There have been several questions regarding which airlines do allow them
and if the cargo hold is pressurized and climate controlled.
 
All cargo holds, especially ones that tranport animals, must be climate
controlled and also pressurized.  The animals on some airlines are placed
in a mini cabin similiar to ours but specially made for the animals.
 
Airlines that do fly ferrets are Midwest (domestic only), US Air
(domestic and very limited), United (domestic and international), Delta
(domestic and international), Quantas (only international) and there is
another one but it is strictly international and I can never pronounce
the name let alone if I remembered it, spell it.  I do not speak German
well and spell it even worse.
 
I have flown ferrets in all these airlines and have found United and
Midwest to be the best ones.  We flew ferrets in from Australia via
Quanta the first time and they were stressed out and the 2nd time we flew
United and those ferrets didn't even seem phased by the flight.  I have
flown Midwest and taken them with me.  Midwest, gives you a ticket stub
everything they take them off and reboard them.  Also they allowed me to
go down and recheck them myself.  Of course I had to take the ferrets out
and they turned the cage upside now, literally, to check for concealed
weapons, nonetheless, they allowed me to check on them.  Also you can go
to the service desk or call them when they should be changing planes and
ask them to check on them for you.  They radio down to the cargo hold and
check on them.
 
I have had some terrible experiences and good.  I have had more good
experiences than i have had bad.  The airlines are always improving.  I
have also flown ferrets with me personally on airlines (like American)
that allowed you to seat them with you but after all the turbulence that
flight had, the carrier under my seat moved around way too much.  It
scared me because in the cargo hold, they latch the carriers down so
that they don't move about.  The carrier under my seat slid and popped
up and down.  Needless to say, that ferret was not happy when I got home.
 
I have also had ferrets brough in by Train (worst idea ever) and by
vehicle transport (bad idea for long travel and not so bad for short
travel).  Most vehicle transports, do not stop as often as someone might
that is bringing their own ferrets.  Also most transports only have one
person and if they are transporting other animals, they tend to pay more
attention to larger animals.  Also I have had more heat stroke animals
from a vehicle transport than I have had problems with flying ferrets.
Though I do have friends that come from the Midwest that travel and they
stop every couple hours and check on the ferrets and my ferrets have
arrived in good condition.  But my experience has been that unless you
know the person and you know they are going to check on the ferrets every
couple hours without fail, then you are better off flying for a long
distance.
 
In the past, I contracted a company to transport two ferrets to a
woman in Oklahoma and the ferrets never got there.  The numbers were
disconnected and they have not found this woman yet.  She was a small
independent company (prior to 9/11/01) and she gave me her numbers to
contact me to check on them.  She seemed legit, others used her for dogs
and cats.  I was the first ferret transport but nonetheless, she seemed
sincere.  I felt like I was living in a nightmare.  I never would have
thought anything like that could or ever would happen.  But it did.  So
I am leary of pet transport unless i personally know the person.
 
Please no flames, these are my experiences and opinions.  I am sure
everyone has had different experiences.  But please be careful no matter
what why you choose to travel with your pets.  Anything could happen.
Thank you for your time and consideration.  For those of you that will
be at the June Show, I will see you there and others that will be at
our July 17th Speciality Show, I will see you there.  (If anyone needs
to register their ferrets for our July Show you can register at
http://pages.ivillage.com/losbabyregistration/ and if you register by
July 1st, take $1 off each ferret's total entry cost.  The cost to enter
is $10 for one and $8 for multiple entries.  All proceeds are going to
help fund the testing for our distemper and rabies shots.  Also you can
register at the June Show if you are going.  Hope to see you there).
 
Sincerely,
Dawn Smith, Vice President
Legion of Superferrets
[Posted in FML issue 4548]