May 24
2011

The problem is getting your pet to the destination. In recent years, transporting pets on commercial flights has grown more complicated and more expensive. All major carriers have significantly raised the fees they charge for bringing pets onboard, matching, or in some cases, surpassing, the $100 surcharge each way they typically charge for children flying alone. Fees vary depending on whether the pet flies under your seat, or as checked baggage or cargo, which involve extra handling. American, Delta, United and Continental charge $125 each way for pets in the cabin. United charges the most for pets traveling as checked baggage: $250 each way or $500 round trip.

Pet safety has also become a more pressing issue. Incidents of animals being lost, injured or dying have recently risen. Thirty-nine animals died while flying aboard commercial jets in the United States last year, compared with 22 in 2009, according to the Department of Transportation. Thirteen were injured and five were lost. Delta was responsible for a significant portion of the increase, with 16 deaths and 6 injuries in 2010, compared with 3 deaths and no injuries the previous year.

While those numbers are a small percentage of the hundreds of thousands of animals flown by the airlines each year, they expose the dangers that pets may face while traveling. Not that airlines dont anticipate risks. Carriers typically will not accept pets as checked baggage or cargo when the temperature is forecast to exceed 85 degrees or fall below 20 degrees at any location on the animals itinerary. Also, many airlines will not accept snub-nosed pets, like bulldogs or Persian cats, as cargo since they are prone to breathing problems. Delta, for instance, which reported several bulldog fatalities last year, has changed its policy and now bans the breed from its planes.

Mixed breeds can also be turned away as Bruce Max Feldmann learned when he and his 70-pound mutt, Chicha, an American Staffordshire terrier cross, showed up at the American Airlines ticket counter for a flight from San Francisco to Leoacute;n, Guanajuato, Mexico, earlier this year. When he called the airline to confirm the reservation, he was told that the only requirements for his dog were that the carrier and animal meet a 100-pound weight limit and that the pets vaccinations be current. But the check-in agent said that not only was his dog on the list of restricted breeds, but that the pet carrier was also too big for the plane.

I was shocked and angry, said Mr. Feldmann, a retired veterinarian from Berkeley, Calif., who was rebooked the next day on a United flight to Los Angeles, where he transferred to an Alaska Airlines flight to Guadalajara, a three-hour drive from Leoacute;n. The ordeal ended up costing him an extra $978 ($528 for a last-minute, first-class ticket on Alaska, and $450 for a car from Guadalajara to Guanajuato). American points out that it lists restricted breeds and carrier dimensions on its Web site under Traveling with Pets.

Despite such inconveniences, airlines say they are going out of their way to be pet friendly. Delta has climate-controlled holding areas for pets shipped as cargo that are connecting at its hubs in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Dallas and Salt Lake City. JetBlue has a frequent-flier program for pets called JetPaws that allows customers to earn extra miles when flying with a pet. And last year Frontier Airlines, in response to demand, began accepting small pets in the passenger cabin for the first time for a fee of $75 each way. Previously it had transported pets only as baggage.

If you are considering putting your pet on a plane, here are a few tips to smooth the process.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT CARRIER Requirements vary by airlines and size of plane, so make sure you know what those requirements are before you arrive at the airport. Delta says maximum carry-on kennel dimensions are determined by your flight, so you must contact reservations to determine the appropriate size. The maximum size for cabin pet carriers on American is 19 inches long by 13 inches wide by 9 inches high. Animals must be able to stand up, turn around and lie down in a natural position in the kennel. Sherpa Pet Group, known for its pet carriers (from $40 to $156) offers a program that guarantees that its carriers are compliant withairlinerules and will refund the cost of yourairline flight and your petstravelfee to those who sign up at Flygob.com.

BOOK EARLY Airlines limit the number of pets in the cabin, so dont wait until the last minute to book.

PREPARE YOUR PET FOR TRAVEL Cesar Millan suggests taking the time to acclimate your pet to the carrier by placing it on the floor of the car so the pet can feel the vibration as it will on a plane. Mr. Millan also recommends using lavender oil as an association scent to help the pet relax on the plane. At feeding times and before walks, place a drop of the oil on your hands and let your dog pick up the scent. Once onboard, the positive association will allow him to calm down and remain relaxed, Mr. Millan explained. Finally, Mr. Millan said, take your dog for an extra-long walk or run to help drain his energy before the flight. The more tired he is, Mr. Millan said, the more likely he will be to sleep and relax during the flight.

CHECK OUT PET AIRWAYS Based in Delray Beach, Fla., Pet Airways began offering pet-only flights in 2009 and currently serves nine destinations across the United States, including Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Fort Lauderdale. The airline recently announced plans to fly to Orlando, Fla.; St. Louis; Houston; Austin, Tex.; and Dallas this summer. Pets fly in a climate-controlled passenger cabin, outfitted with individual crates instead of seats, where a flight attendant checks on the animals every 15 minutes. Fares begin at $99 each way from New York to Baltimore, $199 from New York to Chicago and $249 from New York to Fort Lauderdale. After landing, pets are given a potty break, and can be picked up by their owners at the airlines Pet Lounge at the airport.

GIVE YOUR PET ITS OWN VACATION There are a growing number of kennels (including some near airports) with upscale pet amenities from bone-shaped wading pools to pet cams so that owners can log onto the Web and catch a glimpse of their cat or dog at play. Best Friends Pet Care Inc., a chain of 42 boarding centers in 19 states across the country, offers tiered accommodations from standard rooms (about $30 a night for dogs and $19 for cats) to VIP. suites ($60 to $70) complete with flat-screen TVs, webcams and a roster of add-ons like chewy treats for dogs ($2), cookies and milk for cats ($4) or cuddling ($8 for 10 minutes). Similarly, PetSmart, the pet-store chain, offers PetsHotels, equipped with Poochy Cots, TVs tuned to animal shows and special ventilation systems so the dogs and cats dont smell one another. The average boarding rate is about $30 a night for dogs and $17 a night for cats.

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Trackback  •  Posted in Traveling  


May 24
2011

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The Middle Easts burgeoning aviation sector is becoming increasingly concerned about improving productivity and implementing environmentally sustainable technologies; a trend that highlights the regions development as one of the most sophisticated aviation hotspots across the globe, notes Juergen Strommer, Managing Director Cavotec Middle East. The Dubai-based company is the regional sales office of the Cavotec global engineering group.

We see our customers all over the region seeking to constantly enhance safety, efficiency and productivity. The demand for reliable, flexible and sustainable solutions illustrates a developing trend here. In the past, there was a tendency to install systems used elsewhere in the world in mature markets such as Europe. Increasingly however, we clearly see the Middle East as becoming the first region in the world to adopt new designs and products based on many parameters to suit local weather conditions, Strommer adds.

A classic example is the newly developed Cavotec Pre-Conditioned Air system (PCAir). This technology is used to supply cold, dry air to aircraft at sub-zero temperatures. Temperatures as low as minus 20deg;C (for dry air) are necessary to cool A380 (Code F) aircraft during the summers in the Gulf, a requirement that Cavotecs PCAir system alone is capable of meeting. Bahrain Airports Company, following comprehensive product studies and analyses, chose to implement this solution. We see similar interest from other major hubs in the region including Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait, Strommer says.

Another positive indication that the regions aviation sector is blossoming into a global leader is the continued expansion among airports in the Middle East. Airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia all have development plans ongoing and have largely avoided any impact from the recent global economic turndown.

Keeping their need for a greener and more productive ramp operation in mind, airports are increasingly embracing our pop-up pit solutions over conventional ground support equipment, Strommer says.

This has also enabled Airports to expand and improve their capacities. Our under-floor solutions reduce the number of trucks and service vehicles required to service aircraft, thus reducing accidents, emissions, and maintenance costs, Strommer explains. Cavotec now offers a wide range of solutions to the fuelling industry as well.

Three years ago, Cavotec acquired two leading aviation fuelling equipment manufacturers: Dabico (UK and US) and Meyerinck (Germany). These companies have been fully integrated into the Cavotec group, and are experiencing very healthy order bookings from Cavotec sales offices around the world, including the Middle East where we won a second significant contract with the New Muscat International Airport for Cavotec Dabico fuel hydrant pits, he says.

This contract follows an earlier AED 15 million deal with the New Muscat International Airport for pop-up pits.

The safety and ergonomic characteristics of Cavotecs fuelling products have won numerous new customers in the region.

In addition to orders for a large number of our pantograph units for loading and unloading trucks at various fuel farms recently, we have also supplied our one hand lift easy access covers to Doha, and we are expecting similar interest from other airports in the region.


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Trackback  •  Posted in Product Studies  


May 24
2011

On Tuesday V8 Supercar chairman Tony Cochrane announced a $300 million deal that will change the face of the sport forever.

Under the new deal, capital investment firm Archer Capital will own 60 per cent of the category through its new Australian Motor Racing Projects company, while the 18 teams and Cochrane will retain ownership of the other 40 per cent. Founding investor Sports Entertainment Ltd has sold its stake in the category.

What will the deal mean for the sports future?

Cochrane has made it clear that little will change in the way the sport is managed, with the current management team to stay in place.

There will be a new board of directors, with Cochrane becoming chairman, two teams representatives (Brad Jones and Roland Dane) and two AMRP representatives. There are also plans in place for the establishment of a V8 Supercars Commission, which will look after rules, regulations and race formats. More details on the structure of the commission will be released in June, putting it well ahead of the NRL schedule to institute an independent commission for overseeing future contracts.

The biggest change for fans will be an expansion to the race calendar in an effort to include more overseas races; this will allow management to negotiate a stronger television rights deal when the contract is up next year, plus allow for more foreign investment in the sport.

At Tuesdays press conference, Cochrane took the opportunity to announce there are already plans in place to expand the series to 18 events by 2013, with two or three new international venues.

Currently the V8 Supercar Championship comprises 14 rounds, with a street race in New Zealand and a race in Abu Dhabi at the Yas Marina circuit.

Some of the countries that have been mentioned as possible V8 Supercar destinations have included India, China, Singapore, Qatar and the United States. The class is able to visit up to six countries outside of Australia as part of its FIA standing as an international class.

While the extra races may be overseas, will the new deal provide much more racing for fans?

Is there any downside?

Archer Capital has not put this money in as a gift to Australian motorsport – it will expect to see a return on its investment.

While for the most part anything that increases the revenue streams of V8 Supercars will be good for the sport, there may be times when these two are at odds.

The most obvious example will be the next TV rights negotiation, which will be brokered for the 2013 season. If a network is willing to fork out big dollars for the rights, yet push the racing to an unfavourable timeslot (similar to the way Channel Seven used to treat the Australian Touring Car Championship), it is hard to see the new board knocking back the offer.

Fortunately, with Channel Seven already making an increased commitment to AFL from next year, it is more likely Channel 10 will make a serious bid for the V8s and restore motorsport as the centrepiece of its sporting schedule.

The only other downside will be the potential for some circuits to fall off the calendar. If Winton, Symmons Plains or Barbagallo ever cease to be financially viable, they will be much more likely to be cut from the schedule in favour of venues that turn a greater profit.

As with all things, time will tell as to whether motorsport fans will be better or worse off under the new arrangement.

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of BigPond Sport.

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Trackback  •  Posted in Sports Entertainment