In the summertime, traveling from Miami with a dog as checked baggage is a trying experience. American Airlines is one of the few to allow pets to be checked. I know because I've done it for fifteen years.
Until a few days ago, the big issue in Miami was temperature. American won't allow pets to fly as checked baggage if the temperature is above 85 degrees. Fair enough.
This requirement is why my wife and I woke up at 4:45 AM the other day, to fly to Boston on a 7:30 AM flight, leaving enough time for assembling a cage at the check-in, dealing with TSA (visual inspection of cage to ensure it won't blow up and of dog, to make sure it is not strapped with explosives), and then negotiating the security line ourselves.
For our large retriever, we have always paid the extra cargo charge. But this time ...
the ticket agent looked at Cassius' papers and said, he weighed too much to fly as passenger baggage and had to fly as commercial cargo. What!? I told the agent and her supervisor that I have flown with American for fifteen years, at least, with dogs checked as baggage.
Apparently American Airlines decided to enforce its 100 lb. limit for pets. Interesting. Why? At 100 lb., it will take at least two handlers to put the pet crate on the plane. Over 100 lb., it will still take two handlers. So what next?
I was sent to American Airlines cargo at the opposite side of the airport, entailing a $20 taxi ride from an Indian driver scared to death of dogs. I missed my flight. Instead of $250 for oversize luggage, I had to pay $500, take another cab back to the airport, wait for the next flight to Boston, then find my way to commercial cargo at Boston after getting my luggage etc. etc. Talk about stress. Here are some photos.
The American Airlines commercial cargo area is a very friendly place at 7 in the morning on a Saturday. Really designed well for the stray traveler with a dog and crate more than 100 lbs. There were plenty of American employees there and not much to do. Maybe it was early. Maybe American and its union decided that dogs and their crates over 100 lbs could be a new profit center?
Taking my dog for a walk, waiting for the 11AM plane I came upon a "water feature" at Miami International Airport. I wouldn't want to go swimming there.
Until a few days ago, the big issue in Miami was temperature. American won't allow pets to fly as checked baggage if the temperature is above 85 degrees. Fair enough.
This requirement is why my wife and I woke up at 4:45 AM the other day, to fly to Boston on a 7:30 AM flight, leaving enough time for assembling a cage at the check-in, dealing with TSA (visual inspection of cage to ensure it won't blow up and of dog, to make sure it is not strapped with explosives), and then negotiating the security line ourselves.
For our large retriever, we have always paid the extra cargo charge. But this time ...
the ticket agent looked at Cassius' papers and said, he weighed too much to fly as passenger baggage and had to fly as commercial cargo. What!? I told the agent and her supervisor that I have flown with American for fifteen years, at least, with dogs checked as baggage.
Apparently American Airlines decided to enforce its 100 lb. limit for pets. Interesting. Why? At 100 lb., it will take at least two handlers to put the pet crate on the plane. Over 100 lb., it will still take two handlers. So what next?
I was sent to American Airlines cargo at the opposite side of the airport, entailing a $20 taxi ride from an Indian driver scared to death of dogs. I missed my flight. Instead of $250 for oversize luggage, I had to pay $500, take another cab back to the airport, wait for the next flight to Boston, then find my way to commercial cargo at Boston after getting my luggage etc. etc. Talk about stress. Here are some photos.
The American Airlines commercial cargo area is a very friendly place at 7 in the morning on a Saturday. Really designed well for the stray traveler with a dog and crate more than 100 lbs. There were plenty of American employees there and not much to do. Maybe it was early. Maybe American and its union decided that dogs and their crates over 100 lbs could be a new profit center?
Taking my dog for a walk, waiting for the 11AM plane I came upon a "water feature" at Miami International Airport. I wouldn't want to go swimming there.
The American employees told me that dogs weren't allowed in the cargo office, but the temperature was rising outside and if the whole point was to reduce the stress of pets then tying him up outside wasn't going to help. So we camped out on the floor for an hour.
American Airlines should take another look at its policy. Next time, I'm driving.
3 comments:
I'd never check my dog to the belly of an airplane. Fortunately mine is only 20 lbs, unfortunately it still costs $120 each way to put my pup under the seat in front of me!
That will teach you not to fly on a bankrupt airline.
AA is the Lynda Bell of the aviation industry: how to consistantly get it wrong.
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