'Pets Only' Airline Takes Off Today
KTLA News
July 14, 2009


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LOS ANGELES -- A new airline that caters only to the four-legged crowd takes its inaugural flight today.

Starting today, Pet Airways is offering flights to and from Hawthorne Municipal Airport near Los Angeles, Midway in Chicago, Rocky Mountain Airport in Broomfield, Colo., Baltimore/Washington International and Republic Airport on Long Island.

One-way fares start at $149.

Pets, called "pawsengers," fly in the main cabin -- not the cargo hold --and a trained pet attendant monitors onboard animals, according to the airline. If you don't have a pet carrier, the airline provides one for free. Potty breaks are also provided throughout the traveling process, according to the airline.

There is no size limit for pets.

I would probably be dumb enough to use this service if we were moving somewhere where they flew and we couldn't just drive there.
It scares me putting them in cargo. Especially our big guy.

johnart said:

do they even heat it down there?

i want to be a flight attendant for this airline!!!!

Anxiety said:

are there really enough pets flying from Hawthorne Municipal Airport to any of those destinations at one time to warrant an entire flight of their own?

errant said:

how many doggies will fit in one of these?

well hopefully my dogs will get these unemployed stewardesses

errant said:

i'm gonna FedEx my cat grady back to chicago just so he can take a flight.
[Edited 7/14/09 16:54pm]

Anxiety said:

Me too.

ZombieKitten said:

Of course not, it isn't possible in the cargo hold due to types of freight and restricted items. During flight a lot of moisture builds up, which is reason why some peeps may find their luggage is damp when it comes out on the conveyor.

PanthaGirl said:

so what happens to pets? How do they survive?

ZombieKitten said:

airlines that transport pets usually have guidelines on how your pet should travel... we flew 3 cats out of Germany in '99 and Air France said to put a few extra blankets in their large carrier and they were fine...

RenHoek said:

Yah the cage has to be certain dimensions and if ur personal pet carrier isn't suitable u must purchase one from the airline direct that fits. The pets are fine and stored a certain way away from certain items of freight.

PanthaGirl said:

'zactly! They arrived a little shell shocked huddled together under the blankets but they were fine and once we fed them (they were starving after the food quarantine!) they bounced right back...

johnart said:

I almost had to transport my dog from Tampa to London a few years ago. He was an 18 pound Min. Schnauzer, they wanted $1400 to put him in Cargo.
We had to be on the flight with him, which was what I would have preferred and we had to go British Airways.

I could not believe they wanted that much to fly my little dog in the cargo hold.