Do They Serve Doggie Biscuits Instead Of Pretzels On That Flight?

On Sunday, Continental Airlines operated a Louisiana evacuation flight carrying up to 100 passengers -- who are all dogs. The dogs are all homeless as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

The charter flight was arranged by PetRelocations.com out of Austin, Texas, and funded by Madeleine and Boone Pickens. Since Katrina hit, Continental has been very active in the relief process, operating relief flights into New Orleans and setting up City Ticket Offices at the Astrodome, Reliant Center and George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston to provide transportation to FEMA-registered evacuees in those shelters.

The Boeing 737-800 aircraft carrying the canines departed from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The airplane stopped first in San Diego, where 50 pregnant dogs were to "disem-bark" and continued to San Francisco, where the remaining dogs went to foster homes.

The dogs enroute to San Diego are being received by volunteers from the Helen Woodward Animal Center. The center plans to place them with loving families waiting to adopt them. The dogs going to San Francisco are being received by volunteers from several chapters of the San Francisco Bay Area Humane Society. These dogs also are being placed in adoptive homes.

"Continental's PetSafe program is known for the attention we give to pets as they travel," said Lisa Schoppa, PetSafe program manager, who will accompany the pets on the flight. "Each summer, Continental carries more pets than all other U.S. network carriers combined. Since we specialize in pet service, we were well equipped to meet the needs for this charter. Our flight attendants will treat these canine passengers with the loving care they deserve."

The dogs traveled in kennels in both the belly of the aircraft and in the passenger compartment. The dogs come from shelters in the hurricane zone, which are unable to continue caring for them. Continental was able to provide an aircraft for the charter because the human airlift from New Orleans has diminished as the population of the city has dwindled.

The following is a brief synopsis of some of Continental's relief efforts since the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina:

• Continental has established City Ticket Offices at the three largest  shelters in Houston -- the Astrodome, Reliant Center and the George R. Brown Convention Center -- and is providing any registered evacuee and  their pets transportation to other locations in the U.S. So far hundreds have taken Continental up on this offer. No other airline has taken on such an effort. These offices are open seven days a week for up to 12 hours each day
• Continental was one of the last two carriers to leave New Orleans before  the hurricane hit and flew in an extra 20 personnel from Houston to New  Orleans on that Sunday to help evacuate as many people as possible
• Continental flew a group of fire fighters from New York to New Orleans,  then sent another flight from New York with their supplies
• Over a thousand Houston Continental employees have volunteered to staff shelters and many more are donating needed supplies, hosting families, etc.
• Continental has implemented a company-wide suitcase drive to provide suitcases to evacuees in shelters. To date, over 600 suitcases have been collected
• The airline has flown 10 relief flights out of New Orleans and stands ready to assist more as requested by FEMA
• Continental is working directly with FEMA and other relief agencies to provide the transportation of relief supplies and personnel
• For those passengers paying for flights out of Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi, Continental has waived all advance-purchase requirements
• Continental employees and other donors have given over $45,000 in emergency cash assistance via its WE CARE employee assistance fund to help New Orleans co-workers
• Continental has donated tickets to rescue and humanitarian groups as far away as France and Japan
• Continental's Houston flight kitchen donated 4,000 pounds of food to the relief effort
• Due to increased travel to and from cities near New Orleans, Continental has upgraded to larger aircraft on flights to Baton Rouge, and is adding temporary service from New York/Newark to Baton Rouge
• Continental donated 1,000,000 OnePass frequent flyer miles to both the American Red Cross and AmeriCares

FMI: www.continental.com