eastwest

I'm glad to see this old thread. I can't speak for the lower 48, but nothing has changed in ANC. Eastwest (and nearly 200 other rampers) is/are here providing the same service to animals that we always have.

Plenty of dogs have been traveling this holiday season, and I haven't heard a "horror" story from anywhere in the system...

terrier

There were a pair of mad dogs on my Mad Dog flight last Sunday. I could hear them in the forward hold underneath my seat in row 2. (If they weren't right underneath me, they sure sounded like it.)

Props to the crew for keeping them sorted out. There was some confusion with one of the dogs being claimed in Seattle and the other changing for ANC but the ground crew was on top of it - the GA double-checked with both sets of PAX.

deelmakur

We fly our dog in a special container, probably 6 times a year, on transcons (6 hours) AS is among the best with checked animals. When you fill out the transportation document that attaches to the kennel, it has a tear off strip, whch is brought to you onboard, letting you know the animal is in the aircraft. It's a cute touch, and says somehting on it like "Relax, I'm onboard too". That said, I have had issues at Sea-Tac since the Menzies fiasco, involving the animal being left on the hot tarmac for extended periods during warm weather, and also left on the conveyor which hangs off the cargo bay of the plane, perched precariously, for up to 15 minutes, with no one around, while I watched helplessly from the window at the arrival gate. That said, the Government issues a monthly report on airlines, which includes problems with live animals (here's a recent example)

************************************************** ********


October 2007 Airline Reports to DOT of Incidents Involving the
Loss, Injury or Death of Animals During Air Transportation


Section 710 of the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (“AIR-21”; P.L. 106-81) requires U.S. airlines that perform scheduled passenger transportation to file reports with the Department concerning incidents involving the loss, injury or death of animals during air transportation. This requirement was implemented through the issuance of 14 CFR 234.13 (70 FR 7392) as supplemented by a Reporting Directive published at 70 FR 9217.

An airline is required to submit a report for any month in which it experienced a loss, injury or death of a pet during air transportation. DOT publishes these reports monthly and also forwards the reports to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which enforces the Animal Welfare Act. The copies of the reports that appear here are redacted to remove identifying information about individuals, including the owner of the pet.

A statistical summary of the reports appears in the table below. To see the actual (redacted) reports filed by these airlines, click the airline’s name in the web version of the report (see http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/reports/index.htm).




Carrier Death Injury Loss
Comair
1
SkyWest Airlines
1
American Airlines
1
Delta Air Lines
1
Total 2 1 1

************************************************** ******

Alaska makes this report some months, so it remains very important that you proactively monitor Fido's handling from the time you hand him over, to when you get him back.

SEAFFLYER

Just wanted to report that everything went quite smoothly yesterday on our 1st doggie flight to PSP! Check in was easy, and the paperwork was handled efficiently by the agent. Took pooch to "Station 2" at SEA where his crate was inspected. We sat near him until he was taken to be loaded. One we were onboard, we were lucky enough to see him be loaded, which was reassuring. Although one of the FA's didn't seem to understand our concerns of wanting the paperwork verification that he was loaded, another did, so she made sure we got it and then we were satisfied that all was in order. Flight left on time and with tail winds, even got in a little early. Once on the ground and in the terminal, we had to wait a bit (normal times actually, just anxious!) but we finally reunited and everyone was happy. Our thanks to AS for a pleasent and uneventful adventure!!

meej

The only complaint I have about flying with our dog below is tha the cost has gone up each year! Two years ago it was $150 r/t - this year it was going to be $200!

We've flown our big boy (100 lbs) ANC-ORD-ANC twice now. Been a good experience both times. First time ever for him in a crate (spoiled) but he is a very relaxed dog. Customer service agents very attentive to safety requirements and pet health. I too like the "relax, I'm on board" sticker that you get after he's safely on board. Never seemed traumatized, but of course happy to get out of the crate after 7-8 hours. All in all, I recommend AS for pets down below - I'd be hesitant to fly with any other airline. With the shear #s of pets that fly on AS (lots here in ANC) they are good at what they do.

That being said, don't forget to talk to your vet before making plans and please please dont sedate your pets unless on the advice of your vet - too many risks of complications.

SEAFFLYER

Good point about miles, they should get 'em!

Yep, consulted with our vet and the dogs breeder before flying, always good advice. And they too strongly recommended no sedatives, not even benedryl!

AS FF Guru

I do recall hearing about some instances either last year or the year before where some animals chewed their way out of their cages at SEA and sustained injuries themselves, or injured other animals. Wasn't it in the news?

I was also personally involved in an incident regarding a puppy that was traveling as interline cargo and was transferred to AS from another carrier - I think he started out from a breeder in Alabama or Mississippi and was headed to a new owner in FAI. In any event, this little guy was in no shape to travel to begin with, and had no vet papers, and the other airline just left his carrier behind the AS baggage claim desk without so much as a word or note as to his condition.

When we found him, the inside of his carrier was a mess, as he had soiled himself (both #1 and #2) and it was bloody. Needless to say, the previous airline, which had even neglected to reserve cargo space for him on the SEA-FAI AS flight, refused to accept responsibility, as did both the breeder and new owner. It was a three-way finger-pointing game between those parties. We consulted with the powers-that-be at AS and it was decided to take the puppy to a 24-hour emergency vet clinic in Auburn, where he was treated and released the next day and cleared to travel for the remainder of his journey. As no one else wanted to accept responsibility at the time, AS picked up the sizeable tab at the vet's office to secure his release (I'm sure it's possible that the collection of this bill was pursued after the fact by AS, but I never heard anything about it). We also undertook the very pleasant task of cleaning and sanitizing his carrier.

While I hesitate to mention this, so folks don't get the idea that AS likes to run around paying emergency vet bills, I think it goes to show that, when it comes down to it, most folks at AS will do the right thing when it comes to taking care of a pet.