dunroving

Well, to confirm what everyone else has been saying, Suzy (55 lb Lab) will cost over $1,700 to fly cargo on British Airways.

That works out at over $30 a pound or (gulp) $2 an ounce!

That's a bit different than the $150 she cost the last two times she flew across the briny!

A few things:

The cost supposedly includes "all charges" (I've heard that before - I'll believe it when I see it!), including handling charges at the UK end.

Most of the cost is based on the dimensions of the carrier (I think it's termed "volumetric weight"). Actual weight only adds 63 cents per kilo (some kind of fuel charge).

You can't book your dog on the flight until 14 days beforehand (so you have to book your own ticket and then hope that a half-dozen other dog owners don't call up the same morning!)

The cost is the same regardless of whether you are on the same flight.

If you make a change to your dog's reservation (say, change days), there is no extra charge like there would be when a passenger changes his/her ticket (I'd bloody hope not, at $1,700 a pop!).

And lastly (I bolded this so you don't miss it): has anyone else taken a dog via Washington DC, and if so, where did you get the flea and worm treatment done?

Bob

shave the bugger and save a few bob

Englishmum

Just a thought: perhaps you should post on

http://www.flyertalk.com in the 'Travelbuzz' section (may need to register first)

It's a website dedicated to frequent flyers and people working in the aviation industry - inc. travel agents, cabin crew etc. I reckon someone there will have a suggestion for you to get around the high fees....it's worth a try anyway.

dunroving

She's definitely going on a diet, starting tomorrow.

Scout

Don't you dare starve that poor pup! LOL.

You are doing better than we did considering our dog weighed 43 pounds, we flew in November and when gas was cheaper. For that we paid just over 1700 USD. BA did not charge us anymore fees once we arrived at Gatwick and in fact took 6 weeks to actually put the charge for the whole thing on my credit card. I have heard though that other airlines don't charge you everything up front like BA so it's always wise to check.

snorkmaiden

Did you give up on the QM2 idea? Wasn't it only $500 for a dog with them or is she too big?

Duh...I post this and then notice the thread about the end of the QM2 idea

Lizzi

Good grief, I hope your dog gets full cabin service and a window seat for that.

dunroving

Well, I think I should at least get a free upgrade to first class!

So far, she has cost me about $10,000 in connection with my travels across the Atlantic (2000, 2001, and now 2006). Most of this was for the first time (quarantine was not cheap!).

But she has been worth every penny.

I am never short of offers to "take her" for me whenever I expatriate, but I wouldn't dream of taking anyone up on the offer. She's getting middle-aged (9 years), but still very fit and healthy. The only thing that would make me even think about giving her up is if I thought she wasn't healthy enough to travel. And (HOPEFULLY!!!!) she won't need to do any more transAtlantic trips after this one.

dunroving

I know, it's hard to keep up at times, isn't it?

dunroving

Thanks for the suggestion, EM. I'm getting to the point where I just want it to be settled so I am about to book my flight with BA (but why is it so hard to just click on the "Buy Now" button? Aaaargh)

I found a return ticket with BA that will bring me back to Baltimore in March (when I have a conference there), for about $870. As a oneway ticket was about $800, I think this is a decent deal (and I just know if I don't book it soon it will have disappeared next time I look!). I was expecting to pay over $1,000 just for a oneway ticket, in July.

cabritpop

Ooops, thought this was a thread about prices at a north korean meat market.

Scout

Are you only two weeks out from leaving? You can't book the dog until then and you may not be able to get her on your flight if you book at a different time than the dog. The first date we wanted to fly on wouldn't do for the dog since another animal had been booked for that day. The other dog was going into quarantine and since ours wasn't, they wouldn't put her on the same flight.

Never book a one way ticket........They are always more expensive than roundtrip. Even if you don't use the return, book a roundtrip.

Wildandcrazy0525

have you looked at other airlines? I've not bought any pets over before, but just for flights I'v usually found BA to be one of if not the most expensive.

dunroving

That's a good question, and no, I am a lot more than 2 weeks out (2 months, in fact - Tuesday 11 July).

I was surprised that they said you can't book the dog until 2 weeks before, and concerned that my ticket price would be out of proportion if I waited until 2 weeks prior, which is why I have booked it (yesterday, in fact).

The BA cargo guy at Dulles said to call first thing in the morning on Day 14 pre-flight and there should not be a problem getting her a spot.

In fact, waiting to book my ticket is no guarantee against disaster, because both things are booked separately. In the space of time it takes to book one, the other could become overbooked (and you are supposed to book your own ticket and then the dog's, apparently).

Now, if I do call first thing in the a.m. 14 days prior and someone has got in there before me, there'll be hell to pay. The cost is no different if she is on a different flight, but of course I'd have to determine dog supervision at one end or the other, in that case.

dunroving

You can only go via DEFRA-approved routes and via DEFRA-approved airlines.

From Dulles it has to be BA or Virgin. BA were brilliant with my dog last 2 times, and Virgin have received some bad press from BE folks re: the US end of things (plus they are a tad more expensive, from what I can tell).