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10 rules for animal passengers this summer
8. Don’t feed your pet too much before a flight, for obvious reasons. You may think that guy with foot rot is cabin enemy No. 1, but just wait till your precious Fifi clears her intestines and creates a smelly morsel half her size. Instead, get a calorie supplement from your local pet store or vet.
9. If your pet is too big to bring onboard, have some compassion. Your pet has to go into a dark scary place filled with weird noises and unfamiliar motion. Lessen the trauma by adding his favorite blanket and a chew toy or two.
10. Ask about getting frequent flier points. I am serious, because many people don’t know that if you have to pay extra for your pet, most airlines will accept them as bona fide frequent flier club members.
Most of all, ask your veterinarian for any special instructions.
There is a new Federal Aviation Administration travel regulation that gives passengers the right to bring along any animal. Yes, if a doctor approves an application stating that an animal provides a certain level of emotional comfort, the airline is required, by law, to provide transportation. This was the case of the in-flight pig that caused a ruckus not so long ago, and the Shetland pony who is now a frequent flier on SkyWest.
There is a flight attendant I know who has a second job transporting pets. The money is secondary as she has a real passion for animals and would rather see a reunited pet as opposed to a newly inducted member of the animal shelter.
What was her most embarrassing moment? A snake that got out of its carrier in-flight and was spotted slithering down the toilet. This was after the blood curdling screams from a rather large half-dressed woman who came rushing out of the lav.
Luckily, for the pet courier, the snake was recovered alive, albeit blue and smelly, during the emptying of the septic tanks.
There is a well known story in the airline industry about a bizarre pet occurrence. One day as the baggage workers were offloading bags from a flight, they discovered a dog kennel containing a dead golden lab puppy.
They felt awful about it and noticed that it was connecting on a flight more than three hours away. A couple of the men went out on their lunch break, purchased a new puppy and substituted it for the dead one. Their hope was that some small boy waiting for his beloved pet would not notice the switch and be happy at their reunion.
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Apparently, the puppy had died during their vacation, and they were merely transporting it home to be buried.
An investigation quickly followed. This was mainly to prevent the misconception that transporting dead animals at 40,000 might bring them back to life.
The responsible workers were at first given two weeks suspension with pay, but which quickly became a “Reward for Honorable Service,” after the airline received a great deal of positive press for their deed.
James Wysong is a veteran flight attendant who has worked with two major international carriers. James recently released a new book, “Flying High With A Frank Steward: More Air Travel Tales From the Flight Crew.” For more information about James, visit his Web site or send him an e-mail.
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