Hi everyone and hope the new year has started off good for you and your
fuzzies.

We were hoping that everyone of the ferret community would get together
again and try to get this rule reversed as was done last July when it
was first encountered as a possibility. We, as I am sure many who fly
with their ferrets, were hoping that with the merger between Delta and
Northwest that we would actually have more options opened to us and
instead was shocked to learn that the opposite happened and we lost all
in-cabin opportunity.

As was stated in a post on the FML on 02-02-09, we also ran into a
similar problem with booking flights for a trip at Thanksgiving last
year (booked before the rule went into effect) and just before boarding
to leave were informed they would let us on due to the fact the ferrets
were actually listed on our reservation but that we may have trouble
coming back. Thank goodness we arrived at the returning airport early
as it took us about 30 minutes to get through but since we had flown in
with our two ferrets, they let us return with them. But if we hadn't
already traveled one direction, we would not have even been allowed on
with them.

This ruling is very disappointing and I hope we will be able to get it
reversed. We have never had any kind of incident with our ferrets and
flying (except in-cabin carrier size dispute locally--which the
under-the-seat carrier works on all flights/planes we have ever taken)
or heard of any actually taking place and as a matter of fact, many
airline workers throughout our trips are very curious about them and
enjoy them, so it is hard to understand what exactly is causing the
problem with Delta/Northwest or any airline for that matter to allow
these wonderful animals in cabin. We provide paperwork, secure travel
carriers and overall they don't cause any type commotion, noise or
disruption that we know of--our two sleep most of the trip. Besides,
they are making a fortune off us with tripling the cost one way for
them -- $150.00 (this is basically FREE money for them -- they don't
have to do anything except let us on the plane).

I look forward to joining others in writing to Delta or elsewhere to
reach the entire airline community to try and get this rule reversed
for all air travel. If nothing else, maybe someone will have to develop
an affordable private plane transportation for us to use--The Ferret
Express.

Best to all,
Kim

[Posted in FML 6233]