Flying with Fido and other 'pet' problems

Part 2 of 2

During the past 12 months, readers' airline-related letters landed on my desk with more regularity than many scheduled flights landed at O'Hare.

Last week, we shared the two leading complaints: lost luggage and security pat downs. But those aren't the only problems that get travelers down when they're up in the air. Here are few more travel concerns that create turbulence with some of our readers:

• Flying with pets.

Don R. writes: "We often read your articles and are always informed, many times amused and always appreciative. Now for one that has been bothering me for some time. Why do airlines charge so much for traveling with a carry-on pet? Delta charges $50 each way and United and American charge $85. No one has to even touch the animal and it sits under the seat in front of me. On a recent trip I paid $165 for my ticket and I had to pay $170 for my small dog, who didn't even take up a seat."

Animals on aircraft is one of the airlines' "pet" problems. Over the years, they've taken a lot of heat from animal-rights groups about the conditions and treatment of animals on the fly. The government now requires all incidents to be reported and certain levels of care to be required.

Consequently, when the fur flies it costs the airline time and money. So, many of them try to discourage owners from traveling with their pets by making it expensive. Some carriers, such as Southwest, only allow therapy animals onboard.

But the short answer to why the airlines charge so much for traveling with pets is … because they can.

• Packing luggage.

Judy V. writes: "We enjoyed your article on 'making packing a thought-provoking process' and would like to share with you one of the tricks we have used in the past when packing -- especially for overseas travel. Everyone we know has some well-worn clothing they have kept for much longer than they should have. We splurge and buy replacement garments before we travel. But we pack those worn things. Then we use them and dispose of them during our travels. This not only gives us new clothing when we return, but it also gives us room in our luggage to pack souvenirs from our journey."

Because you don't have to worry about losing your family jewels, this kind of packing not only saves space, but also peace of mind.

Ticket agent Jay Black takes it one step further. He buys a suitcase and his travel wardrobe at a thrift shop before he travels. He drops his trousers and everything else as he goes. His goal is to return home with an empty bag. But if it gets lost and never returned, he doesn't really care.

• Shoes and security.

Barbara B. writes: "I don't mind taking my shoes off, even though it is a hassle. But everyone does the same thing and there is no protective covering offered for the feet. Many people have foot or nail diseases such as athlete's foot. Proper foot coverings should be provided and travelers should be instructed to keep them with them when they travel."

Walking barefoot where so many others have trod before can't be sanitary. Some frequent fliers pack slipper socks in their handbags for that very reason.

There are a few airports that actually provide disposable slippers at their security checkpoints. But when you consider the millions of people passing through airports every day, this service would become incredibly expensive. And we all know in the end who would foot the bill.

Gail Todd, a free-lancewriter,worked as a flightattendant for more than 30years. She can be reached viae-mail at gailtodd@aol.com.