Traveling by air is both stressful and dangerous for animals. I don’t like traveling with Sharon, my German Shepherd, because of the challenges pets face during flights.
I have realized that no matter how smooth the landing, timely the departure, or friendly the flight attendants, pets often endure stress. Since I don’t want my dog to undergo stress, I plan my travel.
Conditions in the cargo deck of commercial jets are not always friendly; temperatures can fluctuate wildly, noise can be unpleasant, and air pressure can drop significantly. Pets checked into this dark space beneath the passenger cabin sometimes die.
What airline kills the most pets? In 2011, thirty-five pets died while (or shortly before or after) traveling on commercial flights with U.S. airline companies. Nine animals were injured and two lost entirely.
Airline vs. Pet Death
In 2012, 29 pets died, 26 were injured and one was lost. These numbers should be considered in context; the U.S. Department of Transportation says that two million animals travel on commercial flights yearly.
Delta Airlines has recorded more pets’ death in recent years than any other airline, according to mandatory incident reports provided by U.S.-based airlines to the Department of Transportation.
In 2010, 2011, and 2012, Delta Airlines was responsible for 41 of the 97 reported animal deaths. Multiple publications have reported that Delta carries more pets than competing companies do, which explains the high rate of pets death recorded by the airline. A media relations official with Delta Airlines has declined to comment on this story.
United Airlines reported 12 animal deaths in 2012 among six airlines that reported incidents.No corrective action is been taken to stop these incidents. Indeed, a fault may often lie with the passenger—such as when animals with pre-existing health problems are checked as baggage.
What Experts Say
Kirsten Theisen, director of pet care issues for the Humane Society of the United States, believes air travel is simply too stressful for most animals, especially when they are placed in an aircraft’s cargo hold.
Traveling in an airplane is frightening for animals. They can sense the pressure changing and tell that something is happening, which is scary. Flying is frightening if you don’t know what’s happening.””
Theisen realizes that families include pets in family vacations, which is not the best idea, she retorts, and she suggests leaving animals at home, in trusted hands, if possible.
Theisen says reports of pets being lost, injured or killed in transit are increasing, and this is happening because human travelers are increasingly taking their animals along for the ride.
Some pet owners consider their pets to be family members and want to include them on trips. Unfortunately, airlines do not consider animals a member of your family. They see pets as cargo.
Choose your flight wisely
When I want to travel I look for non-stop flights with no transfers and avoid flying during holiday periods when airlines—and airports—are busier than normal.
The hack helps me to minimize the risk of anything going wrong. I know things could go wrong with all planning, but I discovered this could help my dog stay safer.
If your pet travels in the cargo deck, you’ll need to be mindful of the weather at your destination.
If you’re traveling somewhere warm, look for early morning or late evening flights when the temperatures aren’t so high; in cooler climates, look for flights in the middle of the day, when temperatures are warmest.
I want you to remember that airlines will not let your pet fly if temperatures get too hot or too cold at any destination along your journey. If this happens, you’ll have to switch over to other plans.
I don’t risk my pet’s health if the weather is terrible. I cannot bear to watch my dog suffer during my comfortable flight.
Get in touch with your airline
The rules that guide flying your pets allow a few dogs per flight, therefore I call and make sure the plane has space for my dog before I book. For this reason, always be sure to make reservations for you and your pet at the same time.
Here are the pet travel pages for Delta, American, United, JetBlue, Southwest, and Alaska Airways.
Take your dog for a health check
The moment my dog has her ticket, proceed to the vet and get a health certificate stating it is healthy enough to fly and up-to-date on its immunizations. The certificate is valid for 30 days; you’ll need it for your departure and return.
Many airlines require that your dog’s clean bill of health be no more than ten days old. If the duration of your trip is longer than your certificate will be valid for, you’ll need to visit a vet while you’re on vacation to meet the requirements of your return flight.
Finally, I believe the more pets an airline carries, the more challenges they encounter. Therefore, if a carrier has more pets on its flights per day, the likelihood of pets dying is high.
Hence, when you check the pets’ statistics of airlines, the companies carrying more pets often come up on the list. The solution is ensuring your pet is safe when you fly with it.
FAQs
How many dogs died in plane cargo?
According to honest laws, between 2010 and 2020, over 250 animal ‘passengers’ died either during or immediately after airline travel. Another 170 sustained injuries, while 20 animals were lost by airlines
Is it common for dogs to die on planes?
Injuries or death for animals during flights are unfortunate, but present statistics show that animals do not often die during air travel. According to the DOT, in 2019, airlines reported 11 animal deaths, injuries to eight other animals, and zero lost animals for 19 incidents
What airline kills the most pets?
More animals died on Delta Air Lines in 2018 than any other airline, 4, according to the DOT’s recently released February 2019 Air Travel Consumer Report.
There were three other airlines with reported deaths: Hawaiian Airlines with three deaths, United Airlines with two deaths, and American Airlines with one death