You know things are crazy when your airline charges less for your ticket than for your cat to fly under your seat.
But these are crazy times. Delta Air Lines recently raised its pet fee from $75 to $150, leading to this absurd scenario for Richard Grove.
It demanded an extra $300 to transport his 7-pound cat — less than Grove’s fare. He asked the airline to lower the charge. Delta refused.
So he wrote to complain.
For years I have traveled with Delta with a carry-on 7-pound cat and have been charged $75 each way. Although I considered this charge excessive for using space that might be occupied only by my feet under the seat in front of me, I was surprised and angered to find on my last flight this past November that Delta was now charging $150 for this space.
That’s more than I paid for my own ticket!
Is this reasonable? Other airlines, including American Airlines, US Airways, JetBlue and AirTran do not charge this excessive rate for space that has no other use than to put my own feet.
I think this is a bit of a stretch to believe that fuel costs necessitate this increase pricing by Delta and want you to know that I may not be your only customer who might seek relief from this exorbitant charge by using another airline.
Here’s how Delta responded.
I apologize for the poor impression and for your frustration with the replies you received below.
I can understand why you would be unhappy that the price has doubled since you last traveled. Also, it makes sense to me that you want to share your feelings on this matter. I appreciate you letting us know how you feel. Delta makes every effort to provide the highest possible standard of service in all areas of our operation, and I am sorry that we did not meet your expectations on this occasion.
Mr. Grove, I cannot promise you that this policy will change overnight or even that it will change at all. Nevertheless, customer feedback plays a direct roll in many of our policies. Therefore, please know that your thoughts and feelings have been shared with the appropriate members of our leadership team. Let me also assure you that this includes the necessary people to review the email exchange you shared with us.
Again, thank you for writing and giving us the opportunity to respond to your concerns. We value your feedback and truly apologize for your continued displeasure with us. I wish you and yours a joyous holiday season. We hope to serve your future air travel needs.
The “joyous holiday” was a nice touch, but it’s still a non-answer. How can an airline justify this kind of surcharge?
Grove responded, emphasizing that the pet policy was ridiculous. An airline representative eventually phoned him and more or less agreed.
“Oh well,” Grove told me. “My next flight will be on AirTran, which only has a $69 pet charge.”
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I think that Grove should purchase an extra seat for Fluffy T. Catt. It’d be cheaper, and I think the only problem would be the lack of ID.
I have traveled with show cats quite a bit and the entire fee-for-pets concept is insane to begin with. My cat, though a large Maine Coon, always fit under the seat as the above article notes; so what exactly are we paying for? And why isn’t everyone else on the plane charged for storage of their briefcases?
I understand if you have a dog and it needs to go into the belly of the plane, but any animal that fits under a seat should not be charged.
Of course, even crazier is this; if I wanted to buy my cat a seat, and belt it in next to me, I can’t! Animals aren’t allowed in the seats….
Ron
The really crazy thing is that you may not REALLY have to pay the fee. A few years a go we moved our cats cross country. We planned WAY in advance and called the airline pet line (Northwest) and made reservations for the two cats and paid the fee. We were told to do this well in advance because only 2 pets were allowed in the plane on any flight. So we get there and some lady has her 2 chihuahuas with her. She had not called the airline, had paid no fees at all, and off we all went with 4 pets in the cabin! The fun part was getting seated next to a woman who was allergic to cats!
So if there is some rule as to the number of furries in the cabin, as of 2 years ago it was not enforced. I’d be curious to see data on how often fliers with small pets just show up with them.
Of course, now I would expect the airlines to slam anyone they could with extra fees.
@ Ron “And why isn’t everyone else on the plane charged for storage of their briefcases?”
shhhhhh….don’t give them ideas ;-)
These pet fees really get to me. They were at “reasonable” levels, about $50 each way, until 9/11. 9/11 was used as the reason to raise this fee and add a host of other fees. What in heck does a cat or dog have to do with airline security? Nothing, but the airlines used this as an excuse. Now it’s fuel costs. In what world does a 10 lb dog or cat (plus a maybe 2 lb carrier) cost more to fly than some people’s 40 lb. rollaboards? Obviously it doesn’t.
What really gets me is that when you bring a pet in the cabin, according to the airlines’ contracts of carriage, you are supposed to be giving up your carryon! This means you’re only supposed to be allowed to bring a “personal item” with you and check everything else. You’re paying for what everyone else gets for free. Then, you get to pay a checked bag fee on top of your pet fee.
The reason airlines do this is because they can. People who bring pets on board usually have no other option. The airlines know people love their pets and they capitalize on it.
‘a direct roll’?
I consider it a privilege to be seated next to someone with his/her pet (unless it was a reptile. Then I’d ask to be moved. Just my own phobia). These people are generally very nice, and I’d rather hold someone else’s pet carrier in my lap for a three-hour flight than be seated in front of a seat-kicking seven-year-old. People like to talk about their pets and as a fellow animal-lover, it makes for pleasant conversation. Plus, the pets are almost always extremely well-behaved (much more than some children). I say, give them a reduced fare for not being a pain in the neck!
How about all those people who are allergic to cats and dogs and have to suffer hours of forced coexistence with an unwanted animal neighbor in the next seat. They all belong in the hold.
No, they don’t belong in the hold. Ever. And frankly, if you can at all avoid flying with your pets, you should leave them at home. It’s not a good experience for them. The only good reasons I can think of for flying with your pet are a) moving cross country permanently, b) show animal, c) service animal, or possibly d) relocating the pet.
And I’ll second the comment about flying next to someone with a pet – I’d rather that than a screaming child, even a poorly behaved pet would suit me better, I think. But I do sympathize with those who have allergies. What do you do when you’re merely seated next to someone who merely owns a cat or dog? Aren’t they usually doused in a good coating of animal hair?
@Bela – actually, you’d be surprised at how much airlines have stepped up their game when it comes to flying pets in the cargo hold. For example, Continental now has a “Pet Safe” cargo program (http://tinyurl.com/petsafe) where pets are kept in climate-controlled offices while waiting to be put on the plane, then driven out to the plane in specialized vans, put in the pressurized and climate-controlled cargo hold, and then off the plane goes! Recently my mother was on a Continental flight that got stuck on the tarmac in Houston and she called me from the airplane to say “How come the airline is taking a dog off when we’re all still stuck here on this plane for over an hour?”
Internationally there are also airlines that go to great pains to make sure pets are kept safe and comfortable, including KLM Airline which has a Pet Hotel (http://tinyurl.com/klmpethotel) in Amsterdam that they will let pets stay at overnight — pets are fed, watered, walked and even have their crates cleaned out.
When we are relocating pets world wide (typically for people who are moving for work), we arrange flights with these airlines so that the pets are guaranteed to stay safe. While it might cost a bit more, there’s much to be said for knowing that Fido & Fluffy are going to arrive safely at their new home. : )
I had a similar issue with Delta. When I tried to buy a seat for my dog, since it was LESS than what it would cost to put her UNDER a seat, they said I couldn’t!! To add insult to injury, the dog carry-on counts as a piece of luggage!! So we have to PAY for one of our two pieces of carry on, while everyone else gets to carry on two for free. NONE OF THIS MAKES ANY SENSE!! If I’m going to have to pay to bring my pet on board, it shouldbe in addition to my two pieces of carry on, or I should have the option of buying a seat. This is 100% pure profit for the airlines, and a total rip-off!! It is truley my biggest “pet peeve” about flying!!!
Pets on the aircraft – YES.
People with flu, colds, coughing, sneezing, runny noses, etc should travel in the baggage hold.
Fluffy D. Catt would not require ID unless he was over 18 . . .
And who says you need to show the boarding pass for el cato to TSA? TSA only cares about the humans. Buy the cat a seat, get the middle seat on the seat selection chart, and when the plane is full, you offer up Fluffy D. Catt as a volunteer – the cat gets on for free, you get the money back.
The deal with Fluffy as a passenger is that it is easier to ask forgiveness then permission. And, on a flight that is not full, they’ll never know – they only care if the count is over, not under.
Just Last night I purchased a ticket from Atlanta to New York for a friend traveling with a small dog. Because of the absurdly high fee on Delta, I bouught her a ticket on AirTran instead.
Bela= I will say that my wife does not want to leave her cat alone for 8-14 days over holidays and vacations and when we go to or vacation home and fly ourselves, we strap the cat in a carrier, buckle the carrier into a seat, and off we go with a drugged out cat. Cat spends about 2 hours LESS time in a carrier with us in the airplane than he would in a cat carrier on an airliner. Plus, he just sees us the entire time and never any strange people except for me, and I’m assuming th stress level is much much lower than traveling by airline being manhandled and xrayed by security, and getting banged and smashed around and then pinned underseat for hours on end,
That said, when the cat reaches about 10-12 years I dare say that traveling like that 3-4 times a year will reduce the lifespan of this particular feline.
I’m glad to hear, right from the horse’s mouth, that customers play a “direct roll” in their policymaking. It wasn’t enough to charge a ridiculous fee, for which I’m sure that kitty got no better service than before, but the company’s representative can’t even proofread! Shameful!
My kitty has made at least 20 round trip flights to and from Europe. So many that she has an EU passport.
Skip the cost of transporting her ($120-$160 each leg – depending on the strength of the dollar), she is required to have a medical exam within 10 days of each flight. Add $100 per.
I have asked United to issue her frequent flyer miles. As soon as she boards the plane, she is asleep before departure. Kitty has never asked for a meal or a drink. Occasionally, I’ll ask for a few ice chips in the event she becomes a bit dehydrated. Passengers and children under the age of two, should demand so little. So why can’t Kitty be awarded some miles?
I wonder if the “direct roll” is made from cat.
For Karen, I believe United, Midwest, Virgin Atlantic and El Al all give frequent flier miles to pets.
Thank goodness the holiday break is almost here – for a minute I thought you were referring to Kitty Yancey when I first read the headline.
To add to my previous post, JetBlue also has a pet frequent flyer program called JetPaws.
it does seem odd that an airline got rid off peanuts due to some people being allergic(and not able to bring thier own medication-cuase they are stupid) but it is fine to bring pets on and sit next to allerig people with very little hope of moving your seat.- my friend is allergic to cats and when we brought out a syringe to medicate her epienephrine (after telling the airstaff aboard the flight) all hell started breaking out with other people.. —so to the lady who thought it was funny that some one was allergic please think twice—not breathing really kills people.—–the other thing is animals do actually have more rights than humans on a flight-they cannot leave the animal in trouble in cargo but humans have no rights here in the USA like the rest of the flying world.
JetBlue charges $100.00 each way and will take up to a total of 4 pets small dogs or cats only in the cabin. No pets in the cargo hold
I thought I was all alone in this ridiculous battle with the airlines. I have resorted to sneaking my little dog on in his sherpa bag. He never makes a peep, I drape a coat over the sherpa bag and have only been stopped once at Xray (yes, I ALWAYS take him out!!) What I mean is that only once did someone at xray ask to see his receipt for payment. I apologized, said I would go back and pay and merely went to another xray station. They are usually so busy and googling my dog they just don’t ask. I’m very discreet and no one on the plane ever realizes that I have him under the seat. He NEVER barks or makes noise, so I’m lucky there. I do NOT feel I’m cheating the airline of anything! It’s become INSANE!!
I also sneak my pet aboard. I often fly first class where I think everybody is too busy drinking to notice that I have a teeny tiny adorable parakeet in a non descript carry-on bag. I give him water and some millet and he keeps pretty quiet. Once in awhile he will talk softly to himself which makes me laugh.
I just plain refuse to pay one dime to bring a small pet aboard. The airline staff does nothing, provides nothing, and is just squeezing me for extras without justification. I have never been asked for receipt of payment though. I guess he could just fly himself to our destination…
I also am very upset about the pet fee increase for flying in the cabin, not to mention that they cannot be taken out of their bag even in the waiting area, even if they have a leash/harness on. AND that they have to be stowed under the seat in front of you where your feet go. And you all are absolutely right, NOTHING is done for them – people take out their laptops and put on their lap, no cost, they have noisy kids on their laps, in the seat and they can be interruptive with crying or yelling the entire flight at no charge, some bring carry on bags that barely fit under or in the overheads, no charge, they listen to music so loud in their earphones that you can hear it next to them. So bottom line we all put up with stuff and I don’t know what to say about allergies – I’m apologetic to that – but seems like everyone is allergic to something – perfume, air, etc. those things are not listed as “NOT ALLOWED”. My dog is a Yorkie – people are not allergic to them – he has quieted many a crying baby in his day and made peace with everyone he has met, invoked smiles out of grumpy people and made my life a happy one. He likes to visit his adopted mommas and aunts and especially his Uncle and Grandma, yet it is getting prohibitive with the cost. I also asked once if I could buy a ticket for him and put his bag in the seat and he would bother no one – I also was told no. They never have a really good reason for the answer – it is just their policy. This is one of those things that will never be settled because everyone has rights and everyone wants it their way. I think we as pet owners did compromise by paying a fee but the $75 I paid each way in the beginning was more than enough and now you tell me it is $150 each way – I just can’t do that. I mean what does charging us more do – does it make the people on the plane less allergic – no it just makes us not afford to travel with our pets. I think there are a lot of pet lovers out there and for some it is their business (showing dogs, etc.) so the airlines will lose business but I guess they will just write it off to the state of the economy as a whole. I have no answer – I just have a desire to travel with my dog to visit friends and relatives at a reasonable price. And look at Southwest they don’t even allow dogs – no matter the price – they all make the rules and they can change them at anytime and we just have to find another way to travel I guess.
I can’t speak for everyone, but most people with allergies need to breathe in particles of animal dander in order to trigger the allergic reaction. If the cat or dog has been placed inside a nylon or canvas bag that has some kind of tightly woven ventilation screen, like the one I have, and that bag is pushed under an airplane seat, it seems unlikely that dander from fur will escape the bag, become airbourne, rise to the level of an allergic person’s nose, and cause problems. As a cautionary measure, however, a pet owner should ask the person sitting in the next seat if there might be a problem, allowing that person to switch seats. Dander from one confined animal is not going to end up escaping a tightly woven and closed bag and drifting all over the plane!
I am also angered by the cost. The pet is in my carry-on, and he takes up the same amount of space that a normal carry-on bag would occupy. He sleeps quietly under the seat without using the rest room, without consuming drinks, and without using magazines or other features that cost the airlines money. Yet, I have to pay more for him than I pay for myself. If I need to bring additional luggage, I have to pay extra for that too. Any airline that makes a move to end this discrimination and outrageous pricing policy will win a lot of loyalty among pet people. And the majority of Americans like pets.
@Joan
Respectfully, your pet is not a carry on. A carry on cannot bark, meow, urinate, defecate, shed, escape, require food or water, or any myriad of things that a pet can do. Now, your pet may be perfectly angelic and do none of those things during the flight. But rules are based upon common experiences, not what one’s individually well trained animal does.
And yes, most Americans love pets but most american do not fly with pets.
The FAA, NOT the airlines, mandates that your pet-in-carrier be counted as one of your allowed carry-on bags.
The fee that is charged isn’t for the fuel needs resulting from an eight-pound pup. It covers all the problems caused by animals. For example…Logan Airport being closed due to a pet-in-carrier, taken out on a jetbridge while a pax was waiting for a valet bag and which escaped. A United flight that had to be cancelled due to flea and tick infestation, resulting in nearly 200 pax having to be compensated. Pax who are allergic (many of whom are children who don’t even KNOW they’re allergic until they’re in an enclosed metal tube with recirculated air and a pet) require diversions and treatment. It’s expensive. And guess what? THEY SUE. Their parents sue.
What about the pax who insist on violating the rule and take their pet out of its carrier? THEN they bite or snap at a fellow pax. They run around the plane, frightening pax. They urinate, defecate and vomit in the plane. It requires cleanup, maintenance delays, and compensation for pax who complain.
So that pet fee goes to help pay for all that stuff….