Guaranteed on Board program gives pet owners peace of mind

by Katie Hammel on

Passengers flying with their pets have always had a rough time navigating the tricky rules surrounding pet carriers. And many have been frustrated to find that carriers that they thought were approved for travel in the plane’s cabin were deemed unsuitable by gate agents. When that happens, many pet owners find themselves out of luck – unable to board the plane, but not eligible for a refund on the flight.

To help, the Sherpa pet carrier company has teamed up with eight pet-friendly airlines to offer the “Guaranteed on Board” program, a sort of insurance policy for those traveling with their pets. The GOB website details the sizes and types of carriers allowed on each airline. Passengers who purchase an approved carrier can go online to register it (after making arrangements to bring the pet on board directly with the airline they are flying) print out the Guaranteed on Board certificate and bring it with them to the airport. If they are then refused boarding by an airline official due to the carrier, the program will reimburse them for the cost of the missed flight.

Airlines participating in the program include American, Midwest AirTran, Continental, Northwest, Delta, Southwest, and Alaska. American and Delta have even designed their own bags, which they sell on the Sherpa website. If your pet can’t fly on its own airline, at least you can have some assurance that your carrier will be up to spec, or you’ll get your money back for being bumped off a flight.

Pet hotels for the truly insane true pet lovers

by Annie Scott on

Hotel month wouldn’t be complete without a rundown of animal houses — you get a vacation, so why shouldn’t your pet?

The photo above is a pet hotel in Michigan called The Dog House – The Ultimate Dog Retreat at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa. The guest dogs enjoy filtered water, walks with the professionally trained staff, a cage-free environment, and private, outdoor play areas. It’s a great way to not have to worry about your pets on your vacation — just bring them with you and let them get pampered, too! The Muse Hotel in NYC is another pet-friendly institution, complete with bones and a pretty doggie bowl.

How do you get your pets to these pet-friendly hotels? Well, some airlines will allow you to bring your dog with you in the cabin, and there’s also Pet Airways, which will fly your pooch for $150 – $300 without you (warning: they don’t go to Michigan yet).

Do you think we can get some pets to join The Laviators Club?

Anyway, you can find a lot of pet-friendly hotels on the net (start here), but for the pet who truly deserves the best? Take them to France. Hotel Fouquet’s Barrière is an unmatched destination for spoiling your shmoopie. Not only is it Paris’ newest five star luxury hotel, but here’s what your pets will get:

  • Deluxe plush pet bed in-room upon arrival
  • Special baskets, bowls and dishes
  • Mats embroidered with pet’s name, placed next to owner’s bed (I mean, seriously??)
  • Vittel water upon arrival
  • Meals (available via room service) of gourmet fish, chicken or beef accompanied by wild rice, steamed vegetables or homemade pasta
  • Selection of special toys

… and all for free. If I happen to go to that hotel? I’m gonna tell them I have a pet. And that it’s named after me. So that I can have a mat with my name embroidered on it and some special toys.

Forget boarding your “baby” next time you need to get away; send them on a vacation of their own.

Gadling Take FIVE: Week of July 10-July 17

by Jamie Rhein on

We are halfway through Hotel Month at Gadling and have added blogger Katie Hammel who is afraid of flying but has not let that stopped her from becoming a world traveler.

Here are items you may have missed that might astonish, surprise you or give you pause.

  • First up, Stephen’s post on Pet Airways. When I first heard about this airlines, I wasn’t sure if it was a joke or not. It’s not.
  • Next, there’s Scott’s story about the family who left their son at a rest stop bench and had to drive back 200 miles to retrieve him.
  • Mike discovered that not all people are thrilled with the risque Air New Zealand videos where body paint is a prominent feature.
  • In the arena of natural wonder, Kraig has a post on the new geyser that erupted in Russia
  • As a person who has been traveling through Montana, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico these last two weeks, Tom’s post on the fishing package deal at the Teton Mountain Lodge and Spa caught my eye. Very sweet. If you’re in the area, sort of, head to Bannack, a ghost town in Montana. You won’t be disappointed.

New Pet Airways lets dogs embark and keeps cats out of the reeear

by Aaron Hotfelder on

I’ve been saying it sarcastically for years: Pets need their own airline. Finally, Pet Airways of Delray Beach, Florida, has answered my fake prayers.

The new airline’s founders, Dan Wiesel and Alysa Binder, got the idea after they traveled with their dog Zoe, and their airline is the world’s first that focuses exclusively on the comfortable transportion of pets.

On most non-pet flights, pets are shipped like baggage in the cargo hold, a process which Wiesel says is “frightening” and which “can cause severe emotional and physical harm, even death.” He added: “This is not what most pet owners want to subject their pets to, but they have had no other choice, until now.”

Special “pet attendants” will give the animals bathroom breaks before the flight and check in on them every fifteen minutes after take-off.

The airline will serve five US cities– New York, DC, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Denver, and its first flight will take place on July 14.

More, including a groan-inducing usage of the word “pawsengers,” here.