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From Cargo to First Class: Pet-Only Airline Nears Takeoff

Seat-free plane offers a different way to travel with pets
By Ambreen Ali,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 17, 2009 12:28 PM CDT
From Cargo to First Class: Pet-Only Airline Nears Takeoff
Cats and dogs are loaded off a chartered jet at Los Angeles International Airport. Pet Airways offers a way for animals to fly in the cabin.   (Getty Images)

With Pet Airways’ summer launch, cats and dogs will get a first-class alternative to flying cargo. Passengers at major US airports will be able to drop their pets off for travel on a seat-free plane staffed with attendants, Zootoo reports. Spots on the first pets-only flight—scheduled for July 14 between New York and Los Angeles—cost $149.

“This is about the safety and comfort of your pet,” says Alysa Binder, a Pet Airways founder. “Putting your pet in cargo just isn’t the ideal situation, and it doesn’t have to be your only choice.” Animals can face environmental risks when they fly cargo; though they won’t be allowed to roam the planes, attendants will monitor the secured carriers throughout, Binder promises.

(More pets stories.)

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