring your pet, it's worth checking out.
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