# Air travel with dogs-yeah West Jet



## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

I don't know how things are going for travelling with dogs in the USA, but in Canada it is getting tougher.

Last year our National carrier Air Canada, decided it would not longer allow pets on passenger aircrafts. I am talking about dogs/cats crated in the hold. Anyone with an animal who is travelling Air Canada must ship the animals cargo on a different plane.

On a plus side West Jet, (Canada's second largest carrier) is picking up the slack. They don't fly to as many destinations but close.

They also have a great working dog policy I just took advantage of for the first time. Any service/therapy dogs are allowed on board. As well any detector dogs, and search and rescue dogs are allowed to travel in the cabin, free of charge (they can also travel in their crate in the baggage compartment for free). The dog and handler must be from an accredited search group and both dog and handler must be in uniform.

I flew with Farley in cabin on the way back to Calgary from Toronto. (I crated him in the hold on the way to T.O.) They booked me a bulkhead seat, left us an empty seat next to us, let us board first and get off first. It was great. 

http://s161.photobucket.com/albums/t214/farwesttoller/?action=view&current=DSC00022.jpg

My search group has cautioned us only to use this service if we are %100 sure that the dog can behave for the flight. I was releived that Farley layed on the floor quietly for the entire flight. I was slightly worried he may get squirrly/whiny on the 4hr flight, he does not have the temperment of a therapy/service dog, but he was awesome and represented us well.


It is a great option to have, and I intend to write them an e-mail thanking them for the service and working dog options. It is hard to say something positive about air travel these days, but these guys were awesome.

Any similar policies on any US air carrier?


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Holy moley!

That's fabulous!


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

I would think more airlines would follow this for no other reason but to avoid a law suit over refusing a service dog access. It will happen sooner or later.


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## Hil Harrison (Mar 29, 2006)

wow that sounds like a great service from that airline. Good thing too and I hope more follow suit. We cant be doing without the servicedogs;-)


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## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

Bob Scott said:


> I would think more airlines would follow this for no other reason but to avoid a law suit over refusing a service dog access. It will happen sooner or later.


I am pretty sure that Air Canada still hased to allow service dogs such as dogs for the blind... I think that not all therapy dogs may get on though.

Our search orginization does have a pre plan with Air Canada (the one that doesn't allow dog's even in the baggage hold anymore) to allow our dogs on board IF we are on route to an avalanche rescue. The likelyhood of having to take a large commercial flight to an avalanche is quite rare I would say....it would definatly be a recovery, not a rescue...


It is definatley prudent that air lines allow service animals, but I was surprised that West Jets in cabin flights were extended to other working animals such as detector dogs and SAR dogs. It does not say that we have to be going to a specific search either. Very nice indeed.


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## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

I've flown on most of the major US airlines in-cabin with my SAR dogs. I really don't know of an airline that doesn't allow SAR dogs (at least our FEMA USAR dogs) and handlers to do this. Its typically been a pleasant experience, but definitely the dog must be well behaved and tolerant of strangers reaching out to touch them (despite telling people not to, they still do!). Also, I'm always cognizant of how the presence of my dog affects other passengers (if they have allergies or are wearing nice clothing they don't want dog hair on) and always ask if they're comfortable sitting next to me and my dog. If not, I ask to move to another seat.


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## Shelley Fritzke (Oct 7, 2007)

West Jet is pretty good. I have travelled with my one dog to herding events with them. He is in the cargo part of the plane. They always double check that he is on board (when I ask them too) and get back to me before we leave the airport saying he is on board. They also allow me to get him when I have at least a 1 1/2 hr. layover (usually in Calgary). I take him for a walk (Calgary has a small area that is fenced in at the airport you can take your dog to potty or walk around). I then take him back to West Jet desk and they make sure he is loaded for the next part of the trip. 

Having said that I also know that West Jet had 2 dogs die on thier airline/airplane into Abbotsford from Calgary (a one hour and a 1/2 hr. flight) several years ago. Public never heard about it. I knew as a freind worked as a security person at the airport. She didn't even find out the 'outcome' of it though. Was very hush, hush. 

West Jet has set up thier airline/company to 'mimic' Southwest(ern?) in the U.S. However, Southwest will NOT take animals. They feel that they are not capable of doing it 'well' within the paramaters of how the company is set up. West Jet has decided that they will do it and I do feel that they do a good job of it. It can be done "WELL" if a company will take the time to do this and has high standards to make sure it is done well.


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## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

Konnie Hein said:


> I've flown on most of the major US airlines in-cabin with my SAR dogs. I really don't know of an airline that doesn't allow SAR dogs (at least our FEMA USAR dogs) and handlers to do this. Its typically been a pleasant experience, but definitely the dog must be well behaved and tolerant of strangers reaching out to touch them (despite telling people not to, they still do!). Also, I'm always cognizant of how the presence of my dog affects other passengers (if they have allergies or are wearing nice clothing they don't want dog hair on) and always ask if they're comfortable sitting next to me and my dog. If not, I ask to move to another seat.


Great to know that the major US airlines have similar policies. I also try to respect that not every one likes dogs, I think it is safe to say that most did not even know my dog was on board. This time my husband and I had a row of three seats to ourselves. You are correct about the petting. The staff were the worst offenders! Over all less people tried to pet him than I expected.


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## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

Shelley Fritzke said:


> West Jet is pretty good. I have travelled with my one dog to herding events with them. He is in the cargo part of the plane. They always double check that he is on board (when I ask them too) and get back to me before we leave the airport saying he is on board. They also allow me to get him when I have at least a 1 1/2 hr. layover (usually in Calgary). I take him for a walk (Calgary has a small area that is fenced in at the airport you can take your dog to potty or walk around). I then take him back to West Jet desk and they make sure he is loaded for the next part of the trip.
> 
> Having said that I also know that West Jet had 2 dogs die on thier airline/airplane into Abbotsford from Calgary (a one hour and a 1/2 hr. flight) several years ago. Public never heard about it. I knew as a freind worked as a security person at the airport. She didn't even find out the 'outcome' of it though. Was very hush, hush.
> 
> West Jet has set up thier airline/company to 'mimic' Southwest(ern?) in the U.S. However, Southwest will NOT take animals. They feel that they are not capable of doing it 'well' within the paramaters of how the company is set up. West Jet has decided that they will do it and I do feel that they do a good job of it. It can be done "WELL" if a company will take the time to do this and has high standards to make sure it is done well.


I flew him in his crate in the hold Calgary to T.O. You are correct they were great. Let me watch him loaded onto the plane before I borded (they loaded the dog last).

On a sad note about animal deaths while flying...

We had an exchange patroller with an avalanche dog fly from Fance to a US destination(I forget which) and then on to Canada last year. He was comming with his avi dog for 2 months in the winter. His dog died on the flight from France to the US. He never even got to see the dog, they told him it was dead and made him board his next flight. There were some language issues as well. 

It was a young Malinois I beleive. He visisted our ski hill for a couple of weeks and you could tell he was devistated.

I suppose it can happen. Horrible.


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## Ren Sauder (Apr 5, 2007)

Does anyone know what the dogs typically die from?? Is it the stress?


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Ren Sauder said:


> Does anyone know what the dogs typically die from?? Is it the stress?


The temperatures (both too high and too low) in the baggage compartment are the reasons I have heard, aside from a dog a few years ago who got out of the crate on the tarmac, ran away, and was hit by a car and killed.


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