Today’s Wall Street Journal reports on its front page that passenger aircraft around the world are often delayed because of unticketed and unwanted passengers.
Every year, flights are delayed by mice, rates, snakes, spiders, and other unticketed critters. Some of the animals travel in the cargo hold, but many travel in the passenger compartment, maybe even in the first class section.
According to the paper, in July 2002 a small dog got loose in the cargo hold and gnawed electrical cables, causing the aircraft to be out of service for nine days. A big, hairy spider delayed an Air France flight for five hours earlier this year, while staff searched for the arachnid.
Swissair flights were delayed this year while a rat and an orange snake were hunted. The orange snake came abord in a passenger’s pocket, but found its accomodations a bit cramped and needed to stretch out, a bit.
Airlines sometimes use traps to capture onboard pests, but more often, they resort to either fumigation or carbon dioxide poisoning. The cost of filling the aircraft with CO2 can easily cost $11,500, plus the cost of lost productivity as the plane sits in the maintenance area for a few hours.
Dave’s Opinion
Have you thought of bringing a pet on board? If so, plan ahead. Prepare your pet for travel, possibly including sedating the animal, and make sure the travel crate has a secure lock. Under no conditions, should you carry your four-legged (or slithering) family member in the passenger compartment.
What do you think? Please leave your comments below.
Interesting article. You are correct that you should plan ahead when you are traveling with your pet, be sure you are aware of all the airline’s requirements.
But most veterinarians don’t suggest the use of sedatives when shipping you pet by air, and most of the airlines require a note from the doctor if you choose to do so. Making sure your pet is comfortable in their crate or kennel seems like it might be one of the biggest tips, as many dogs and cats injure themselves trying to escape