Jul 14, 2009 7:08 pm US/Eastern
New Airline Goes To The Dogs -- And Proud Of It
Pet Airways, An Airline Exclusively For Animals, Has Everything, Including In-Flight Attendant And Cabin Seating
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (CBS) ―
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Now you can fly your four-legged friend to different points in the country, and they won't be stuck in the cargo hold. Welcome to Pet Airways, the nation's first airline devoted exclusively to pets.
AP
It's a clear sign the airline industry is going to the dogs.
A new airline took its first flight ever Tuesday, boasting a clientele so specialized you or any person you know could never fly on it.
CBS 2 HD checked out the passengers on Flight 1101 out of Republic Airport in Farmingdale.
What we found were dogs … doggies ... pets ... and they ain't flying in a cattle car.
Welcome to Pet Airways, the first pet-only airline where the "paw-ssengers" ... yes, that's what they call them, check in like people and fly in the main cabin like people -- NOT in the cargo hold.
So why an airline devoted exclusively to pet travelers you ask? You're asking right?"
"Pets are our families. We don't want to put them in the cargo hold of planes. That can be a dangerous and scary experience for them. We want them to travel in comfort and safety," said Dan Wiesel, president and CEO of Pet Airways.
Thus ... Pet Airways, which figures there is a market for disenfranchised doggies and other pets too big to travel under the seat with their owners on regular "people" airlines and forced to dwell in less comfortable cargo conditions.
"It's not really safe for him to be bounced around with the luggage. We wanted him to have a really comfortable trip," pet owner Heather Donahue said.
For prices ranging from $150 to $300 -- one way -- your four-legged friends can jet to five different cities on reconfigured planes that hold up to 50 pets in specially designed containers.
A trained in-flight pet attendant will be standing by at the ready to tend to the needs of said pet.
"They take care of them all the way through. They provide food for them, potty breaks," said pet owner Jim Gentilini.
"We also have pet lounges, so when the pets are taken off the plane they are walked, watered, given treats and plenty of TLC," pet behaviorist Arden Moore added.
On an airline that's all their own.
The fares on Pet Airways are comparable to pet fees at the largest U.S. airlines where the animal flies in cargo.
If you'd like more information about the airline, please click
here.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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