Archive for the 'Travel with Pets' Category
JetBlue cuts fares for pets by half
August 6, 2009 8:18am
JetBlue is rolling out the grass carpet for jet-setting pets and their owners next month, when the airline teams up with Petco to offer four-legged customers a 50% fare discount.
“There are currently great flight deals out there for our two-legged customers, but we didn’t want our four-legged customers to be left out either,” said JetBlue spokesman Bryan Baldwin.
The deal, available on flights from Sept. 1 to Sept. 30, cuts the usual $100-per-flight fee for dogs and cats to $50. To receive the discount, flights must be booked by Aug. 31; reservations can be made by calling 1-800-JETBLUE (538-2583). Customers must use a special promotional code, which is available at any of Petco’s 950 U.S. stores or by visiting www.petco.com/letsgo.
JetBlue accepts up to four small dogs or cats in the cabin of aircraft on domestic and international flights; the combined weight of the pet and carrier must not exceed 20 pounds. The airline’s JetPaws program provides pet owners with travel guidelines, and owners receive two bonus award points for each flight through JetBlue’s loyalty program. Information is available at www.jetblue.com/jetpaws
— Rosemary McClure/Special to The Times
Photo: Fido is ready to fly. Credit: Courtesy of JetBlue
Roundup: Caspian Airlines crash in Iran; 7.8 earthquake off coast of New Zealand; most pet-friendly airlines
July 15, 2009 9:43am
> Here is a photo gallery from the Caspian Airlines jet that crashed in Iran today. It is believed that all 168 people on board Caspian Flight 7908, from Tehran to the Armenian capital of Yerevan, are dead.
“Caspian, a 16-year-old commercial airline, operates within Iran and to Syria, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates and Armenia, using Russian-made Tupolev jets that many Iranians fear are prone to malfunction,” reported Borzou Daragahi of the Los Angeles Times.
Cats, dogs can fly Southwest Airlines starting June 17
May 29, 2009 10:45am
Just in time for summer, Southwest Airlines is reversing its longtime no-pets policy. Starting with tickets booked June 1, for travel June 17 or later, you’ll be able to bring a small cat or dog aboard for a fee of $75 each way. Pets will still be banned from the cargo hold.
For the rules, check out a cute video, featuring Ace the dog and an improbably enthusiastic kitten (this is a feline?) named Frankie, that Southwest posted on YouTube and its blog site. Or you can read the details and a Q&A on the airline’s P.A.W.S. (Pets Are Welcome on Southwest) page.
Santa Barbara fire: Pet-friendly hotels with vacancies
May 7, 2009 12:22pm
@AnthonyLongoria is twittering about the Santa Barbara fire. One tweet led to his blog with a list of Santa Barbara hotels that accept pets. I’m showing his full list (cleaned for current phone numbers), but have called each hotel to find out if they still have vacancies, and if so, their current rates.
Note that the hoteliers are trying their best to get in touch with previously booked guests so that they can make room for fire evacuees. If a hotel is booked up now, it might have a room open in a few hours.
Of the 15-plus hotels I called, one kind woman was opening up her accommodations for free to fire victims. Other hotels have lowered their rates and/or waived pet fees.
Hotels that allow pets in Santa Barbara:
Secret Garden Inn & Cottages, 1908 Bath St., (805) 687-2300 [Six rooms available and some are dog-friendly. Dominique is letting fire evacuees stay for free for up to two nights; after that they will need to discuss.]
Beach House Inn & Apts., 320 W. Yanonali St., Phone: (805) 966-1126 [They have 2 rooms with a king-size bed for tonight and through this weekend. The fire evacuee rate is $88 with proof of address. No vacancy with multiple beds left.]
Blue Sands Motel, 421 S. Milpas St., (805) 965-1624 [One room available, two double beds for $95. Dogs OK, $10 dog fee waived]
Casa Del Mar Inn, 18 Bath St., (805) 963 4418 [Couldn't get through on the phone]
Fess Parker’s Doubletree Resort, 633 E. Cabrillo Blvd., (805) 564-4333 [Availability tonight for $129, pets OK for an extra $25]
Four Seasons Biltmore,1260 Channel Drive, (805) 969-2261 [Double-bed rooms available for $250, pets are OK, no fee]
Harbor House Inn, 104 Bath St., (805) 962-9745 [Tonight and through the weekend there are 3-4 rooms left. Rates starting at $109, 1 pet-friendly room left. Some exceptions are being made.]
Hotel Mar Monte, 1111 E. Cabrillo Blvd., (805) 963-0744 [Long hold time, didn't get through]
Marina Beach Motel 21 Bath St., (805) 963-9311 [a few rooms open for the weekend. Rates start at $127. No pet charge for fire victims.]
Motel 6, 3505 State St., (805) 564-1392 [Just one bed (smoking) available starting at $79 for tonight, $119 for weekends. They're trying to make more room]
San Ysidro Ranch 900 San Ysidro Lane, Santa Barbara (800) 617-2640 [Number goes to Hotels.com reservations. They didn't see any availability]
Motels/hotels in nearby areas:
Motel 6, 5897 Calle Real, Goleta (805) 964-3596 [18 rooms available. Rates start at $60 plus tax, free for pets.]
Motel 6, 4200 Via Real, Carpinteria (805) 684-6921 [A few rooms left starting at $55.99 tonight and $63.99 for weekends]
Motel 6, 5550 Carpinteria Ave, Carpinteria (805) 684-8602 [Brand-new rooms. 34 rooms left. Rates start at $53.99 for one person today, 10% off if booked online, no fee for pets]
Pacifica Suites, 5490 Hollister Ave, Goleta (805) 683-6722 [Sold out Thurs-Sat. Availability Sunday. Rates start at $149, $10 for pets - Usually a 20-lb. rule, but for right now anything short of a horse, they'll take it]
— Jen Leo, Los Angeles Times Travel & Deal blogger
[Photo: Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times]
Will you send your pooch on Pet Airways?
April 17, 2009 11:59am
What do you think: Will Fido be OK to fly by himself? Pet Airways is banking on it. They will be the first pet-only airline to take to the skies, starting in July. The first five cities to be served are Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C.
London’s TimesOnline points out that Brits don’t think that highly of pets on planes, but they do mention that the Spanish airline Clickair will be the first European airline to accept pets in the cabin for domestic and international flights.
ZooToo PetNews takes a closer look at the service and notes that your pet will get plenty of attention in climate-controlled turboprop airplanes, and even get lounge service before boarding.
Doggie do’s and don’ts for summer car travel
March 3, 2009 2:00pm
Roaming with Rover this spring or summer?
If so, be careful. Unrestrained pets cause more than 30,000 vehicle accidents annually, according to an American Automobile Assn. survey. But there are ways to make travels with your pet safer, advised Carson dog trainer Sierra Smith during a pet travel seminar held recently at Recreation Dog Park in Long Beach.
Smith gave a group of well-traveled dogs and their human companions on-the-road safety tips — including demonstrations of pet restraint equipment — during sessions sponsored by Toyota Venza.
Roundup: Deals from Vegas, Santa Barbara, Southwest Airlines; Barney dog video; and more
December 16, 2008 8:19am
Good morning, travelers. We’re seeing some fresh deals out there, and, even better, a cute holiday video of “First Dog” Barney. (I have a soft spot for Barney, and it has nothing to do with politics.) Here we go:
$49 Treasure Island rooms: MGM Mirage Inc. is selling this Las Vegas Strip stalwart for $500 million to former New Frontier owner Phil Ruffin. Meanwhile, you can get rooms starting at $49 through Dec. 25, subject to availability, plus 2 for 1 tickets to Cirque du Soleil’s “Mystere.” Enter code TI49 to access the deal on the hotel’s website.
Vacation rental: On a week’s notice, Plan B for Thanksgiving
November 26, 2008 10:45am
Are you away from home for Thanksgiving? I was going to be.
Months ago, my family put down a hefty deposit to secure a rental house in the gorgeous Santa Barbara community of Montecito. Six people, three generations, four days, a generous grassy yard, and the family dog was even going to be allowed.
It was going to be great, which is good, because it wasn’t cheap. The refundable deposit and everything-up-front cost of the rental amounted to more than $5,000.
But now it’s not happening. And so, for your holiday consideration, I offer a reminder that rental houses have many virtues, but also drawbacks. They’re nothing like hotels. When you make a deal to rent somebody’s house, you’re cutting a one-of-a-kind pact with the owner or management company, and you need to ask a lot of questions and build up enough trust to make both sides comfortable.
So what went wrong?
Santa Barbara: last-minute 4th of July weekender
June 29, 2008 1:48pm
Last year’s Fourth, which fell on a Wednesday, was truly inconvenient for us fans of the long weekend. But this year, July 4 is a Friday, which is an opportunity not to be overlooked, especially considering that for the next two years we’ll lose out in that department entirely: in 2009, it falls on a Saturday, and in 2010, a Sunday.
So, this year, if you haven’t yet done it, plan a getaway to celebrate America’s birthday all long-weekend long. If the holiday has snuck up on you, don’t worry, options still exist. In Santa Barbara, I found good choices for three-night lodging and fireworks.
Accommodations: When I looked this morning, the following were among the places I found with availability. At Cabrillo Inn, you’ll pay, at the least, $159 for Thursday night and $189 for each weekend night.
Doggie-pleasing CDs that go the distance
May 30, 2008 10:48am
Nearly 30 million of us will hit the road this summer with Rover in tow. And most of us wish he’d calm down and let us do the driving.
Now you can use music to soothe your not-so-savage beast, according to a book and CDs released by a sound researcher and a veterinary neurologist.
“Through a Dog’s Ear: Using Sound to Improve the Health & Behavior of Your Canine Companion” comes with a 45-minute starter CD; other CDs, including one devoted to making drive-time with Rover more pleasant, are also being released.
Do they work? For me, the answer is yes, if my experience with Darby, my 5-year-old Wheaton terrier, is any indication. Read the rest of this entry »
