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| Founded | 2009 | |||
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| Fleet size | 20 | |||
| Destinations | 14 (as of April 2011)[1] | |||
| Company slogan | Travel For Your Best Friend | |||
| Headquarters | Delray Beach, Florida | |||
| Key people | Dan Wiesel (CEO) Alysa Binder (CDO) |
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| Website | http://www.petairways.com/ | |||
Pet Airways is an American company headquartered in Delray Beach, Florida, that specializes exclusively in air transportation of pets,using contracted small air carriers. [2][3] and claims to be the first airline designed specifically for pets.[4]
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The company was founded by Dan Wiesel and Alysa Binder, who got the idea when planning a trip with their dog.[5][6] The launch of the company was funded by a group of investors. In August 2010, the Company announced that it had combined with a public company through a share exchange with American Antiquities, and in October 2010 announced that it would be traded on the OTC BB as PAWS.
Operations commenced in 2009, flown by Omaha, Nebraska-based Suburban Air Freight who staffed and operated the aircraft and flights under their ICAO code SUB .[7] Suburban operated 19-seat, two-engine Beechcraft 1900s, which has the seats in the main cabin removed to make room for the pet carriers.[2] The cabin is pressurized and climate controlled.[2] Suburban stopped flying for Pet Airways in September 2011, and declined to elaborate on reasons.
Airfare starts at $150,[5][6][8] and is based on the pet's size and the distance traveled.[1] Flights can be booked online and the pets ("pawsengers", in their terminology) are checked in to a pet lounge at each airport at which the airline operates.[5] Owners can track their pets en-route via the website.[5]
Airline staff give all pets pre-boarding walks and bathroom breaks. During the flight, the pets are under the care of trained attendants, checked on at least every 15 minutes[1] for the flight's duration.[7]
The company launched its first weekly flight on July 14, 2009, serving nine US cities—New York City, Baltimore/Washington, D.C., Chicago, Omaha, Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta, Phoenix, Denver and Los Angeles. In April 2011, it announced addition of three Texas destinations (Dallas, Houston and Austin), St. Louis, and Orlando, Florida.[1] but did not commence service. Pet Airways announced plans to expand to 25 cities by late 2011.[9]
As of April 2011 Pet Airways flies to 14 destinations:[1][10]
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