If you are a dog lover and have a furry friend in your family, you have probably thought about taking your dog with you on vacation. Leaving your dog with a pet sitter or putting it in a kennel are not ideal solutions because you know it will miss you and your family while you are away. Plus, boarding your dog in a kennel is expensive and does not guarantee your pet gets the attention and care it deserves.
More importantly, with you, not being around and being alone in an unfamiliar place can be highly distressing for a dog. On top of this, how can you relax and enjoy your vacation when constantly being worried about your pet?
Before we discuss why your pet will thank you for traveling by private jet, let's look at the downside of flying with your pet with an airline. While flying on commercial airlines and taking your dog with you is possible, you must overcome many restrictions and complications. Many people flew with their pets in the cabin for years, claiming they were emotional support animals. While it is still possible to fly with guide dogs in the cabin, airlines caught on to people claiming they needed their pets for emotional support and banned the practice in 2021.
Pets travel as cargo
In nearly all instances, depending upon the airline, your breed of dog, and how large it is, most dogs end up being in the cargo hold with the luggage. Can you imagine how stressful this must be? Confined in a crate and left alone in the dark, listening to the unfamiliar sound of aircraft engines has to be awful.
The downside of flying with your pet on a commercial airline
Each airline has its own set of rules about carrying live animals, so do your research and have all the documentation you need. If you plan on flying to an international destination, your dog needs to be chipped and up to date with all of its vaccinations. Be aware that if you travel to Europe, they use a different chip standard, so you will need to get your pet chipped with one that complies with their rules. You must also have an international health certificate certified by a USDA-accredited veterinarian.
You will probably be shocked by how much it costs to transport your pet. When my wife and I relocated from the USA to Spain, we took our two dogs, and the price was more than double what we had paid for our tickets.
Once you have selected the airline and have all the relevant paperwork, you must get to the airport early to check the dogs in. After you say goodbye to your pet, you are worried about where they are being kept and if they will be put on the right plane. Once you board, the first thing to do is ask one of the flight attendants to ask the captain if your pet has been put aboard the aircraft. This accomplished two things: it informs the captain that he has a live animal in the cargo hold and that it must be pressurized and heated.
During our flight from Newark to Barcelona, we encountered terrible turbulence over the Atlantic that worried my wife about the well-being of the dogs. Unlike our suitcases, the dogs did not arrive when we arrived in Barcelona. When we asked where they were, we were told we needed to go to the other side of the airport to pick them up. This was miles away, but fortunately, we had a rental car. When we first saw the dogs, they were happy to see us but looked highly stressed from the journey. So much so that I would never travel on a commercial airliner with a pet ever again.
More people than ever are now flying on private jets
Because of experiences like mine, people with pets are deciding to travel by private jet. According to figures from the U.S. Department of Transportation, more than 200 pets have died in the past decade when traveling as cargo in commercial airliners.
Meanwhile, private jet companies have seen an increased demand in the number of people wanting to fly with their pets in the cabin. Some, like VistaJet and NetJets, have a dedicated pet program that supplies toys and a soft bed for your dog.
Unlike flying commercially, when you travel with your dog in a private jet, you do not need to arrive at the airport hours early. You will also feel better knowing that your pet will be with you in the cabin.
Paramount Business Jets are experts in finding the right aircraft at the best price to suit your needs. They can also help arrange everything needed to ensure you and your pet have the best flight possible. For more information on chartering a private plane for you and your pets, call +1-877-727-2538 (24/7) or visit them on the web www.paramountbusinessjets.com
Photos: Textron, Luna Jets, and Magellan Jets
