There are many pet-friendly timeshare rentals available, and it’s a good bet that most of them are not just down the road from your house. That means that you’ll probably be flying to your vacation destination, and if Fido and Fluffy are coming along you’ll need to make flight arrangements for them, too.
To help you plan, PetFinder.com has just released its list of the Top Pet-Friendly Airlines. “Pets are becoming more of an integral part of our families so it’s only natural that airlines are taking pet travel more seriously,” said Betsy Banks Saul, the co-founder of Petfinder.com said in a press release. “This list will raise awareness on criteria that pet parents should take into consideration, such as the risks of traveling in cargo, so they can make informed decisions.”
Among the major airline carriers, PetFinder gave “Best Pet-Friendly Amenities” to JetBlue. JetBlue’s superior JetPaws program is specifically designed to help people and their pets enjoy a smoother travel experience. JetBlue also garnered “Best for Animal Health and Safety”. JetBlue’s refusal to permit pet transport in the cargo hold is an important animal safety measure backed by evidence that supports this policy. From May 2009 to May 2010, the only airlines with zero reported pet deaths were those that required pets to travel in-cabin.
“Best for Budget-Conscious Consumers” was given to AirTran, who topped this category by allowing small domesticated dogs, cats and birds to travel for $69 each way in-cabin.
However, the overall winner was no surprise this year with the introduction of the pets-only airline, PetAirways, in July 2009. PetAirways caters specifically to pets and carries no human passengers, just “Pawsengers,” as the airline calls them.
While more expensive than the traditional means of flying your pets, this “Pet Jet” is also the only airline that is capable of focusing 100% on the animals. Each pet travels in its own individual carrier in the pressurized main cabin. Trained attendants check on the animals every 15 minutes, and the animals are given bathroom breaks as necessary.
Currently PetAirways serves nine cities, including New York City, Chicago, Baltimore/Washington, Denver and Los Angeles. The airline plans to expand to 25 cities by late 2011.
All of this is good news for your timeshare rental vacation plans that include the furry members of your family. For more information about pet-friendly timeshare resorts, see RedWeek.com’s pet-friendly link.