Must Love Dogs
LaGuardia Airport, New York
I AM STANDING at the open door of my airplane, looking at three sheets of stickers a ramper, the Delta employee who loads bags in the cargo hold, has given me. These stickers indicate there are live animals being shipped and I am to give the sticker to the owner, verifying their dog in its kennel has been loaded on to the plane. I also always go into the cockpit just to confirm the pilots saw there are animals in the cargo hold on their paperwork as well. Live animals are kept in a heated, pressurized compartment. Your checked luggage is kept in a freezing cold, airless, unpressurized compartment which is why your hand lotion explodes when you open it after your flight.
Today, the dogs on board are different. Yesterday was the final day of the world renowned Westminster Kennel Club dog show held in New York every year. We are taking dogs who competed in the show back to wherever they came from. Normally in the passenger cabin, two small dogs are allowed to travel in a carrier in the first class cabin and four small dogs are allowed in coach, but today there is no limit. There are dogs in carriers everywhere. We have multiple dogs in first class and multiple dogs in the back. I have never seen so many dogs on board one airplane.
We also have a lot of large dogs being shipped in cargo, and that is why the ramper has given me sheets of stickers which are supposed to indicate the name and seat number of the owner so I can hand them the sticker and let them know their dog has been safely boarded down below. Today, my three pages of stickers have only the owner’s name and the number of dogs they checked. With no seat numbers, I have no way of knowing where these 30 people (out of 200 passengers) are sitting – all I know are their names. Departure time is quickly approaching. I call the captain and let him know I will be making announcements on the PA to match owners with dogs and if we depart late, I will “take the delay.”
On time departures are extremely important to an airline and departure statistics must be reported to the Department of Transportation. Every effort is made to close the door at departure time. We don’t have to be moving, we only have to close the airplane door for a departure to be on time. If something impedes an on time departure, someone will have to “take the delay.” Unfortunately, this can pit employee groups against each other. Gate agents love to blame flight attendants for a delay and flight attendants love to blame passengers.
Sometimes the delay is unavoidable, for example, if a passenger in a wheelchair shows up at the last minute needing extra time to get situated. A delay that is not excusable would be the flight attendants stopped to grab lunch at Popeye’s in the airport and got to the plane late, delaying boarding and possibly delaying departure. You can then expect a phone call from your supervisor.
I get on the PA and tell the passengers we are not leaving until everyone’s dog is accounted for. “Of course all pets are precious to their owners,” I say, “but these dogs are extra special. They are the champions of the Westminster Kennel Club dog show.”
I ask the passengers to ring their call light or raise their hand when I announce their name. “If I do NOT call your name, let me know immediately,” I say, and reiterate that we absolutely will not leave until everyone is assured their dogs are on board.
“Cox,” I say, “two dogs.” A call light goes off and a flight attendant runs the sticker to Passenger Cox. “Wolfe,” I say, “one dog.” The poodle owner gets her sticker. It is tedious but passengers and flight attendants are working together as quickly as we can. We finally finish and all the champions of Westminster in the cargo hold of my Delta jet are accounted for. “Cabin is secure,” I tell the anxious gate agent and we quickly close the aircraft door.
I thank the passengers for their patience and their cooperation. “Let’s go to Atlanta,” I say to the sound of cheers and applause. Once in Atlanta, passenger after passenger thanks me for the care and concern shown these treasured dogs.
I was happy to take the delay.
This is a great story, Ann! I can see how taking this delay was welcomed by passengers and the airline alike. It’s not every day that so many dogs (and show dogs) grace the cabin and the pet cargo hold of an airplane.
Jim, show dogs are impeccably well-behaved onboard. They are used to traveling ❤️🐾✈️
What a great story!!