Alaska Airlines Halts Pets in the Baggage Hold On Dozens Of Routes As Extreme Cold Disrupts Travel Plans

Alaska Airlines has placed an embargo on pets being carried in the cargo on flights to and from 22 airports across the United States due to the continued cold weather, and the ban couldn’t come at a worse time for exhibitors taking part in the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City.

The embargo was put into effect between January 27 and January 28 and will run through February 1 for airports like Atlanta Hartsfield and Kansas City, or all the way through to February 3 for many other airports, including New York JFK and Philadelphia.

In a message posted to its website, Alaska Airlines said: “Due to cold weather conditions, animals traveling in the baggage compartment will not be accepted on flights arriving or departing.

Pets traveling in the cabin are still being accepted on all eligible flights, but there are some obvious situations where this isn’t suitable for all pet owners.

Alaska’s ‘pet’s in cabin’ policy allows passengers to bring a small dog, cat, or domesticated rabbit into the cabin, as long as it can stay in an approved pet carrier measuring no more than 17″ x 11″ x 9.5″ for the duration of the journey.

Pets must be at least eight weeks old, fully weaned, and of a calm enough demeanor to travel without making excessive noise.

Passengers can each bring up to two pets on board, although the second pet must be stowed underneath an adjacent seat at an additional cost. Alaska Airlines generally allows a maximum of three pets in the First Class cabin and eight in the Main Cabin.

If a pet doesn’t meet this extensive list of criteria, then passengers are required to transport them in the cargo hold of the plane – unless, of course, the animal is a ‘service animal,’ in which case larger dogs are permitted so long as they don’t exceed the footprint or personal space of the passenger’s seat or foot area.

While pets in the cabin cost just $100 per animal, Alaska Airlines recently jacked up the price for pets in the baggage compartment to $200 per animal. Even so, that’s a small price to pay to get your loved pet safely to its destination.

Unfortunately, it appears that Alaska Airlines isn’t sure whether it can guarantee that pets can be safely transported, given the extreme cold weather across the United States.

And that’s not because of what might happen on board the plane. After all, the baggage compartment can be heated for the exact purpose of transporting animals, but there are likely concerns that pets could be left outside in the freezing cold while bags are being loaded and unloaded on the plane.

The caution from Alaska Airlines is understandable, but it couldn’t come at a more inconvenient time for exhibitors who are hoping to show their dogs at the 150th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, which takes place in New York City between January 31 and February 3.

The full list of airports with an embargo on pets traveling in the cargo compartment includes:

• Atlanta (ATL) – Between January 27 and February 1.
• Baltimore (BWI) – Between January 28 and February 3.
• Boston (BOS) – Between January 28 and February 3.
• Chicago O’Hare (ORD) – Between January 28 and February 3.
• Cleveland (CLE) – Between January 28 and February 3.
• Columbus (CMH) – Between January 28 and February 3.
• Detroit (DTW) – Between January 28 and February 3.
• Washington Dulles (IAD) – Between January 28 and February 3.
• Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky (CVG) – Between January 27 and February 3.
• Indianapolis (IND) – Between January 27 and February 3.
• Kansas City (MCI) – Between January 28 and February 1.
• Milwaukee (MKE) – Between January 28 and February 3.
• Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) – Between January 21 and February 3.
• Raleigh (RDU) – Between January 27 and February 1.
• Nashville (BNA) – Between January 27 and February 1.
• New York JFK – Between January 28 and February 3.
• Newark (EWR) – Between January 28 and February 3.
• Omaha (OMA) – Between January 28 and February 1.
• Philadelphia (PHL) – Between January 28 and February 3.
• Pittsburgh (PIT) – Between January 28 and February 3.
• St Louis (STL) – Between January 28 and February 1.
• Washington National (DCA) – Between January 28 and February 1.