Pet Airways
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| Founded | 2009 | |||
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| Fleet size | 20 | |||
| Destinations | 14 (as of April 2011)[1] | |||
| Company slogan | Travel For Your Best Friend | |||
| Headquarters | Delray Beach, Florida | |||
| Key people | Dan Wiesel (CEO) Alysa Binder (CDO) |
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| Website | PetAirways.com | |||
Pet Airways is an American company headquartered in Delray Beach, Florida, that specializes exclusively in air transportation of pets, using contracted small air carriers. [2][3] and claims to be the first airline designed specifically for pets.[4]
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[edit] History
The company was founded by Dan Wiesel and Alysa Binder, who got the idea when planning a trip with their dog.[5][6] The launch of the company was funded by a group of investors. In August 2010, the Company announced that it had combined with a public company through a share exchange with American Antiquities, and in October 2010 announced that it would be traded on the OTC BB as PAWS.[citation needed]
Operations commenced in 2009, flown by Omaha, Nebraska-based Suburban Air Freight who staffed and operated the aircraft and flights under their ICAO code SUB .[7] Suburban operated 19-seat, two-engine Beechcraft 1900s, which has the seats in the main cabin removed to make room for the pet carriers.[2] The cabin is pressurized and climate controlled.[2] Suburban stopped flying for Pet Airways in September 2011[8] and declined to elaborate on reasons.
Airfare starts at $150,[5][6][9] and is based on the pet's size and the distance traveled.[1] Flights can be booked online and the pets ("pawsengers", in their terminology) are checked in to a pet lounge at each airport at which the airline operates.[5] Owners can track their pets en-route via the website.[5]
Airline staff give all pets pre-boarding walks and bathroom breaks. During the flight, the pets are under the care of trained attendants, checked on at least every 15 minutes[1] for the flight's duration.[7]
Pet Airways has drawn criticism for canceling flights at the last minute, leaving customers and pets with no recourse, and customers have reported difficulty getting refunded the associated costs after being promised relief[8].
According to Airliners.net, on February 10, 2012, Pet Airways cancelled services[10].
[edit] Destinations
The company launched its first weekly flight on July 14, 2009, serving nine US cities—New York City, Baltimore/Washington, D.C., Chicago, Omaha, Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta, Phoenix, Denver and Los Angeles. In April 2011, it announced addition of three Texas destinations (Dallas, Houston and Austin), St. Louis, and Orlando, Florida.[1] but did not commence service. Pet Airways announced plans to expand to 25 cities by late 2011.[11]
As of April 2011 Pet Airways flies to 14 destinations:[1][12]
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[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f "Pet-only airline will soon fly out of St. Louis". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. April 20, 2011. http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/article_bdf7296f-92b0-56c0-ab8a-d2b1426bfd9c.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ a b c "Pet-only airline prepares to take flight". UPI. Archived from the original on December 23, 2009. http://www.webcitation.org/5mEs9CvU9. Retrieved April 17, 2009.
- ^ "How to contact us." Pet Airways. Retrieved on March 2, 2010.
- ^ Huettel, Steve (April 1, 2009). "Pet Airways could make pet travel easier, if it takes off". St. Petersburg Times. http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/airlines/article988646.ece.
- ^ a b c d "'Bone voyage' as pets get airline". BBC. April 17, 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8004122.stm. Retrieved April 17, 2009.
- ^ a b "New Airline Offers Service Exclusively To Pets". New York, NY: CBS Broadcasting. July 14, 2009. http://www.cbs2.com/pets/Pet.Airways.Flight.2.969859.html. Retrieved April 17, 2009.[dead link]
- ^ a b "Pet Airways hits the skies: Stressful experience spurs pet airline, a welcome alternative to flying cargo". New York, NY. July 15, 2009. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31909297/ns/travel-pet_travel/. Retrieved July 24, 2009.
- ^ a b Craig, Susanne (2012-02-10). "At an Airline That Caters to Pets, the Humans Are Howling". NY Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/11/business/pet-airways-in-financial-straits-is-canceling-flights.html.
- ^ "Fur starts to fly as Pet Airways takes to the skies". CTV. July 9, 2009. http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090709/pet_airways_090709/20090709?hub=TopStories. Retrieved July 24, 2009.
- ^ "Where Is Pet Airways?". Airliners.net. 2010-03-17. http://www.airliners.net/aviation-news/. Retrieved 2012-02-11.
- ^ Walker, Blair S. (1 September 2009), "Pet Airline Takes Off", AARP Bulletin, In the News (AARP Publications) 50 (7): 6, ISSN 1044-1123, archived from the original on 23 December 2009, http://www.webcitation.org/5mEqxG5fp, retrieved 23 December 2009
- ^ "Where We Fly". Delray Beach, Florida. http://www.petairways.com/content/where-we-fly. Retrieved July 24, 2009.
