Flying Our Akita Pup to You, Made Simple!

What happens to a pup in flight? * Read on to find out what to expect!

**  NEW RULE:  Any puppy flying may only have food attached to their crate and NO PAPERWORK!  If you have received a puppy from us in the past - please note this difference.  AKC paperwork will be mailed to you separately per IATA regulations!

When you reserve your pup, we will talk about what is the closet airport that Continental Airlines flies into nearest to you and what time of day is good for you to pick up your pup so that we can try to book a flight accordingly but keep in mind that Continental has set flights that you must fit into your schedule.  The pup is old enough to fly at 8 weeks and will have a health certificate to fly from the 8 week birthday to the next two or three days after it.  If it becomes necessary for you to get a second health certificate due to canceling a flight, late payment, etc, then it costs about $80 to get another health certificate from the vet at a separate appointment so be prepared by having your payment in on time and know your schedule!

Why do we use Continental?  We have had very severe problems with Delta and American cancels flights often.  NOT ALL AIRLINES CARRY PETS.  Continental is considered the premiere pet flight service.  The animals fly in a pressurized cargo area.  The are is completely climate controlled as the air is circulated from the cabin where passengers sit to down below in cargo and back up in a continuous circle.  Therefore, when we have warm summers and you have cold winters, the animal can still fly.  Also, Continental has contracts to carry the US mail.  Therefore, I don't have to worry about a cancelled flight due to an under-booked plane.  When the animal is moved onto and off of the plane, it is driven on the tarmac in a heated and air conditioned van so it's temperatures remain constant.  This is not the case with other airlines.  Continental allows advance scheduling of flights, however, if we use another airline, I usually cannot tell you a flight plan or arrival time until a few days prior to the flight.

Not every airport accepts pets, even if the airlines known for accepting them travel to and from that airport.  Special aircraft are needed to carry pets so although Continental pay fly passengers to your closest airport, it doesn't mean that they fly animals there.  We will verify what airline can be used to fly into your area but we will find a way to get your pup to you.  :-)

*****If you are getting two pups at the same time together, they may fly together as long as each of them weigh 20 pounds or less.  There is not a cost savings but it is more comfortable for them.*****

Should the flight plan require a layover of more than four hours, the animal does have to be kenneled where they will walk them and feed and water them as well.  There is a $75 fee for this to be paid by the person picking up the pet.  We book flights that usually have a 2 hour or less layover to make it easier on the pup but this is not always available.

For Flights to Canada: 

Canada requires several extra items for flights into the country such as customs fee etc.  I have listed examples of these below to give you an idea of what to expect.  These fees are current as of October 2007 but are subject to change at any time.

In addition to the $300 shipping fee (flight fee, crate, health and acclimation certificate) these fees are charged to you at the time of pickup at the airport:

$45 transporter fee for crossing the border to Canada

6 percent Canadian sales tax of the animal value determined by customs but usually taken from a bill of sale that we can include on the crate

Calgary charges and additional terminal service fee

Some cities charge overtime fees if your pet arrives "after hours"

At this time, Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto are the only airports that Continental serves in Canada but that is subject to change as of October 2007.  We can also transport puppies ground if flights with another airline are not available!

When I book the flight, I will send you a confirmation that looks something like this:

            As you can see, I have bolded things in red and enlarged the fonts of the crucial information.  (Also, note that all Continental bookings default to say 8 months instead of 8 weeks, this is not a problem, just a continual computer error.)

The morning of the flight, I drop off the puppy at the airport, already prepared to fly in an hour.  I follow all of the IATA guidelines but the airline still has the right to refuse the dog, but I have never had this happen (knock on wood).  I get an airway bill for dropping off an animal cargo shipment.  Then, just before I leave, I take a picture of your pup, in the airlines' hands, as it looked when it left my care.  This way, should something happen to the crate or pup in flight, you already will have the most up to date information that I can provide.  Here is a sample photo on Continental's scale:

I feed them and water them as well as let the use the bathroom (in the back of my truck so that they don't get germs from other animals around) before I crate them but I do provide frozen water in the shipping food bowls per Continental regulations.  They are supposed to be re-watered when/if they have a layover.  There is always food attached tot he crate in case they need to be fed but often, if they are kenneled during a long layover, should they be fed, the airline will use their own food to do it more quickly so that they can be sure that everyone is fed (this can cause soft stool , fyi.)  The health certificate is with the airline paperwork, usually in a plastic bag taped to the crate.  If you do not see it, ask the airline for it as I am not given a duplicate copy.  The AKC registration papers are attached to the crate with Duck tape in an envelope, usually where I write the pup's name so that people can talk with it along the way.  Should you throw away the crate with the papers still attached or lose them, AKC charges a fee for a new set, currently $15.  Also, the pup's toy is hidden in the fold of the towel.  They are not supposed to have anything in the crate for them in case they were to choke on it in flight so I have to hide it so that they cannot get it out, but it is in there, way in the back in the towel they are laying on!

Thirty minutes later, I am home sending you the airway tracking number with the tracking website address and a picture of your pup similar to the one above.  I also send you Continental's site to follow the plane across the map from AZ to your city so that you know how the trip is progressing.  I am always home the day of flights in case there is an issue. If I do not answer it is because I am using the restroom etc so leave a message and I will call back shortly.  Tracking is smart in case the flight gets delayed due to wind, weather, etc.  I will be tracking the flight from home as well.  This is what the tracking screens look like that I will send you!

Home > Track and Trace

Track & Trace
005-59287406
Status: Departed on Flight CO0421 Origin: Phoenix-Scottsdale, AZ (PHX) Pieces: 1 Destination: San Jose, CA (SJC) Actual Weight: 26 LB
Date Time Action Location 3/5/2007  6:03 PM  Departed on Flight CO0421  Houston, TX (IAH)  3/5/2007  3:21 PM  Received from Flight CO1783, 1 piece  Houston, TX (IAH)  3/5/2007  11:20 AM  Departed on Flight CO1783  Phoenix-Scottsdale, AZ (PHX)  3/5/2007    Shipment Booked on Flight CO1783, 1 piece  Phoenix-Scottsdale, AZ (PHX)
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Flight Status

Home > Flight Status

Continental Flight 0421   Departs Arrives City:  Houston, TX (IAH) Scheduled Time:  6:05 PM Actual Time:  6:03 PM   City:  San Jose, CA (SJC) Scheduled Time:  8:23 PM Estimated Time:  8:17 PM

Flight Number Departure Date Sun. Mar 4, 2007 Mon. Mar 5, 2007 Tue. Mar 6, 2007

When you pick your pup up at the airport, I expect you to call me immediately upon receiving your puppy regardless of time of day!!!!!!!!!  I cannot stress this enough and please don't make me track you down!  I know that you are excited to finally have your new bundle of joy but I need to know that they are okay.

I give them a bath just prior to heading of to the airport, but remember that they are only 8 weeks old.  Please expect accidents in the crate and on the fur.  Be prepared with handy wipes and towels to clean them off for your car ride home.  Also, be prepared to offer them water immediately and as soon as you are in a place where other animals have never used the bathroom, let them go to the bathroom!  Do not let them go to the bathroom at the airport where every other animal has been before them, with who knows what diseases!!!!

***When you get home, please have someone take a picture of you/your family with the pup and email it to me!****