Cygnus

I have been trying to arrange for my 2 cats to fly out to Kansas City from Manchester Airport using Animal Airlines - at first they were happy to give me a large quote for the privilege of taking my pets, but now it transpires that most airlines will not take pets if the destination temperature is going to be over 75 degrees - well of course most of America is going to have temperatures in excess of this in July which is when we are going!

Does anyone have any experience of this? It's just that I can't face the possibility of not knowing whether the cats have boarded the flight or not and not knowing what will happen to them after we've left Manchester.

TIA
Josie

thing1

Personally, I would make other arrangements for your cats if I were you. If you try to force the issue and find some other company/airline who will fly them out during the hot season, there will be no guarantee they will make it to their destination in good health or even alive.

Often animals being transported on airlines sit out on the tarmac for a while. Tarmac in the summer months can reach temperatures that are very dangerous to small animals (even larger dogs have been known to die in the extreme heat waiting to board a plane). The airlines know this from experience which is why they don't want to be responsible for transporting animals that will most likely die sitting on the tarmac in warmer months.

If you love your cats, as I'm sure you do, try to make alternate plans for them (e.g. leaving them behind for a couple months with a friend or family member until cooler weather hits).

My husband brought his cat over a year ago on May 25 using Northwest Airlines. He came from London's Gatwick to Detroit, Michigan. He bought a place for his feline (for £60 as "excess baggage" through a travel agent) at the time of purchasing his own ticket. He had no problems. Boston (the cat) arrived safely. His only complaints were about having to share his new home with a...dog! lol

Cygnus

Thanks for that....well so now I don't know what to do.....do you think it would be ok to send them over now? They could stay with the in-laws for a while till we get over there. I never thought taking the cats over could cause so much stress and hassle!

JOsie

Jan Alaska

I flew out to Detroit in May and the airline (NW Airlines) wouldnt take my dog then because of temps, I left him with my ex and he flew him out in October when my son visited on American Airlines at a cost of 70 GBP as excess baggage. Most airlines have a cut off date for the summer months because of the heat. Its hard to leave pets behind but it is for their own good.

Jan

Cygnus

There is no-one that can take care of the animals after I have left the UK

I have seen people on US bound flights taking dogs in big sports bags that are actually dog carriers and have them with them on the flight - would this be possible? Otherwise I just don't know what else to do.

sibsie

Some airlines allow you to take pets as carry on and have them in the cabin. That was an option for me when I travelled over with Air France, and I know most of the American Airlines permit it, subject to a weight restriction and them having to fit under the seat in front of you.

I wouldn't have done it as the carrier would have been too small and made the cats too uncomfortable on a long flight.

If it were me I'd send them over now. I'd feel much the same way about leaving them behind.

Maggs

Hi

I brought my dog over last July and the restrictions only applied if she was travelling unaccompanied as cargo. As she was travelling accompanied on the same flight as me there were no restrictions. It was very hot both in UK and the US. They boarded her on the plane last at Heathrow and brought her off first at Chicago. She was never left in hot conditions at any time. That was with United.

I brought my cat over in March from Manchester. I travelled with BMI and was distraught when I found they didn't deal with animals directly. However they work with a company at Manchester called Airspace who handle live animals as cargo, accompanied and unaccompanied. I had to take her(the cat) to the cargo terminal which at first worried me, but it is only so that they can process the paperwork. She was flying on the same flight as me so was classed as accompanied. The phone number for Airspace is 0161 498 9090 and they are located in the World Freight Terminal. I spoke with a nice young lady called Kerry Davidson. I don't know if this will help any but I hope so. It cost me 295 pounds for her to travel plus cost of a carrier. Good luck.

Maggie

Cygnus

Hi Maggie,

Thanks for that - unfortunately my cats can't come on the same flight due to the connection waiting time at Newark being less than 4 hours - so they would be unaccompanied since they have to go on another flight.

I am now speaking with jets4pets - this is all getting quite stressful!

Josie

dunroving

Have you considered flying to Canada and driving down from there? I'm wondering whether temps there will be cooler and so whether airline reg's will be different for destinations in Canada.

Cygnus

No, I hadn't considered that, but my own flight is now booked and is non-transferable

I spoke to jets4pets not long ago and they seemed to be a bit more optimistic - they mentioned that Continental have a thing called 'Quickpack' which means that the animals are given priority treatment and are collected off the plane straightaway in an airconditioned vehicle so they're not left out on the tarmac in the blazing sunshine. Apparently it's not cheap, but if that's what it takes to get my kitties over there, then so be it.

Josie

Maggs

Hi

It might be worth contacting Airspace just to see if they can do it for you anyway. They were very good and knew all the rules and regulations. I'm sure you are worried for your cats as I would be too. I'm also sure someone will be able to help you. I really hope you get it sorted out. I did contact Airpets near Heathrow who were also very good, but quite expensive. They can keep the cats in kennels until a flight is available but each day they are there = more money. However I would have used them if I couldn't sort it out myself. Wishing you the very best of luck.

Maggie

suzieque

When we brought our dog over in January we had the opposite problem. As he was so big could only fly in certain airports and was delayed 10days in UK and then 10 days in Minnesota before arriving in Jacksonville Florida.
As we were living in a hotel for 3 months we had to leave him in UK for that time and arrange him to be flown over later. It was a real hassle and expensive $1000+ but worth it as he is all settled down now.
Actually he was affected as he looked like he had aged when we got him, I think all travel and being stuck etc stressed him, especially as he is a rescue dog to start with!!!!
Anyway all is well now.
Suzie

Heather142

I am using Airpets to take my cat to Arizona in August. Because of the heat there is an embargo in force with most airlines. Contrinental do not have the embargo in force but their policy is to use a third party handler for animal shipments, hence using Airpets.

You might also want to check out the link below (if it works?).

Heather

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...hreadid=230370

Cygnus

Ok, well jets4pets have helped out - they can get my cats onto the same Continental flight that I am taking out of Manchester on 11th July using the Quickpack service - so that means no temperature worries as the animals are collected off the plane immediately in a temperature controlled vehicle and aren't left out on the tarmac in the heat.

The cats will then have to stay overnight in Newark and will join us in Kansas City the next day.

The Quickpack service is expensive (£800 approx for the 2 cats plus kennel fees of about £220 in Newark), but it's piece of mind and it means I don't have to leave my cats behind......phew!

Maggs

Hi... that's a great result for you and your cats. I'm really very pleased for you. Well done and now you can breath a big sigh of relief! Write more when they arrive safely in Kentucky. Best wishes.

Maggie