Per JonNYC of Traveling Better, American and US Airways aligned their pet policies three months ago.
- They adopted American’s pet in cabin policies for both carriers.
- Except that US Airways doesn’t accepted checked pets ‘due to aircraft cargo limitations’
- US Airways now offers American’s celebrity pet program.
Yes, seriously. American really does have a Celebrity Pet Program.
We occasionally allow “celebrity” pets to travel in the cabin under different rules. We used to transport the dog from Frasier quite often, for example, and we have handled other celebrity animals from time to time over the years. They are not covered by standard pet travel fees. But as noted, these seats were paid for.”
American also outfitted their Airbus 321Ts flying New York JFK – Los Angeles and San Francisco with a special place for pet in cabin transport in first class. The suites don’t have an underseat stowage area that meets the requirements of takeoff and landing. So there’s a compartment in front of the first row that’s specially ventilated.
This all makes good sense not just because of American’s substantial presence in the Los Angeles market but because they get a disproportionate amount of studio business as well.
To be clear though the Celebrity Pet Program, where they will sell a seat for a pet, requires that the pet itself be a celebrity.
Meanwhile the special aircraft accommodations for pets in first class out of LAX is marketed to celebrities with pets.
A subtle, but important distinction — and neither provides for emotional support pigs, unless the pig is also famous like Porky Pig or Miss Piggy.
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I’m a flight attendant for Delta and had the Target dog in a first class seat on my flight to Toronto. Extremely well behaved, the owner was very nice and let us pose for pictures and brought the dog up to sit in the cockpit. Did feel a bit weird, because we are taught over and over again the policies and why they are enforced – and then we have a dog sitting in a first class seat! I loved the experience, though.
With this celebrity pet program, all I can imagine is an irate customer yelling at the gate agent, “Don’t you know who my dog is?!?”
Which airline does the Geico pig fly?
So, what IS the American pet policy that US Air is now aligned with? Is this better or worse for us US Air fliers?
Seriously? My pets are celebs to me so should be treated the same.