Air Canada Says Pets Are Cargo

Air Canada's proposed pet policy will require animals to travel as air cargo, not in the baggage compartment of the plane. Service animals need proper papers.

The article Air Canada and Pets Who Fly describes Air Canada's two recent policy changes about flying pets.

Service animals are not affected by these policy changes, although in the article I pointed out that if a service animal doesn't have the right documentation, and ends up getting treated as a pet, the result could be rather unsatisfactory. That is a hypothetical worry, but the point is that when pets were allowed in the cabin, it didn't matter if the service animal's paperwork was totally in order. Now it seems essential.

Right now (July 12, 2007), there is a complaint pending before the Canadian Transportation Agency, from someone who feels it is unfair that Air Canada will no longer take pets as checked baggage. According to a press report, the complainant is concerned about the cost of shipping a pet as cargo.

I am not an expert on the Canadian Transportation Agency. I looked up one of their recent decisions on another complaint about Air Canada and pets, where the complaint was also about Air Canada charging too much to carry pets. Air Canada won. Who knows whether that case is similar to the present one, but it did appear that the cost argument was not a particularly strong one.

If there are other grounds for challenging Air Canada's proposed rule change, now would be a good time for concerned people to make their feelings known to the Canadian Transportation Agency.

The reason Air Canada made its September 2006 policy change, which said pets could no longer travel as carry-on baggage, was because of complaints from people with allergies.

The reason Air Canada says the new July 2007 policy change is being made is to allow for more room in the baggage area. As the limits on carry-on baggage have become more strict, more people are wanting to check more luggage, apparently. Putting pets in the baggage compartment takes up a lot of space which could be devoted to bags.

The devil's advocate in me wants to see the evidence. In particular I want to see proof that there is less carry-on baggage coming into the cabin of the plane and more going into the hold. I find it's just as crowded in the cabin as ever, and I am the only passenger who has learned that bags can indeed be checked. Harrrumph.