News... Airline Offers First Class Treatment For *Pawsengers*

When you want to take a relaxing family vacation you might want to include your pets, but pet travel arrangements can be almost impossible. Pet Airways has the solution to your problem.

When you want to take a relaxing family vacation you might want to include your pets, but pet travel arrangements can be almost impossible. Pet Airways has the solution to your problem. On July 14th, 2009, they are launching the first pets-only airline to make travelling with pets much easier, assuring pet owners that their animals will be well cared for.

Initially Pet Airways will only be offering flights in 4 cities- New York, Washington, D.C., Denver, and Los Angeles, but they plan to increase their flight options nationwide later on.

A Beech 1900 turbo-prop airplane will be used to transport the animals. The plane will accommodate 19 passengers, and will have all of the human furnishings removed such as seats and overhead compartments. All pets will be placed in their carriers, which will be securely tethered using a proprietary restraint system.

What flight would be complete without amenities? Pet Airways will provide your animals with regular potty breaks before and after boarding planes, and food and water during stops.  Pet attendants will monitor all animals onboard, checking in on them every 15 minutes to ensure they are comfortable, and staff a pet lounge where owners can pick-up and drop-off their pets.

All pets will be brought to the lounge at least 2 hours before their flight, with earliest check-in being 72 hours prior to their flights, in which case they will be boarded at PAWS Lodge. To accommodate owners, Pet Airways will board your pet at the lodge if you are unable to pick them up on the day their flight arrives as well.

The concept behind Pet Airways is that owners will travel better knowing that their pets are getting quality treatment. The standards for pet travel in the past have been that small dogs are allowed to travel with their owners, as long as they can fit in a carrier under the passenger's seat. Larger dogs are confined to the cargo, where temperature restrictions limit pet travel. Most airlines have regulations refusing to fly pets when the temperature dips below 45F degrees (8 C) or rises above 85F degrees (30 C).  That's in addition to the restrictions airlines have adopted, only allowing two pets per flight.

Pet Airways was founded in 2005, by Dan Wiesel and Alysa Binder, in hopes of creating a safe and comfortable solution to pet transportation. The concept was inspired by their jack Russell terrier, Zoe.

For more information on Pet Airways and their services visit their website or call 888/738-2479.