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National Geographic Traveler journalist Christopher Elliott has offered shrewd, straightforward travel advice in the Wall Street Journal, on MSNBC,...
Read more about By Christopher Elliott, Tribune Media Services.
National Geographic Traveler journalist Christopher Elliott has offered shrewd, straightforward travel advice in the Wall Street Journal, on MSNBC,...
Read more about By Christopher Elliott, Tribune Media Services.
Pet Fees Gone Wild: 4 reasons Animals Shouldn't Fly
By Christopher Elliott, Tribune Media Services
At just two pounds, Natalie Maldonado's teacup Chihuahua weighs less
than her purse. But on a recent "I was surrounded by four agents, a gate agent, the flight attendants and another crewmember," she remembers. "They demanded that I pay a $70 pet carry-on fee."
That's when her flight went to the dogs. Although she reluctantly agreed to pay the surcharge, she was walked off the flight after an attendant told her she was committing a "federal offense" by interfering with the flight schedule. She and her Chihuahua were allowed to take the next
"The manner in which I was treated was completely unacceptable and the pet policy fee is ridiculous and excessive," she told me.
In their struggle to turn a profit, airlines have piled on a lot of fees in the last year, from surcharges for checked luggage to extras for confirmed reservations. And just when it seemed they had found every last fee, it looks as if they've turned up one more: They're looking to Fido and Fluffy for a little extra cash; specifically, to their owners.
Maldonado's pet problem may sound like a tempest in a teacup. But it isn't to her. She alleges
Here's the kicker: When it comes to pet transportation fees,
Call it pet fees gone wild. To get an idea of how crazy these charges have become, consider what happened to Richard Grove, who was asked to pony up $300 to transport his 7-pound cat roundtrip on a recent
It would be tempting to see this as yet another airline industry money grab. But aviation analyst Michael Miller says pet transportation charges differ from other so-called "ancillary" fees charged by airlines today in a few important respects. Pets represent more of a liability than a revenue opportunity, for starters. If a dog or cat dies in the luggage hold -- more on that in a minute -- the company may face an expensive lawsuit. Although that's far less likely to happen to animals in the passenger cabin, pets of any kind are essentially unwanted guests on a plane, from an airline's perspective. Miller says airlines aren't just "charging whatever they want" to make more money, but to discourage people from bringing animals on board.
That's not to say there isn't a market for airborne pets. This summer, Pet Airways, which is billed as an alternative for pets traveling in cargo holds, is scheduled to begin flying (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31083094/ns/today_pets/) between New York, Washington, Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles.
Still, this may be one of those rare times when I agree with the airlines. If dogs and cats belonged at 36,000 feet, they would have wings. But the current system, whether it's a moneymaker or a deterrent, is hopelessly broken. Here's why:
AIR TRAVEL CAN KILL ANIMALS
Literally. Pets die on planes, particularly when they're in the cargo hold. According to the Web site ThirdAmendment.com (http://www.thirdamendment.com/animals.html), a total of 109 animals have perished since 2005, most of them dogs. Airlines must report deaths, injuries and losses to the Transportation Department, but the numbers are thought to be artificially low, since animals that aren't kept as pets or carried on an all-cargo or unscheduled flight aren't counted.
THE PRICE ISN'T RIGHT
Why does it cost
SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS
Jacking up the prices for man's best friend exposes one of the last remaining airline subsidies: lap children. On domestic flights, airlines don't charge parents with kids under two who sit on their lap. Fido flying under the seat pays $150 . Junior sitting on the lap pays nothing. Does that make any sense? No. When you account for all the extra stuff that you have to bring along, like diapers, formula, snacks and toys, lap kids account for far more weight than most pets stowed under the seats.
NO SELF-RESPECTING DOG WOULD SUBJECT ITSELF TO AIR TRAVEL, ANYWAY
Full disclosure, here: I am owned by two cats that I love dearly. And I interviewed Miller as he was taking his Australian Shepherd,
But flying with them is a terrible idea, at least for now. "I would never put
My cats Max and Pollux are grounded, too. At least until airlines can come up with a better and fairer way to transport their animal passengers.
========
Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine. This column originally appeared on MSNBC.com. You can read more travel tips on his blog, elliott.org or e-mail him at celliott@ngs.org.
This news arrived on: 06/29/2009
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Posted Comments:
07-05-2009 11:49
nikki wrote:
humor?
Is this article supposed to be funny?
Does Mr. Elliott have wings?
Does Mr. Elliott have wings?
07-04-2009 11:13
Jean wrote:
allergies
I love pets, but I have severe allergies to dogs and cats. When others bring pets on planes, it is a serious health concern for me and thus, for the others around me. I have had to switch seats on occasion to sit farther away from the pet -- which delays other passengers from boarding. As a whole, it affects other passengers more than you know, not to mention affecting the health of the pet.
07-01-2009 04:31
Noreen wrote:
Pets
Pets should not be allowed in the cabin. Many people are allergic to them. And while you may think Fido is so adorable when he does that panting with the drool hanging off his tongue, it makes me sick and I don't want to have to look at it on a five-hour flight.
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