Quote:
Originally Posted by bhlloy
Ping Pilotman - we are sending our dogs to Switzerland next week and it’s been quite the logistical nightmare to get them there. The agency moving them says any pets in cargo are personally accounted for by the pilot and last on/first off, wondering how true that is or if it’s propaganda? I’ve obviously read the horror stories over the years.
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It really comes down to the company I think. I honestly couldn't tell you what our company policy is on animals shipped as cargo. But I do remember getting some pet loading forms when they were traveling as checked luggage with the passengers on board so we could reassure the passengers their pets were on board. I don't see pets loaded onto our longer flights at all now that I'm flying long haul.
Our company has a separate group that is responsible for loading and transport of animals. The animals stay in a special air conditioned van until they are loaded onto the plane, and it is supposed to be as close to closing up the doors as reasonable (still could be 30-40 minutes though). So the animals aren't generally treated like regular cargo. It's possible that the pilot might be responsible once they are aware of the animals in cargo, but I really couldn't speak to it as
I'll add a couple caveats to that though. First, I have no idea if foreign countries operate the same way, or if they just off load with everything else, or not. Second, it's hard on pets. There's no way around it, it's hard on them. Third, pets in the cargo bin are in an air conditioned/heated and pressurized cabin, just like the passenger cabin, but if for some reason there's any sort of fire in the cargo area, the extinguishers that meter out halon to fight the fires will suck all the oxygen out of the cargo bin and anything living in there will die. That is clearly an emergency situation, and thankfully extremely rare, but it's still something you should be aware of as it is a risk. Also, I think there are some breeds the are not allowed to travel at all, due to the risk flying poses, like bulldogs, pugs, etc. They can simply asphyxiate from the higher altitude and stress.
Sorry for the long winded answer, that's about all I know on that though.