As we announced yesterday, during the month of May we'll be featuring a series of Pet Friendly Airline Spotlights in preparation for vacation season. We know that many of you will be traveling with pets this summer, so it's the perfect time to examine some pet-friendly airlines and the services they offer.
This week we're turning the spotlight on JetBlue Airways, who has put some effort into establishing a pet program called JetPaws. JetBlue transports pets in the cabin only (so larger pets will have to find a different airline), but the small dogs and cats who end up on JetBlue have a host of amenities to look forward to.
We recently contacted Allison Steinberg, a JetBlue representative, and asked her a few questions about what a pet traveler can expect when they book a flight with this airline.
When did JetBlue begin flying pets?
The same time people began flying with us, at our inception back in 2000!
Why did JetBlue begin offering services to pet travelers?
We know how important pets are to our customers and how important it is to help transport them safely and comfortably. We strive to make the experience for our customers and their pets equally smooth.
In what regions do you provide service for pets?
In our entire network (domestic and international).
What special amenities do you offer for travelers with pets?
At JetBlue, pets ride in the cabin with their moms and dads and not in the cargo section of the plane. At some of our stations, including our state-of-the-art Terminal 5 at New York’s JFK, we have an accessible dog walking area.
Our TrueBlue, or rewards, members traveling with their pet will earn an additional 300 TrueBlue points for each pet fee paid. We also have some pretty jazzy pet accessories available for purchase.
Do you have any good pet travel stories?
We publish funny stories from our crew members and customers on our BlueTales blog. In particular, we had a fun story come in from a customer whose dog was listening to our XM Radio onboard.
In terms of amenities, what’s the best airport for travelers with pets? Why?
We boast a seamless travel experience for our customers and their pets at our state-of-the-art T5 at JFK. As mentioned above, we have an accessible dog walking area where owners can take their pets to stretch and use the “facilities” before their flight. Additionally, we offer a handy travel guide for our customers, outlining some of our pet-friendly cities and the whats, whens, wheres and hows of jetting with pets.
What’s the most common question your pet program representatives get asked about flying with pets? How do you answer it?
The most common question we get is how to book a pet on JetBlue. We direct customers to call our customer support line at 1-800-JETBLUE to book their pets.
What is the one thing you wish you could tell passengers who consider flying with their pets?
Check out JetBlue’s Checklist and Travel Petiquette guidelines to make traveling with pets even easier!
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Contact us if you're looking for assistance with your pet's move, and happy traveling everyone!