Mon, Sep 12, 2005
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
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