Ok let me start with a cute picture of our first attempt to move (oh yes, it took more than one)
Ok here is what happened… be prepared it’s long….
DAY 1: WHAT A FUCKING NIGHTMARE! sorry for the profanity just today sucks. Heads will roll.
I get to the airport and they tell me there is no room on the flights for the dogs. BULLSHIT. It was reserved a month ago and the lady only entered the dogs weight and not the kennels as well so I was over my allotted weight. I scared the lady so bad she made someone’s package get pushed to another flight.
After getting the dogs checked the plane battery died. I wasn’t going to make my connection and the dogs would have been stuck in Denver for 27 hours. The dogs would have had to remain in their crates the entire time and oh yeah, Denver hates pit bulls. I threw a stink and said they had to rebook us for the next day since it would be the same second flight anyways. They tell me we are rebooked tomorrow so I breathed out.
I call the cargo place to confirm and oh wait no they aren’t, only I have been rebooked. In fact they would have returned Mesa and Baily from Denver because they never should have accepted them in the first place due to their illegal crates since they are pit bulls. When I said cargo approve the synthetic crates like is listed on the website they said “well some synthetic looks like plastic so we won’t take that anymore” I informed her that plastic is a synthetic and she got grumpy.
The cargo place then proceeded to rebook all the dogs even though they knew it would be an issue. We went to pick up the pups and Tori had freaked out so bad that she had made a mess everywhere.
I then had the chaos known and getting a refund and it’s a mess but I have been such a pain that I now have the Vegas cargo manager’s personal cell phone number and customer service is talking to them and accounting since I spent over 2 hours on hold already today. The lady finally got all the dogs refunded to me (even Tori).
So at this point I have Baily and Mesa on Alaska Airlines, Tori is too big so she is still on United with me and Big Carl and we are all set for the next day.
Oh and they didn’t unload my luggage so was somewhere in transit..
DAY 2: Due to having the dogs on two airlines, I now need two original health certs. I had called my vets office (she is on maternity leave) and they said no problem I could get it in the am. I went as soon as they opened and oh wait, all the vets refused to sign off. I had to come back later in the day with the dogs. OH WAIT I COULDN’T SINCE WE WERE BOOKED FOR MORNING FLIGHTS! I broke down crying and a vet took pity on me and signed the cert.
I get the three pups checked in with no issues (I walked into cargo and they said “Oh you’re the dog lady”), get through security, go to board the plane and find our that they never rebooked Big Carl. Went to the gate agent, made them pull up my original reservation and showed them how they dropped the ball on including him on the rebooking.
I get on the plane and watch them load Tori. Only they didn’t bring her in the climate controlled van as stated and they left her balancing on the belt unattended for over a minute. Good thing I recorded it because thats just more hell for them to pay.
ANYWAYS we finally made it to Alaska and if I ever have to fly the dogs again I am booking a private jet.
Holy frijoles! I would have been a WRECK and I would have had more than one profane word fly out of my mouth! Glad ALL of you made it safely!
I’m surprised that someone, somewhere hasn’t started an airline that is pet friendly and allows dogs on board. If someone doesn’t like dogs, don’t fly it! I’d definitely pay a larger fare in order to know that all my kids were safe with me!
I keep hearing one horror story after another about flying with dogs. One military family JUST got their dog flown to them, after the airline screwed up….resulting in their dog having to remain with friends for almost a year!
I agree with the above comment…we need an airline that caters to people traveling with their pets!
OH MY GOODNESS!! I can’t imagine dealing with all of that. I have never flown before & am thinking that is not such a bad thing. Glad that you all made is safe & sound (if not stressed out).
I recently started reading your blog, I always look for other people in the devoted dog world, and the photos make me smile every time.
Reading your post today had me gasping. Lord, if I saw my dog in crate on the conveyor belt, I cannot imagine how I would have reacted!
I take vallium just to get myself on the plane. My fear of planes makes me sit still in my seat and silently weep, yep, some lucky soul gets to sit next to me! I would pay double the rate if I could take my dog on the plane with me.
Then there would be the grey haired weeping lady clutching a surly chihuahua/jack russell who despises every member of humanity except me.
I was just going to complain about my day, but oooooh goodness…..
what an ordeal…. i can’t believe you didnt tear all your hair out. That is a nightmare.
So many customer service fails.
Breathe!! Oh, and hug the doggies!!
OMG! Poor you and your poor dogs. You chase them for as much compensation as you can get hun.
I hope all that trauma can be put behind you and you settle into your new home.
Oh MY Oh MY!! I am glad you ALL are in Alaska together. But Holy screw ups. I would never fly again. I have never flown and MOM said if she could not have me with her by her side, we would drive or something. I really am glad you are all safe and together. Look out airlines for the phone call to come about Tori. Lets start a dog friendly airline.
Blessings,
Goose
Hi Y’all,
Big Carl looks so cute peaking out of his Sherpa bag.
My Human says she has her paws, no I have my paws crossed, she is saying a prayer that y’all get there safely.
Y’all come back now,
Hawk aka BrownDog
Glad you all made it home. I hope you take videos of heads rolling! I also hope you will share any writing/ranting you do, so as dog lovers, we can pitch in and escalate the roar!
Welcome home!!!
I know of people who fly pets often, but it just seems like such a hassle. I am glad you made it OK.
Oh my word, momma would have been saying more HBO words than that!
Benny & Lily
Oh my gosh, what a nightmare! Poor Tori
I hope everyone is ok and without being traumatized.
Oh my goodness you had to put up with SO MUCH!!! I cannot even imagine how you made it through the day!! SO, SO happy to hear that you are ALL together safely in Alaska!! Have you ever heard of this organization?? http://pilotsnpaws.org/ I don’t know if they would help in your situation or not….but hopefully you will be staying put for awhile!! Now…BREATHE! xo Jeanne, Chloe and LadyBug
Tori’s kinda senior now, isn’t she? I hope she’s fine after what happened to her. Geez, these people make my blood boil.
What a fucking nightmare! I agree. This episode needs profanity.
I would need a sedative after all of this chaos.
btw – I purchased three glow in the dark collars from your recommendation. Thank you! My dogs are all three solid black and I cannot see them at night. Now, I can!
Glad you all made it safe. Good for you for not taking their crap!
My parents have been flying their shepherd twice a year across the country(on United) for the past 10 years and there has been an issue every single time. Once they actually put her crate with her in it on the regular belt where the luggage comes out and it fell over as it came out. Ridiculous.
I would be tempted to somehow get my dogs registered as service dogs if I ever had to fly them!
So glad you all made it through Denver (of all places!)
We have thought of you so much in the last couple of days. I’m so glad you have landed, you are all safe and sound, and hopefully ready to enjoy the beauty of Alaska and your new home.
Sam
hello kari its dennis the vizsla dog oh hay wow wot a nitemare!!! i hope i never ever ever hav to fly on a playn!!! i am glad yoo manadjd to bring those airlines to heel it duz not sownd like it wuz eezy at all!!! ok bye
Oh. My. Gosh. I’m glad u guys r all safe and hope u never have to do that again!
Holy smokes! Moving is a pain, but your story is just one thing after another. Glad you all made it there safe!
Holy crap…craziness. Glad you finally all made it though.
I read this and am pretty sure I was yelling out loud (at work) ‘what a cluster f*ck!’. I would have gone to the nearest ABC store and drank directly from the bottles, in the store. Glad this is behind you!
Goodness gracious! What an ordeal! I appreciate how authentic you are in your post about all the feelings you had – I, too, would have had many! “Two Pitties in the City” referred me to you for tips on flying with pups…. do you have any good resources/info for how to get your dogs ready for being on a plane? I don’t even know where to start with my Dazzle (50# Pit/Bulldog mix)…. Best of luck as you settle in – your pups are so lucky to have such an awesome (and persistent!) Mom!
This sounds completely awful. I honestly don’t know how you’re not in jail or wherever they take crazy people at the airport. I’m pretty sure I would be there still to this day. OMG. Thank god that’s over.
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