# Traveling w/dogs back from France yesterday



## Debbie Skinner (Sep 11, 2008)

I wanted to share Ron's experience traveling with dogs from LAX to France on Xmas day and then returning with dogs on New Year's Eve. Going over was before the extra security went into effect, but coming back was after the effects of the "attempted bomber" (Amsterdam->Detroit). 

Going over was a breeze..very little traffic due to Xmas morning. There was no security check of vehicles entering LAX. Very short lines for check-in and security. Only one security check and then checked the boarding pass when boarding is all. The only weird thing was that after boarding on the way over the crew sprays everyone and everything in the cabin with an insecticide. Probably everything in the hold as well..not sure. They don't say what the spray is except that it's USDA approved.

When Ron was driving to CDG to return to SoCal with dogs, there was security check of vehicles entering the airport. 

On the French side at CDG Airport, there was a huge line even for checking in and 3 security checks after that. A big thanks to Ron's buddy "Vayrah" and his "rocknroll" aggressiveness in the crate and Ron was moved to the front of the check-in line ;-) No one asked for Ron to get him out at any time. Then they shot him through all 3 security checks quickly as the airline employees were afraid of the dog and couldn't get the crate on the plane. So Ron was rushed through and driven out to the plane to help carry the crate. It worked out well for Ron except he still had to wait on the plane for all the other passengers to get checked through and boarded. The flight was fully booked.

When he landed at LAX, customs went through every bag of the passengers, which slowed everything down. No special searching or security regarding the dogs though on either end coming and going. 

There was a security stop/check for all vehicles entering LAX yesterday. I picked Ron up at LAX yesterday afternoon with Vahyra and a Dexter daughter and arrived around 2:30pm. Flight arrived at 2:30pm and if it was "normal" he would of been curb side with the dogs no later than 3:30pm for me to pick him up. Due to the increased security at the airport it was after 5pm.

All in all he had a great trip and time. It was cold with a lot of rain in France and Belgium and not a lot of daylight hours. It gets light about 8am and dark around 5pm over there right now. Training in the cold, rain and mud is just part of life there. We are spoiled in many ways in SoCal. 8)


----------



## James Lechernich (Oct 20, 2009)

O


Debbie Skinner said:


> The only weird thing was that after boarding on the way over the crew sprays everyone and everything in the cabin with an insecticide. Probably everything in the hold as well..not sure. They don't say what the spray is except that it's USDA approved.


Say what??


----------



## Debbie Skinner (Sep 11, 2008)

James Lechernich said:


> O
> 
> Say what??


Ron said it had a smell of insecticide and that's all the crew would say it was. I wanted to know right away when he told me what it was as it is poison and people and animals could have a reaction imo. No information was given. We've both flown this airline several times before and this is a first. I don't know if it's the airline or now a policy for all flights into Paris. The airline is Air Tahiti Nui that offers direct flights into CDG/Paris.


----------



## James Lechernich (Oct 20, 2009)

Debbie Skinner said:


> Ron said it had a smell of insecticide and that's all the crew would say it was. I wanted to know right away when he told me what it was as it is poison and people and animals could have a reaction imo. No information was given. We've both flown this airline several times before and this is a first. I don't know if it's the airline or now a policy for all flights into Paris. The airline is Air Tahiti Nui that offers direct flights into CDG/Paris.


They just sprayed people without their consent? No thanks. They would've had to escort me off the plane.


----------



## Debbie Skinner (Sep 11, 2008)

James Lechernich said:


> They just sprayed people without their consent? No thanks. They would've had to escort me off the plane.



Only way to get to France from here...too far to walk. We have less and less options for flights these days. There is AirFrance or Air Tahiti Nui into Paris (direct flights from LAX). Our food is sprayed too unless you find organic as well. We do have less and less rights as well..


----------



## maggie fraser (May 30, 2008)

James Lechernich said:


> They just sprayed people without their consent? No thanks. They would've had to escort me off the plane.


I've experienced this a few times.... particularly on the long haul flights to Australia... it's part of the deal - de critirizing so as what is seen to get off the plane is all there is, no uninvited guests! 

Don't know what they're using though.


----------



## Candy Eggert (Oct 28, 2008)

Thanks for sharing Ron's experience Debbie ;-) As you know I just came back from vacation in Medellin, Colombia. Their normal security there is not taken lightly on a good day for obvious reasons. Black Hawk helicopters standing at the ready! I was grateful to see Malinois' doing their job inside and in the cargo area of the airplane. 

One funny thing though to share. I speak a spattering of Spanish but only enough to get by. My son (who is fluent) walked me to immigration, where they ask you all sorts of questions, how long have you been here, where did you stay, what was the purpose of your visit, etc and then they go through all of your luggage. The employee asked my son if I spoke Spanish and he said no. I turned around and the next thing I know we were at the check in counter...no luggage searched. When I asked why my son said they get frustrated if you don't speak Spanish ;-) So smugglers rejoice 

I traveled the day after Christmas and our immigration and security went relatively easy here. No luggage checks, no pat downs. Other than some minor time delays I would rather be inconvienced a little to make sure "we" get it right!!

Glad Ron made it home with some new dogs ;-) Please keep us updated on the Dexter baby.


----------



## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Aircraft Fumigation: http://www.aircraftfumigation.com/


----------



## Debbie Skinner (Sep 11, 2008)

Candy Eggert said:


> Glad Ron made it home with some new dogs ;-) Please keep us updated on the Dexter baby.


Yes, your experience in Columbia..wow! You are brave to go there! I hope they start using the dog here like that..more working homes for high drive mals!

I'm going to try to carpool up to Oxnard at the end of the week and hopefully there is room for her to come along. I uploaded photos to the WDF.


----------



## Debbie Skinner (Sep 11, 2008)

susan tuck said:


> Aircraft Fumigation: http://www.aircraftfumigation.com/


Susan, thanks for the link. I guess the spraying was for this reason (from the site): Health authorities in many countries are becoming increasingly concerned about the potentially deadly risks of malaria carried into their territory by “jet-setting” mosquitoes that travel on international flights. It is a mandatory World Health Organisation (WHO) requirement on specific routes that Airlines use either aerosol disinsection spray cans during the flight while passengers are onboard or alternatively ensure the entire aircraft cabin is treated with an approved residual insecticide on a scheduled  basis. This company is able to provide this service in the UK and is also approved by the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS).

Only thing is that we flew direct from LAX --> Paris.

Also, I forgot to add in my description that tsa did require us to pull the dogs out at LAX prior to Ron's departure to Paris. The crates were swabbed, inspected and then we put the dogs back in. 

I know there is a lot of talk about full body scanning of passengers. I wonder if at Paris if the dogs in crates are run through an X-ray. Anybody know? I ask because they don't ask for us to take the dogs out ever at CDG. I know the human body scan is reported to have 10,000 times less radiation than the average cell phone. Wondering out loud though about scans for dogs if as much care will be taken if dogs have to be scanned. I hope they will have a low radiation scan for them as well.


----------



## Anna Kasho (Jan 16, 2008)

I think the insecticide might be because of the latest Med fly control effort over here? They found a few recently... Last farmer's market I went to, all the produce had to be covered by netting, nothing could be taken back to the farms, etc. Never seen that before...

Glad you had a safe trip, and congrats on bringing over the new dogs!


----------



## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Debbie: Also swine flu and SARS were listed as reasons for in flight disinfecting of aircraft.


----------



## Debbie Skinner (Sep 11, 2008)

susan tuck said:


> Debbie: Also swine flu and SARS were listed as reasons for in flight disinfecting of aircraft.


Yes, I saw that, but maybe I misread but I thought they did that in between flights and didn't spray the passengers in that case??? Thanks. I'll re-read.


----------



## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Debbie Skinner said:


> Yes, I saw that, but maybe I misread but I thought they did that in between flights and didn't spray the passengers in that case??? Thanks. I'll re-read.


yes, I must have misread it the first time, you're right, they spray for SARS and swine flu in between flights, not during the flight. 

I think it's very disconcerting that they just go through and spray people with pesticide (or anything for that matter) AND are so vague/cavalier when people ask what exactly they are being sprayed with! Is there no concern regarding triggering an allergic reaction or asthma attack?


----------



## Debbie Skinner (Sep 11, 2008)

susan tuck said:


> yes, I must have misread it the first time, you're right, they spray for SARS and swine flu in between flights, not during the flight.
> 
> I think it's very disconcerting that they just go through and spray people with pesticide (or anything for that matter) AND are so vague/cavalier when people ask what exactly they are being sprayed with! Is there no concern regarding triggering an allergic reaction or asthma attack?


I am concerned with this very thing. They announced they were spraying an insecticide about 2 minutes before they came through and sprayed. Everyone was seated and unless you had a gas mask handy, you were forced to breath it. My friend who has very bad asthma and just had a serious nasal surgery today will be flying to Europe next month. I am going to warn her as she is very sensitive and when SoCal had the fires she had to leave the entire area due to the particulates and ash in the air.

The airlines did not spray the passengers on the way from Paris to Los Angeles. Maybe it's a French thing or something that Air Tahiti Nui is now doing. We use this airline often as it's one of two choices for direct flights to and from LAX<-->Paris. 

Also, I wonder if they sprayed the cargo hold and the dogs, etc.??


----------



## Kyle Sprag (Jan 10, 2008)

Debbie Skinner said:


> I am concerned with this very thing. They announced they were spraying an insecticide about 2 minutes before they came through and sprayed. Everyone was seated and unless you had a gas mask handy, you were forced to breath it. My friend who has very bad asthma and just had a serious nasal surgery today will be flying to Europe next month. I am going to warn her as she is very sensitive and when SoCal had the fires she had to leave the entire area due to the particulates and ash in the air.
> 
> The airlines did not spray the passengers on the way from Paris to Los Angeles. Maybe it's a French thing or something that Air Tahiti Nui is now doing. We use this airline often as it's one of two choices for direct flights to and from LAX<-->Paris.
> 
> Also, I wonder if they sprayed the cargo hold and the dogs, etc.??


Would you like me to send you a couple of N-95 Masks for your friend? They are suppose to be Fit tested but better than Nothing.


----------



## Debbie Skinner (Sep 11, 2008)

Kyle Sprag said:


> Would you like me to send you a couple of N-95 Masks for your friend? They are suppose to be Fit tested but better than Nothing.



I'm not sure what those are, but thank you and I'll ask her. I know she'll do a ton of research on the spraying before her trip next month as it could be a definite health risk. I bet she'll cancel her trip to Crufts, etc. if there is a risk.


----------



## Christopher Jones (Feb 17, 2009)

Yeah, they do spray all plane fights into Oz with stuff to kill mites, virus's and bacteria. Australia is a pretty pristine environment and is quite different to other parts of the world, that is why they are so strict on importing things such as animals, plants etc.
Before we were so strict we gave ourselfs such wonders as Rabbits, Foxes, Cane Toads. European Carp etc. These animals have done so much damage to our local animals its not funny. So while I bitch and moan about the restrictions and extra costs we have to go through I do understand and support it.

One of the sprays they use on the planes is called "Top of decent" and we use it with our pythons we keep to kill off any mites they might get. Its pretty harmless stuff.

I noticed Debbie that you said your dog was quite aggressive in the crate at the airport? We have just noticed here that all airlines that ship dogs around Australia are starting to decline dogs that show ANY aggression at all. We shipped on 18 month old DS female to a freind of ours and when the airline dude banged a sticker on the top of the metal crate the dog was in she barked at him. He stood back in shock and said "no, no, no. She too aggressive, they wont put her on the plane. It took me alot of arguing to finally get them to load her and since then others I know have been knocked back.


----------

