I need opinions PLEASE!
Submitted by Kymberlee and D... on July 20, 2012 - 1:41pmWe are planning our military move from Hawaii to VA next week and we have two options for flying Dreadnought to the west coast. Please give me some thoughts on the two options. Keep in mind that Dread isn't a good traveler and gets worked up when he is in his crate.
Option One
We have a ticket booked for Hawaiian from HNL to SF. THe flight leaves at 3:00 in the afternoon and arrives in SF at around 10:00pm. THe positives are that the weather will be good (not too hot) and I trust Hawaiian Airlines as we have several friends and family that are connected with Hawaiian. We also will have contact with the gate agent (friend) who can look out for him. THe negatives are that he might get really crazy in his crate and Hawaiian can refuse to put him on the plane. We also will not have our eyes on him for a least an hour or two before the flight and who knows how long when we land.
Second Option
We can fly a military (MAC) flight out of HNL and fly into Travis AFB. THe positives are that we can stay with the pooch until we board and we have more control over Dread until they put him on the plane. We will also deplane on the runway and will be able to watch them unload Dread and take him to the terminal. The negatives are the weather. We will land at about 3:00pm and it might be hot. I have been watching the weather for Travis AFB and it is all over the map. One day it is 80* and cloudy and will stay that way for a few days and then the weather shoots up to 90+* for a couple of days. The odds that he will be in that heat are small as I am sure they will take him off immediatly and move him to the terminal but what if something happens and we are stuck for any reason?
I am really freaking out about this and keep changing my mind and our plans. I thought I would throw it out to y'all and see what you thought. FOR THE RECORD, WE ARE IN THE MILITARY AND HAVE NO OTHER OPTION THAN TO FLY DREADNOUGHT OVER THE OCEAN. I DO NOT NEED TO HEAR IT ISN'T A GOOD IDEA: WE HAVE NO CHOICE. (just thought I would ge that out there)
We will be driving to Virginia from SF for anyone wondering how we are going to get across country. :-)
**********"Life is far too short not to have a little umbrella in your drink"**********
personally I would take option number 2..
just so I could be with him as much as possible and try to keep him calm. Just remember that if your energy is calm then so will his. Good luck on the move and things will work out all right. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed and the boys will be keeping their paws crossed. Please keep us updated on the move and flight.
Kim, Remy Le Beau, Lord Sebastian, and Sir Oliver
ay...quite the dilemma indeed
ay...quite the dilemma indeed but i'd go for the option where i can possible
see and be w/him as much as possible til you land...
Number 2, you can be with him and watch him more
also if it is warm at Travis he will only be in that weather for a few minutes.
Ashley, Baron and Duchess
Vancouver, Canada
travel safe ...
I agree, I would go with the 2nd option just so I could be there and see him through as much of the flight as possible. Have you considered talking to your vet to find out if he can give you something to calm him down while in-flight since you said he doesn't like the crate etc ? Hope all goes well both on the flight and the drive :)
Leesa, Diesel & Molly
P.S.
Thank You for your Military Service ... may you be safe in all that you do :)
Leesa, Diesel & Molly
is option 2 a cargo plane or passenger?
I've been on MAC flights, on the Cargo planes (C5 C141 and KC 135) (some on Jump seats) and they can be extreme temperatures - I flew out of hawaii in January, and it was VERY VERY hot sitting on the plane while it prepared for take off, we then landed in Plattsburg (Upstate NY) with about 10 feet of snow on the ground, and nearly froze our tails off, until we got into the terminal.
Now if its a 'regular' passenger plane, you wont have those worries.
Good luck... and we are all thinking of you. try to drop us a note when you have landed (if possible)
Last steps taken May 26, 2014 -- Been rolling along ever since . . . .
It's a regular passenger plane DC8 (I think)
NM
**********"Life is far too short not to have a little umbrella in your drink"**********
My Concern
with the first option is the 2 hours he is going to be where ever waiting to get loaded on the plane and he could sit on a hot runway for those hours.
I would personally take Option #2.
I would also start putting him the air crate as much as you can at home before the trip, with plenty of good chewy things, raw bones, frozen PB Kongs, etc.
I'd say option 2 also
he will spend the least amount of time out of your care that way.
Definitely use the cooling mat, a fan on his crate or one of those little mini-personal air conditioners.
Everythign I have read says vets do NOT recommend sedation, something about overheating being more of an issue then because they don't pant as effectively.
Good luck on your move! And I know why you posted the flying not optional message but it did make me smile. Considering how FAR of a swim that is, you really don't have much of an option except to fly over the ocean. :-)
Cathy and Audrey
Option 2 for me..unless it's a "regular" MAC flight...
we too have taken them and it's HOT but if it's a regular plane that is controlled go for it! I would worry more about him sitting a Hawaiian airlines and getting more worked up and then what if they decide he can't go on the plane??
didn't mean sedatives ....
I didn't mean to ask about "knock him out sedatives" I have a friend who works in a vets office, she gave my dad a sample of a homeopathic herbal tablet that was a calming tablet, it doesnt in any way sedate them its just used to calm your pet while traveling. You can also rub lavendar on the bottom side of his crate pad, lavendar is a calming agent used often to give a pet a nice calm environment. Sorry for the misunderstanding about my comment.
Leesa, Diesel & Molly