Comments on: Pets on a plane: should they stay in the cargo hold?

By: playmobil airport

playmobil airport — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 10:22:00 +0000

This really needs a lot of time to think about. Putting pet on cargo would be bad for them too. Maybe the only solution for this is to take some extra effort of knowing who has allergies in animals and schedule them on a different airplane.

By: Kambid01

Kambid01 — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 23:29:00 +0000

NO! I would never let my pet out of my sight an into the hands of an airline empoyee. This means my pets will never ride in a cargo hold Read on:

Jack The Cat was rescued from the NYCACC by Karen Pascoe several years ago (along with Barry, who has become his brother). After 22 years of living in NYC, Karen got a great new job offer in Cali, and decided that it was time for her and the boys to go out west. And so the story begins…Karen, Jack and Barry were supposed to take flight 177 on 8/25/11. Jack was in his kennel along with my other… cat Barry. They cleared security and Karen said goodbye to them as the American Airlines handler was putting the plastic ties around the kennel door.Karen went back to the passenger area to get something to eat. She received a call at 6:04 pm from an American Airlines employee letting her know that one of her cats was missing. She began working with Valerie Latty from Customer Service who took her to inbound baggage claim where Jack was lost.Inbound baggage claim is a HUGE area… and Jack was nowhere to be seen. After checking for over an hour (missing flight 177 and being re-booked onto flight 17), she boarded the later flight, assured that they would call her as soon as Jack was found. Karen was given the following number to contact American Airlines at Central Baggage Service: 972-425-6565. She has left several messages and had not yet been contacted by anyone in that office at the time this page was put up (Sunday 8/28 at 530p EDT). She was also told by Valerie Latty that she would receive a proactive call from Customer Service on Friday, 8/26 – and she did not receive a call from them until Monday 8/29.The supervisor for the inbound baggage area is Anthony Gallo, who did not responded to her emails from the day after Jack was lost through that weekend. The woman who first alerted her to the cat being lost didn’t respond when she followed up with her, either. INDEED, Karen heard NOTHING from American Airlines until Sunday 8/28 at approximately noon ET (66 hours after the she was informed that Jack was missing). At that time, the AA Baggage Manager at JFK (not sure if that is her correct title) “Andy” called and said that yes, they were looking, but they had not yet been able to get humane traps. The manager also informed Karen that “the last time this happened, it took about a month to find the cat.” REALLY?!?We started this page at 530p EDT on Sunday 8/28. Everything that has happened since is chronicled here.

By: Mary

Mary — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 04:41:29 +0000

Well me and my mom are thinking about going to Atlanta to Nashvile to Wahington DC. so thats alot of driving. So me and her were thinking about just taking a plane (now to the point). We want to take our toy poodle Bear in a carryon bagb on the plane. I have asthma, (sevire asthma) and Bear is hypoallerginic(meaning he dosent shed and dosent mess with your allegries ao asthma) but i want to let his head poke out so i could not find my local airport rules about pets.I live in Memphis TN and we were counted the 7 city with alot of pets.I’m thinking there would be some rules I’ll just kep looking.

By: B Johnson

B Johnson — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 23:32:32 +0000

Sat Apr 10 2010 I was flying from Mexico to British Columbia. I was unaware that the couple in front of me were travelling with a cat. An hour into the flight I started to develop an allergic reation and took some benedryl but could not figure out what I was reacting to until a couple of hours later. My lips, tonque, cheek and throat swelled and I had to use my epi-pen. Then I saw the cat. The people in front of me had it on their laps, not in a case, and were hiding it from the stewardess every time she went by. I was offered a drink of water which I could not swallow or maybe move to another seat. (a little late I’d say) Maybe the cat should have been moved. 2 more hours till landing. and one epi pen left. I never knew animals could travel in the passenger cabin and feel that the passengers should be warned, especially the ones in close proximity although I doubt if it would make a difference. I am highly allergic to some cats (not all) and this one nearly did me in.
Cat even got thru customs before me.

By: Responsible

Responsible — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 04:30:00 +0000

On a recent US Airways flight a woman boarded my plane with a cat on a leash, headed towards a seat behind me. The cat leapt on to the seat beside me and was headed towards me and I shrank away from the cat. Then came the yelling ” This is a service cat. Don’t you dare to cringe, you b**tch!!!”. I said nothing thinking that if this is a service cat, then she has emotional issues, and I should be compassionate. But, that does not mean that I should be verbally abused. Other passengers told me that she was going on an on about me shrinking away from the cat, throughout the flight.

Partway through the flight, the cat wandered up the aisle and relieved itself. It wandered back and relieved itself again. The woman was non-chalant about this. The cat later settled beside my feet. It was sitting there quietly, so I made sure that it is not disturbed. But then, it relieved itself again beside my feet. The smell was awful!!! The woman did absolutely nothing. She had the audacity to blame me. For what?! Moving my arm away? The boy sitting in the aisle seat in front of me unknowingly, stepped in the cat feces. At no time did the flight crew ask this woman to contain her cat. (Well, I suppose that one cannot control a cat’s bowel movement). :)

So tell me, where does the animal’s right end and my right as a human being begin? Do I dare to hope for a reasonable flight? Go ahead love animals all you want. Just don’t lose perspective.

I was a pet owner. I was responsible. I made sure that mine did not cause undue distress to other people.

I wrote to US Airways. They apologized and advised that if this were to happen again, I could be moved to another seat IF AVAILABLE. But, bottomline, they are not responsible for another passenger’s behaviour.

I am a frequent business traveller. I take several flights a week and am often sleep deprived. I don’t have the luxury to take another flight. Yes, I gladly put up with crying children.

Travel with your animals if you must. But please be considerate. Please take responsibility for your pet . Just because your pet is cute to you does not mean that I have the same urge to touch it or pet it. So please keep the animals in the carrier. Please be kind to your fellow human beings the same way you are kind to your animals.

By: Janet

Janet — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 05:51:42 +0000

Actually, I am seeing pets much less frequently these days. With the increased fees to bring them aboard (they can be more than the owner’s flight in cases) I haven’t see a pet for awhile. Nor am I bothered by these paying customers who at least don’t kick your seat back. I have yet to hear of a medical emergency on board for this reason, and my allergies and asthma have been far more affected by people with particularly strong fragrance. As far as what happens in an evacuation, let’s get real. This is such a rare occurance that this is a non-issue. I do believe that pets should not be flown along casually, but for those relocating, it really is the best option. I have flown cats both in cargo and in the cabin with long-distance relocations and the stress on my pet and myself was so much better in the cabin.

By: Henry Mensch

Henry Mensch — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 03:50:06 +0000

yes … the question i’m asking, too, is “where’s the science?” americans are the first to sue everyone in sight at the slightest mishap, but they’ve been flying with animals in the cabin for years. i’d rather put the children (and some of the adults) in the cargo section–they’re usually less well-behaved than any pet on board.

By: Eagle Lover

Eagle Lover — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:49:26 +0000

Airlines have a duty to provide safe, airconditioned/heated cargo space for pets. They also have a duty to provide safe seating for humans, including those allergic to pets. US airlines should have a consistent pet transport policy that it well communicated to the public. Although I love animals, I would never bring my dog into a confined area where persons with canine allergies might be adversely affected. About ten years ago, I boarded a United Airlines transatlantic flight and found my seatmate had a large cat in her lap. Its fur could be seen floating in the light from the window. I politely informed the flight attendant that I was allergic to cats and would like another seat. She extremely rudely replied that if I really had a cat allergy the captain should remove me from the plane. In the end, she moved the cat and its mistress to Business Class and seated me next to a very very large man who spilled a great amount of flesh into my seating space. When showing me to the new seat, the flight attendant laughed maliciously, saying, “Well, I found you a place with no cats.” I guess that she was a cat lover. I have not flown United Airlines since, especially avoiding the carrier on my many overseas flights.

By: KF

KF — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:08:02 +0000

I’ve had to fly with cats on two occasions – both when when a cross-country move was involved. One cat was fine and slept the entire flight, the cat did not enjoy it, even when given cat tranquilizers. I agree with those who posted that pets should travel only when a move is involved. Flying is extremely stressful for pets – lots of new noises, smells, and people. There should be some consideration for allergies and also just common courtesy as well as safety – the passengers around you may not be animal lovers, so pets should not be taken out of carriers (it’s against the rules anyhow). Do you want to be responsible for your pet panicking and biting someone?

By: Desmond

Desmond — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:14:33 +0000

It takes one death due to acute allergic reaction to make the difference. As a physician who treats acute asthma, things can get very bad very quickly. Does an airplane carry all the necessary drugs and ventilators? Of course not. Let’s keep pets in the hold and not lose any allergic passengers. There may not be enough time to divert to nearest airfield.