what caused SW Airlines to do this?

[bicker]

I wouldn't think of wasting even a "bit" of an almond!

 

[BeccaG]

I only know what is important to me and my family and that is what matters to me. I don't think that we as well should be inconvenienced by a hospital visit due to something that can be prevented.

But what if that dog is a service dog? A legit need? And how do you handle school where your kid has friends or a teacher who might have animals? I really am not trying to be snarky, my point, like I think several others are saying, is a public place. . . As a person with no allergies those of you who said I don't understand in the context of sympathizing are right, I have never been in your shoes, but like some others have said, dander must be on planes when you get on them, whether there is a pet on that flight or not, so what do you do normally to prevent ER visits? Wouldn't the same rules apply on a plane as a school bus or classroom?

 

[DisneyWalker44]

It 20+ years of frequent flying, I think I've seen exactly one cat on a flight. It just doesn't happen that often.

If anyone is so allergic to cat dander they feel their health is endangered just by being in the same plane as a cat, they shouldn't fly any airline. Period. Cat dander is extremely sticky. The clothes, skin and bags of a cat owner will be covered with it.

If someone is able to risk sitting next to a cat owner - or gosh forbid sitting in a seat occupied by a cat owner on the previously flight - they are able to take the risk of having a cat on their plane.

 

[Youarehere]

It 20+ years of frequent flying, I think I've seen exactly one cat on a flight. It just doesn't happen that often.

If anyone is so allergic to cat dander they feel their health is endangered just by being in the same plane as a cat, they shouldn't fly any airline. Period. Cat dander is extremely sticky. The clothes, skin and bags of a cat owner will be covered with it.

If someone is able to risk sitting next to a cat owner - or gosh forbid sitting in a seat occupied by a cat owner on the previously flight - they are able to take the risk of having a cat on their plane.

Word!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I had to "diagram" the sentence before I posted it to make sure I was putting the words in the correct order.

I do believe this would be the perfect Tag for you.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

or gosh forbid sitting in a seat occupied by a cat owner on the previously flight

This was part of my thoughts as well when reading this thread.

The devil you know is sometimes better than the devil you don't know.

Let's say you board a plane for a short flight with an animal in your vicinity. You asked to be moved...

So now you are (inadvertently, perhaps by a new flight crew) moved to a spot where just a short while ago a pet carrier sat for a lengthy flight with layovers. It's no longer there, but its invisible remnants are...

I think the bigger problem for people with life threatening animal allergies is that pets are allowed in the cabin at all, which of course will be a big dilemma for them when choosing traveling plans ...

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I think this is good news..I worked for an airline for many years and animals should NOT fly in the hold.

Your bolded sentence scares me...it sounds like you've seen your share of problems...

 

[Pea-n-Me]

You draw the line between what is more important; human life/health or someone who can't be without fido or fluffy

I only know what is important to me and my family and that is what matters to me.

I don't believe this type of thinking is helpful, IMO.

You see it one way; someone else sees it another. And you both draw a line in the sand.

Wouldn't it be better to work together to find a solution?

There are people in this world whose pets are the most important thing in the world to them. Clearly unimportant to you, but completely what matters to them. So now what?

 

[Free4Life11]

Aside from service animals, I was so disgusted to see all the animals in the airport over Christmas. It was like a zoo! People walking their dogs as if it were a park. One took a crap right in the terminal. I have terrible allergies and would sure hope not to have to set near an animal an entire flight! I'm sorry, but unless you RELY on your pet for assistance, leave it with a friend or board it. Ohare was like a zoo! This really irritates me.

But only was I on a plane with a cat. The damn thing kept purring the entire flight it was driving me NUTS! It would not shut up...it's like slip it a benadryl, damn!

 

[TheZue]

Your bolded sentence scares me...it sounds like you've seen your share of problems...

There is no way I'd EVER let a pet ride in the hold. They occasionally go missing when they manage to escape. There is no temperature control, the flight I had last week there was ice forming on my window...in May...other times you might be on the tarmac for a long time when it's very hot. Then they do occasionally die in the hold. Best case scenario your pet survives but has a TERRIBLE trip. I'd drive before I put a pet in that position.

 

[sorul82?]

There are people in this world whose pets are the most important thing in the world to them. Clearly unimportant to you, but completely what matters to them. So now what?

For Christ's sake. A pet is an animal and a person is a human being! Clearly a difference; they are not interchangeable although it is clear that some people value animals more than humans. Are you that crazy cat lady with the sign in her yard that says "if you run over my cat, I'll run over your child"????

 

[RainbowBrite]

For Christ's sake. A pet is an animal and a person is a human being! Clearly a difference; they are not interchangeable although it is clear that some people value animals more than humans. Are you that crazy cat lady with the sign in her yard that says "if you run over my cat, I'll run over your child"????

Yes, a pet is an animal and a person is a human being. The fact is that whether its an animal or person, it's a live being. And while I wouldn't run over anyone's child (I'm a nanny, for goodness sake), I don't have any kids and our cats ARE like our children. It's not to say I value animals more than humans, but to me they are equal.

 

[sorul82?]

Yes, a pet is an animal and a person is a human being. The fact is that whether its an animal or person, it's a live being. And while I wouldn't run over anyone's child (I'm a nanny, for goodness sake), I don't have any kids and our cats ARE like our children. It's not to say I value animals more than humans, but to me they are equal.

And I greatly value your opinion. Of course they are both live beings, but humans do have more rights than animals.

BTW, we had to sadly pass by some free kittens in the Wal-Mart parking lot because DH is allergic to them. They were sooo cute, though. And, we just found out that our youngest DS is a little allergic to dogs. We have a dog, and the day before he broke out in hives, the dog had taken a nap on his bed.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

For Christ's sake. A pet is an animal and a person is a human being! Clearly a difference; they are not interchangeable although it is clear that some people value animals more than humans. Are you that crazy cat lady with the sign in her yard that says "if you run over my cat, I'll run over your child"????

No, I'm not that person.

I'm a hospital nurse who's seen people whose only joy in life is their pet.

Sometimes it's their whole reason for living.

So I'll say it again

There are people in this world whose pets are the most important thing in the world to them. Clearly unimportant to you, but completely what matters to them.

 

[MAH4546]

It 20+ years of frequent flying, I think I've seen exactly one cat on a flight. It just doesn't happen that often.

It absolutely happens often. My wife used to do consulting in the airline industry a few years back, and worked with one airline on pet fees. At the time (2003, I believe), approximately 40% of domestic U.S. flights on the "big 6" took off with at least one pet in the cabin.

 

[JessicaR]

I suspect that what some of the posters to this thread might think is what some of the posters to this thread might think is not what some of the posters to this thread might think.

Think about it.

I had to "diagram" the sentence before I posted it to make sure I was putting the words in the correct order.

I've got it! I think. You crack me up bicker.

 

[*Fantasia*]

My son 2, is highly allergic to peanuts and highly allergic to seafood. He is also allergic to dogs and cats. We carry epipen jr. wherever we go. I guess i just have to let the airline know not to be near any dogs and/or cats and no peanuts and seafood. The problem i see is that if he does get the allergy reation.. he has only 15 minutes to get to the ER after using epipen. I don't know how fast a plane can land and how far the hospital is. Life threatning it can be when flying.

 

[NotUrsula]

It absolutely happens often. My wife used to do consulting in the airline industry a few years back, and worked with one airline on pet fees. At the time (2003, I believe), approximately 40% of domestic U.S. flights on the "big 6" took off with at least one pet in the cabin.

The poster that you replied to specified a cat. As a rule, cats do not travel well by any means of transportation, and most owners prefer not to subject them to the inevitable trauma of a flight. I also fly frequently, and I've only seen a cat onboard once. It was sedated, which I'm sure was the only way that the owner managed to get it to tolerate the experience.

Dogs tend to manage the experience much better.

 

[bumbershoot]

There is no way I'd EVER let a pet ride in the hold. They occasionally go missing when they manage to escape.

My mom, when she was pg with me, had to go to FL (from CA) for her father's funeral. My dad, who was quite a bit of a jerk at the time, suddenly refused to watch their dog, a big Alaskan Malamute. So my mom had to pay to take him in the hold. They lost him. For hours and hours. Sent him somewhere completely different, and he went without water for who knows how long (since they didn't know where he was to give him more). They did finally find him, and she did have to take him back home after the funeral, but it was awful.



I'm really conflicted on this whole thing. I have had, in the past, life threatening allergy and asthma attacks. But I have also done quite a bit of work to boost my immune system and help make it more normal, so I don't have a body treating normal things as poison, and I don't use an inhaler anymore. So I know how scary it can be, but I know from personal experience that even a lifelong allergic person doesn't always have to stay an allergic person (*can*, not *everyone WILL come out of it*). And my mom, who could have life-threatening asthma in response to cats, owned big dogs, smoked from 15 to 35, and could actually be around and pet my brother's cats; she just wasn't allergic to them, though she was allergic to all *other* cats. Allergies are weird little things!

 

[ericamanda01]

Grumpy Gal:

A representative from Southwest told me that if you notify them about the allergy, then anyone with an animal (excluding service animals) will be bumped from the flight.

What do they do with people with service animals? Will they bump them or make the allergic one take another flight?