Northwest Boosts Fees for Pet Transport

D E T R O I T, July 7 -- — Flying Fido and other pets checked as luggage onNorthwest Airlines soon could cost travelers $214 to $374 each wayunder the company’s plan to boost the rate from $75.

The new fees, to take effect July 18, would depend on theanimal’s weight and apply only for pets checked in as luggage, theMinnesota-based airline said. The fee for smaller pets carried onboard and stored beneath the seat in a small kennel will remain $75each way.

Additional Fees on a Sliding Scale

Under the new policy, Northwest still will charge the $75 fee,and based on the combined weight of the pet and its kennel, theadditional fees on a sliding scale will range from $139 for thesmallest pets to $299 for the largest.

Like other airlines, Northwest waives the fees for seeing-eyedogs, rescue dogs and other service animals.

The higher fees raise the possibility that passengers flying ondiscounted fares may pay several times as much to fly their petthan to fly themselves, the Detroit Free Press reported today.

For example, Northwest’s Web siteadvertised an advance-purchase fare to Chicago’s Midway Airport for $99 round-trip for travel in early August with a Saturday nightstay required. Checking a pet as luggage under the lowest weightcategory on that same trip would cost $428 round-trip. It wouldcost $150 round trip to carry the pet.

“It’s a service, and frankly it doesn’t come free. We have to recoup the cost,” Northwest spokeswoman Kathy Peach said. “People will always gripe when prices go up, but people have to look at what they’re getting.”

Safer Transport for Pets

In boosting its service to pet owners, Northwest has boughtthree air-conditioned vans, one for each of its hubs in Detroit,Minneapolis-St. Paul and Memphis. The vans will transport pets fromthe terminal to the aircraft on hot summer days.

Northwest also has assigned 18 workers to a pet detail, so thatsomeone trained to handle pets would always be on duty at any ofthe hubs.