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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / November 2003Did Delta Airlines Kill Family Cat?
http://www.nbc5.com/travelgetaways/2662716/detail.html According to NBC5 tv news: An Oregon family said their cat died because it was not allowed to be carried on with their other two felines. Sara Stano said her family chose Delta Airlines because they assured her their three cats would be allowed as carry-on luggage. Instead, Stano said, the family was allowed to carry on only two cats and had to check the third one. When they arrived in Greensboro, N.C., the cat in the cargo hold was dead. "They brought him out in his kennel, and they sat him down next to us, and he was dead," Stano said. "He had been dead awhile. He was really stiff, and he was really cold. It was horrible," Stano said. Delta Airlines did not comment on the cat's death, but their guidelines state that passengers assume full responsibility for animals that are transported. - story end. I think this is horrible, but I think the family dropped the ball. They should have relied less on the assurance of a telephone sales agent or travel agent and received a confirmation IN WRITING. After all, three cats were to be travelling. In addition, why didn't the family refuse to board and demand intervention by a very senior airline executive to try to work this out? Also, if passengers are legally allowed to bring at least one carry one piece of luggage, then why wasn't each family member allowed to designate one cat carrier as their designated piece of carry on luggage? I will personally contact Delta for these answers and hope y'all do as well? If Delta did cause the death, I hope everyone boycotts the airline! > http://www.nbc5.com/travelgetaways/2662716/detail.html > According to NBC5 tv news: [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > I will personally contact Delta for these answers and hope y'all do as well? If > Delta did cause the death, I hope everyone boycotts the airline! It's pretty standard for airlines to only allow a maximum of two animals in the cabin proper, so they should definitely have asked for confirmation in writing. I doubt they could have got that rule changed, but I agree they should also have refused to board until they knew everything was in order. I suspect that, since their third cat was not scheduled to travel in the hold, the pilot did not turn the heating on down there (there's no point heating a luggage area if there are no live animals down there), and that's what killed the cat. My cat crossed the Atlantic in the hold with British Airways. Her flight was delayed because the heating on her scheduled flight was faulty and they didn't want to risk it, so they put her on a later flight a little later. She stayed with the BA agent until she could catch her flight, and her flight went fine. This is a very sad story )-: Helen Hearing stories like that especially with airlines really upsets me. I feel very sad for the family but more sad that a good innocent family cat got KILLED - EXECUTED - TORTURED - by some stupid insensitive decision makers. But OTOH - good for BA! for taking that extra care and consideration with a cat in their cargo. > http://www.nbc5.com/travelgetaways/2662716/detail.html > According to NBC5 tv news: [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > luggage. Instead, Stano said, the family was allowed to carry on only two cats > and had to check the third one. Fatal mistake. Over 1000 animals are killed or lost on air flights each year. Word of advice: drive. -L. << Fatal mistake. Over 1000 animals are killed or lost on air flights each year. Word of advice: drive. -L. >> One of my big fears in life is that I will someday have to fly my cats somewhere. There is really no reason this would ever have to happen that I can imagine since I'm not planning on moving from where I currently live but I do consider it now and then. I would certainly drive but if you're crossing an ocean, that's not an option. Candace (take the litter out before replying by e-mail) See my cats: http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace "One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye other than human." (Loren Eisely) > > http://www.nbc5.com/travelgetaways/2662716/detail.html > > According to NBC5 tv news: [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > -L. I have not flown with my cats for a number of years (have been driving instead of flying for the last few years). However, there were a few important rules that I strictly adhered to when I did fly because I did not want to take any risks with my furbabies: (1) only a few airlines will permit cats in the cabin, and I always made reservations exclusively with those airlines even though it often cost extra; (2) make reservations well in advance and get confirmation of reservations for pets *in the cabin* because airlines will usually only permit 2 small pets in a cabin; (3) have an up-to-date health certificate and rabies vaccination certificate; (4) try to get nonstop reservations to avoid risks of problems when changing flights; (5) call the night before departure to re-confirm and make sure that your cat is also listed on the confirmation; (6) make sure you are not given a seat in the first row in the cabin because there is no seat in front of you; since pets in the cabin are stored under the seat in front, the first row of seats deprives you of all of the arrangements I just mentioned. I was "bumped" on one occasion, despite all of these precautions. I refused to take the next available flight because they wanted to put my cat in cargo; I had to wait several additional hours so I could carry my cat on board in the cabin, but it was well worth it. Once I changed to driving only, my sense of relief was palpable because I did not have to worry about airline restrictions. MaryL (take out the litter to reply) Photos of Duffy and Holly: >'o'< http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly) http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in") carstan101@yahoo.com writes >...there were a few important rules >that I strictly adhered to when I did >fly because I did not want to take >any risks with my furbabies: (1) >only a few airlines will >permit cats in the cabin, and I >always made reservations >exclusively with >those airlines even though it often >cost extra; (2) make reservations >well [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >that your cat is also listed on the >confirmation; (6) make sure you >are not >given a seat in the first row in the cabin because there is no seat in >front of you;.... Yet, in spite of all the precautions, you could be bumped in one second and your cat's life is in jeopardy. It's up to the traveller to have the saavy and backbone to refuse anything less than what's promised - in terms of allowing the cat in the cabin. If an incompetent employee slipped up and booked more than the allowable amount..string that employee up..not punish the traveller! > carstan101@yahoo.com writes > [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > the cat in the cabin. If an incompetent employee slipped up and booked more > than the allowable amount..string that employee up..not punish the traveller! Yes, I was bumped; but no, my cat's life could not be jeopardized. That was part of the point of my message. I would not fly with my cat unless she could accompany me in the cabin. Therefore, I refused to take the next available flight when I was bumped because the airline would not permit the cat in the cabin on that flight. Instead, I waited several more hours for a flight where she could travel in the cabin with me. It was an inconvenience for me, but nothing else -- my cat was not in jeopardy because she was with me at all times. MaryL >Yes, I was bumped; but no, my cat's life could not be jeopardized. That was >part of the point of my message. I would not fly with my cat unless she [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >for me, but nothing else -- my cat was not in jeopardy because she was with >me at all times. Also a last minute addition to the cargo hold of a plane that had no other pets booked could increase the odds that cargo heat is not on the crews pre-flight check list. You did the right thing, and those who are inclined to send their pets in cargo should be very wary of last minute flight changes for any reason. -mhd These discussions have been so helpful to readers like myself when the time comes for me to fly her. If you think about it - where else can you get such information? No airline is going to give you a checklist to safeguard your pet. >Also a last minute addition to the cargo hold of a plane that had no >other pets booked could increase the odds that cargo heat is not on [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > >-mhd
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