Yes, it sounds like a good deal for all involved.

Joy

It does sound so very New Yorker to me though.  I do worry about them when
they start living in Arizona.  (They don't drive?)

Jo

I find it ironic that some on this group have criticized people in the past
who did not find the resources to send their cats in a safer manner than
using airplane cargo.  I agreed with that assessment, BTW.  There were some
recommendations that people consider using an airline (I've forgotten the
name) that specializes in *only* transporting animals.  That would be much
more costly than this method, especially considering the fact that a large
percentage of the cost described in this article would otherwise have had to
be paid to obtain airplane tickets for two people, transportation to and
from the airport (possibly both in New York and Arizona), *and* they would
have had to pay extra to transport their two cats, regardless of whether
they were taken in the cabin or shipped in the cargo hold (horrors!).  On
other occasions, some in this group have gone to a great deal of effort --  
and some expense -- to locate alternate transportation for cats.  I
definitely agreed with that, too, and even contributed a small amount of
money on one occasion.  But here is an elderly couple who do not drive, and
they found an alternate way to travel a long distance that would enable them
to keep their cats with them -- and now some of you criticize that, too,
someone even saying they had "more money than brains."  I must admit that I,
for one, would never want to undertake that trip by using still another
method that a couple of you mentioned -- that is, start off cross-country
with a stranger I had never met before and with driving skills I knew
nothing about but who would be willing to drive me for less money.

Since they can afford it, I think this was an intelligent solution to the
problem -- and far less exorbitant than some of you imply.  For example, how
many of you who have been criticizing this expenditure of $3,000 plus gas,
etc. (for two people and two cats) have spent more than that on a vacation??

MaryL

Photos of Duffy and Holly:  >'o'<
Duffy:  http://tinyurl.com/cslwf
Holly:  http://tinyurl.com/9t68o
Duffy and Holly together:  http://tinyurl.com/8b47e

yikes

Plain to see you've never ridden with a New York taxi-driver!

I have read this whole thread and I honestly think it's the most
ridiculous thing I've ever read.  If we had refused to let Vino fly
cargo, we would still be living in Thailand as cats are not allowed to
enter Australia in any other way.
Is spending 6 hours in cargo really all that bad???  Is 6 hours in cargo
so much worse than 4 or 5 *days* in a car?  What are the chances of a
cat dying in cargo compared to the car they are in being involved in a
terrible traffic accident?
Let's get some perspective here, people.  There are a lot worse things
people could do to their cats than fly them across the US in cargo.  And
imagine how much more good $3000 would have done in some shelter.