I can't wait to hear your detailed report. My hubby and I are a wreck about sending our 3 cats in cargo. He's already in England. The cats and I will be going in November.
We will be going to Heathrow. Anyone done that?
Thanks, Lena
Please don't fear cargo for you kitties! The reason why: this is what I was told by a person I hired to help me with the info on the whole PETS scheme -- the section of the cargo hold in which live animals are placed, is completely different from the luggage cargo section of the hold.
They don't put your pets in with the luggage, I was assured of this.
I was given this description: the animal cargo hold is like a little "room" all of it's own. It is supplied with the same air conditioning and heating that the passenger cabin receives, which means you will be breathing the same air and enjoying the same temperature control as your cats.
I'm not certain but I would extrapolate from that, also, that noise is similarly insulated also -- they won't be subjected to the either the freezing temperatures of the luggage hold nor the noise of the engines, since, being an air conditioned compartment, the insulation for that must dampen noise just like in our cabin.
I was told that they keep the lights out in the animal cargo compartment, too, so that the animals have darkness in which to quieten down and perhaps sleep if they can. The person helping me said the airlines found darkness to be more soothing to the animals than artificicial lighting.
This is all second hand information given to me by the animal transport person I hired, so I can't vouch for it personally. But she swore she had actually been inside one of these animal cargo areas and she said it struck her as so comfortable and peaceful there, that she would rather travel in there than in the cabin! That was good enough for me.
I'm not sure how much variance there is in these physical conditions, between airplanes and airlines, but I'm imagining what she told me is pretty much universal standard for animals having to go cargo. Airlines are apparently very conscientious about the comfort, well being and safety of animals on international / long flights, and don't just fling 'em in with the Samsonites to freeze at 35,000 feet.
I hope this helps you feel better about them going cargo -- it really is a "whole nother" type of cargo space they will be housed in, rest assured.
