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Pet Airways - The "Pets-Only" Airline Takes Maiden Flight From NY
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by SamirJ | July 15, 2009 at 10:23 am
283 views | 30 Recommendations | 6 comments
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Well, the airline industry may be facing tough times off late but still remains an essential part of transporting goods and human beings across the face of the planet.
Now, add one more to that list - Pets. Yeah, you heard it right, a married couple has started an airline exclusively for the pets with a host of facilities. It has been named - Pet Airways. No, it is not a hoax or a joke but reality.
Pet Airways offers jet-set pets travel with furry frills, from boarding lounge and pre-flight walks to onboard lunch and loo breaks.
One trip for their Jack Russell terrier in a plane's cargo hold was enough to convince Alysa Binder and Dan Wiesel that pet owners needed a better solution for transporting their animals from one location to another.
Yesterday, the first flight of Pet Airways, the service devised by the married couple, and the first-ever all-pet airline, took off from Republic airport, in Farmingdale, New York.
Binder and Wiesel used their background in consulting and their business know-how to found Pet Airways in 2005 and have spent the last four years designing their fleet of five planes to suit the animal travellers, as well as dealing with Federal Aviation Administration regulations and setting up the airport schedules.
The couple say they have been "overwhelmed" with the response to the new service with flights on the airline already booked up for the next two months.
Pet Airways serves New York, Washington, Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles, and charges from $149 (£91) for a one-way fare, which is comparable to pet fees charged by the largest US airlines.
The company, which will begin with one flight in each of its five cities, might add more flights and cities. In the next three years, Binder hopes the schedule will expand to 25 destinations.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (6)
at 10:40 on July 15th, 2009
Cool... Rather I should say, a cute idea..
at 11:29 on July 15th, 2009
I think this is a neat idea - although I wonder what would happen if a fight broke out between some animals and they were in mid-flight, I suppose they have to be really careful about safety.
at 17:21 on July 15th, 2009
A fantasy livery of the Airbus A380 in the livery of Pet Airways.
Parminder_27 has contributed a photo to this story.
at 18:54 on July 15th, 2009
My dog is spoiled he has even got a dog nanny, lol Rocky would love to fly to America for a walk down Wall Street and sprinkle that damn Bull or leave a surprise on the top step of the statue of Liberty.
Whens this couple going to start transcontinental flights as Rocky is looking at me with those big brown eyes and dribbling at the thought of such luxury and splendor that a full blooded spoiled to hell dog requires to meet with their dreams. lol
at 19:01 on July 15th, 2009
Wow, how does someone decide they want to be a dog nanny I wonder?
at 21:10 on July 15th, 2009
When they are old very poor and a spinster and need a very easy job that pays that includes own accommodation cable Television show and toilet, free meals, medication and medical cover and pocket money to boot. Also loves animals and pottering in the nice garden and cooking wonderful Filipino food.
She's is family, Ann's aunt and it takes a burden of the family to look after her as she has no children. It's also a great benefit to have her here as when we are a way our dog gets fed and well looked after in the spoiled fashion its use to. lol This means we can travel these beautiful Islands or take short stays overseas in Asia. She loves the job and is very happy and putting on weight because of being able to eat three times a day. Though my partners close family are farmers, poor but not in poverty there are members that do live in poverty and unfortunately I can not afford to help all of them.
I can however improve their situation by starting small business one at a time, that will give them a better income. It's a slow process but it works, by employing Ann's aunt I take a lot of the financial burden of off two of Ann's uncles and her mother and father. Its part of the responsibility that one takes on when you have a relationship with a Filipino woman its not only her you become responsible for but her family. Its the culture here the young look after the old its something that is mostly missed in western culture.
In fact if I put a notice up out side the gate saying I wanted a yaya to look after my dog there would be a queue of applicants many Filipina's would jump at the chance. its work, free food accommodation and a salary. Much of that salary would be sent home to the parents to help the family.
Once you understand the culture here in the Philippines it all makes sense.