(CNN) -- Authorities were investigating the deaths of seven dogs after an American Airlines flight to Chicago.
Flight 851 was an hour late taking off from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Tuesday morning, according to Mary Frances Fagan, director of corporate communications for American Airlines. The flight arrived at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport at 8:54 a.m. with 14 dog kennels on board.
All the dogs on Flight 851 were "bound for other locations," Fagan said. When ramp workers began the process of moving the dogs to the other flights, they noticed the animals looked "lethargic." They tried to cool them down. The animals were taken from the airport to a veterinarian, Fagan said. Seven dogs later died.
The incident was under investigation. The dogs are being necropsied. The airline said it has drawn no conclusions on what happened.
"We normally transport 100,000 or more every year. We certainly do value pets that our customers have as well as our own," Fagan said.
The American Airlines website details rules for accepting dogs and cats on aircraft. Among them: "Temperature restrictions have been established to ensure animals are not exposed to extreme heat or cold in the animal holding areas, terminal facilities, when moving the animals between terminal and aircraft or on an aircraft awaiting departure."
The airline's website says pets cannot be accepted when the current or forecasted temperature is warmer than 85 degrees at any location on the itinerary.
The Dallas Morning News reported the temperature at Tulsa International Airport was already 86 degrees at 7 a.m. before the plane's departure, and 87 degrees at 8 a.m.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
I am a Travel Agent. A customer inquired this morning about transporting a dog alone. I am so glad I directed him to other alternatives than the airlines.
I am a Travel Agent. A customer inquired this morning about transporting a dog alone. I am so glad I directed him to other alternatives than the airlines.
I AM AN AIRLINE EMPLOYEE, IT SEEMS LIKE THE AGENT THAT CHECK THESE ANIMALS IN AT THE COUNTER DID NOT FOLLOW THE FAIRLY STANDARD RULES OF ANIMAL TRANSPORT IN THE CARGO BIN. IN GENERAL TEMPS ABOVE 85 DEGREES AT ANY POINT FROM DEPARTURE TO DESTINATION, THE ANIMAL SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED, IT IS VERY EASY FOR THE AGENT TO HAVE CHECKED THE PROJECTED WHETHER ON THE COMPUTER. BUT I MUST STRESS THAT PASSENGERS SHOULD CHECK WITH THE AIRLINE ABOUT IT RULES FOR ANIMAL TRANSPORT BEFORE MAKING THIER DECISSION. PLZ NOTE THAT TEMPS BELOW 32 DEGREES IS THE CUT OFF AT THE OTHER END OF THE SCALE. THESE RULES ARE THERE FOR THE ANIMALS PROTECTION AND SHOULD BE FOLLOWED, MOST HOLDING AREAS ARE NOT TEMP CONTROLLED, SO THE OUT SIDE TEMP THAT YOUR FAMILY PET IS SUJECT TO PRIOR TO DEPARTURE OR AT THE CONNECTING CITY , ESPECIALLY DURING A DELAY COULD BE QUITE HARSH
I AM AN AIRLINE EMPLOYEE, IT SEEMS LIKE THE AGENT THAT CHECK THESE ANIMALS IN AT THE COUNTER DID NOT FOLLOW THE FAIRLY STANDARD RULES OF ANIMAL TRANSPORT IN THE CARGO BIN. IN GENERAL TEMPS ABOVE 85 DEGREES AT ANY POINT FROM DEPARTURE TO DESTINATION, THE ANIMAL SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED, IT IS VERY EASY FOR THE AGENT TO HAVE CHECKED THE PROJECTED WHETHER ON THE COMPUTER. BUT I MUST STRESS THAT PASSENGERS SHOULD CHECK WITH THE AIRLINE ABOUT IT RULES FOR ANIMAL TRANSPORT BEFORE MAKING THIER DECISSION. PLZ NOTE THAT TEMPS BELOW 32 DEGREES IS THE CUT OFF AT THE OTHER END OF THE SCALE. THESE RULES ARE THERE FOR THE ANIMALS PROTECTION AND SHOULD BE FOLLOWED, MOST HOLDING AREAS ARE NOT TEMP CONTROLLED, SO THE OUT SIDE TEMP THAT YOUR FAMILY PET IS SUJECT TO PRIOR TO DEPARTURE OR AT THE CONNECTING CITY , ESPECIALLY DURING A DELAY COULD BE QUITE HARSH
THE AIRLINE AGENT SHOULD HAVE KNON THE RESTRICTIONS ON ALLOWING ANIMALS TO TRAVEL IN THE CARGO BIN..ALL AIRLINES HAVE RULES REGUARDING TEMP..AND FOR THE MOST PART BETWEEN 32 AND 85 DEGREES. AT ANY POINT DURING TRAVEL,,MEANING THE AIRPORT DEPARTURE CITY..CONNECTION CITY AND FINAL CITY.. BUT I SUGGEST THE PASSENGERS ASK THE AIRLINE BFORE MAKING THESE TRAVEL PLANS FIRST. MOST RULES INCLUDE PAPER WORK ON THE DOG,,SHOTS ,AND A VETS LETTER STATING IT IS OK FOR PET TO TRAVEL, THE ANIMAL CAN NOT BE IN DESTRESS,OR HAVE INFECTIONS, MOST BE AT LEAST 12 WEEKS OF AGE. A CARRIER THAT THE ANIMAL CAN STAND UP IN AND MOVE AROUND , A BAGGIE OF FOOD AND WATER BOWL IN THE EVENT OF DELAYS. ETC... I WORK FOR AN AIRLINE..AND I KNOW THAT FOR SOME PEOPLE THEIR PETS ARE THEIR CHILDREN
Post a Comment