Alaska Airlines has a strong focus on passengers traveling with their pets and seems to be looking for new ways to keep them happy. In 2011 alone, they help fly nearly 83,000 pets across all their routes. Thus the air carrier has partnered with Banfield Pet Hospital, one of the largest veterinary practices in the USA, to add preparing pets for takeoff to their offering for pet lovers.
The airline’s new partner which has over 800 hospitals in 43 states will offer Alaska Airlines customers either flying with their pets or simply shipping them off a free office visit, travel consultations and 10 US dollars discount on health certificates, a required document for all pets traveling in the cabin as baggage or as air cargo.
“We know pets play an important role in our lives and we share Alaska’s commitment to fostering the human-pet bond by being one of the leading airlines for pet travel,” said Dr. Karen Johnson, vice president and client advocate for Banfield Pet Hospital. “When it comes to pets, there is nothing more important than ensuring their health and safety whether at home or on a trip. We’re proud to partner with such a well-respected organization that has a great track record of pet safety during travel.”
Alaska Airlines is therefore adding pre-flight pet care to their services to pet-owning passengers. The carrier already offers a Fur-st Class Care service, allowing travelers to keep their pets in the cabin with them and the PetStreak® Animal Express service for customers who just need to ship their pet and do not fly with their furry friends. Alaska Airlines employees are all trained to help safely transport pets, one of the many reasons the carrier was names by SmarterTraveler.com the “Most Pet-Friendly Airline” in 2009.
One of the very few airlines to still allow pets onboard, both in the cabin and in the cargo hold, Alaska is celebrating the new partnership with a 10% discount for all PetStreak Animal Express shipments till June 9th, 2012.
The airline will also implement new kennel standards for pets transported in the airplane hold starting May 1st. All kennels will need to have nut-and-bolt locks to be approved for flying, so that they keep animals safely in until they reach their destination
By Olivia GrilHey Folks! I'm Olivia from California, United States. I'm a blogger, travel lover, I can travel anywhere, whether it's a new place or already visited. I love meeting new people, clicking photos of every movement, and documenting my adventure. I also, write about travel, travel movies, the best places to visit, etc. Read my stories.
