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Good evening,
If anyone can give me advice on pet travel to St. Croix, I would really appreciate it. I searched the board and saw that a number of people have brought in pets but I just had a rude awakening with American Airlines. My dog (85 lb Lab, 32 lb kennel) and I have reservations from Miami to STX on April 2. I live in Daytona Beach but followed the Settlers Guide advice to make it nonstop, so am driving to Miami. I told the agent the kennel size and approximate dog weight and was told it was noted on my e-ticket and I would need to pay $80 at check in, he would travel as baggage. I was looking at the AA site about any additional info and exactly what I would need on health certificate and saw that no more than 100 lbs total could be shipped as baggage and I would have to use AA Cargo. I called them and they said that STX does not have a cargo section and maybe I could go to STT and bring him over by boat!? But another area of their info says Puerto Rico and not travel to the Virgin Islands. I am at a loss-why wasn't this brought up when I made and paid for the reservation, does anyone know how we can get our dog here-this is a one way trip and move, my husband is already in STX. Thanks in advance for your quick replys, I will check back on the board or you can email me directly at [email protected]
Julie & Tim
Posted : March 22, 2004 9:28 pm
You can definitely get your buddy here to St Thomas on American. As you have discovered though, at a combined weight of 117 pounds with his kennel AA will not take him as baggage. They will take him as air cargo, which is much more expensive. (When I moved here last year, the original kennel I had put my dog over the limit by 3 pounds. If I hadn't been able to find a lighter kennel, it would have cost $800 to ship him via air cargo).
I don't exactly know how, but I assume there would be a way to ferry him from STT to STX. I'm sure someine canhelp with that part--seems like Parret Head goes back and forth to STX a lot.
Good luck.
Posted : March 23, 2004 8:11 am
stt wrote:
> I don't exactly know how, but I assume there would be a way to
> ferry him from STT to STX. I'm sure someine canhelp with that
> part--seems like Parret Head goes back and forth to STX a lot.
>
> Good luck.
Fastb Ferry doesn't allow animals to accompany passengers, but it does carry cargo, don't know if a dog in a kennel would be accepted. Give FF a call to find out.
PH
Posted : March 23, 2004 9:41 am
Topic starter
Thanks for the info stt and ParrotHead,
I am now flying to STT and the big dog is flying cargo at $475 instead of $80-ouch! Fast Ferry said they would take him on the ferry in his kennel so at least we can get to our new home now, although it will be a long day, the view will be great!
Thanks again,
Julie
Posted : March 23, 2004 8:22 pm
J & T wrote:
> Thanks for the info stt and ParrotHead,
> I am now flying to STT and the big dog is flying cargo at $475
> instead of $80-ouch! Fast Ferry said they would take him on
> the ferry in his kennel so at least we can get to our new home
> now, although it will be a long day, the view will be great!
> Thanks again,
> Julie
$475.00??? Is that one way or R/T? oops, I guess cargo usually is one way...maybe you could put poochie on a diet & be under that 100 lb limit...anyone heard of a Doggie Atkins Plan?
PH
Posted : March 23, 2004 10:15 pm
PH,
Actually $475 is a lot LESS than I was quoted 6 months ago--and J&T's dog and kennel are bigger and heavier than mine. Go figure!
Posted : March 24, 2004 7:23 am
Must be the reason the cheapest cut of beef on island is $3.99/lb regardless if it is for stew-cubes or steak...geeze I never get out of a gricery store for less than $80 bucks & that covers 2 days MAX for food!
PH
Posted : March 24, 2004 7:55 pm
Topic starter
I WISH he could have gotten on the Atkins plan--I could have afforded to make it up to him with lots of bones and treats later--but he could only stand to lose a few pounds or this lab would be a skinny hound, I have been running him a couple extra times a day though hmmmmm.... One note, American said it would be 50% off for anyone in the military but we don't qualify. stt, was that quote of $800 due to summer (may 15-Sept 15) restrictions? In that case, if we ever want to travel with him we might need to have a "skinny hound". When I get there, I think I will do a survey of all the airlines and their costs and policies and put it on the board cause it seems a number of people wanting to move here have pets.
J & T
Posted : March 26, 2004 3:52 pm
J & T
That sounds like a great idea (the survey). Very helpful to people.
Posted : March 27, 2004 9:18 am