Tuesday was the first day of actual flights for a new airline, Pet Airways.  Pet Airways started weekly flights for pets to five destinations across the country.

Pet Airways is offering flights to and from Chicago Midway Airport (MDW), Baltimore-Washington International (BWI), Republic Airport (FRG) (serving New York City), Rocky Mountain Airport (near Denver) and Hawthorne Municipal Airport (HHR) (near Los Angeles).  Dogs and cats can fly in the cabin as long as they are in carriers; however, owners will have to fly separately, as the only people on board will be the crew and some pet attendants.  There is no limit on the pet size, and one-way fares start at $149.  The initial offering of flights has sold out, and there is a short waiting list for some cities.

I am sure studies were done, but I could not find out the reasoning behind selecting these specific airports.  I guess New York, Chicago and Los Angeles were chosen because of their population.  I wonder if Denver was chosen as a sort of midway point between Chicago and Los Angeles.

I also wonder if this is a huge deal for pet owners.  Some airlines already allow small pets in small carriers to travel in the cabin as long as they fit under the seat.  Pets are also allowed to ride in the cargo hold areas.

As I said, I am sure market research was done (at least I would hope so), but I am extremely interested to see how Pet Airways does in the upcoming months.  Is the timing right?  Are there enough choices of destinations?  Are people willing to pay the price?  Is there enough continual demand?

As a pet owner, would you like your pet to fly in the cabin with you on a different flight?  Is this a much more desirable option than simply having your pet fly in the cargo area?

I’ll be keeping my eyes on Pet Airways.  I’ll report back here in a few months.

Check out GT’s eFlyer report on pet travel.

–John Wroblewski, distribution specialist

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A couple weeks ago, Laurie and I had a wonderful evening in Rosemont, IL (a neighbor of Chicago to the near west).  The evening started with a great meal, continued with a lively show and ended with a canine caper.

We started the evening with a meal at Rosewood, one of the premier O’Hare-area steakhouses.  Laurie had filet, I had mahi mahi, and we added a few side dishes.  The food was awesome but proved to be so plentiful, we needed to take a doggy bag (which really would become a true doggy bag, but more on that later).

After dinner, we went to see 1964 The Tribute at the Rosemont Theatre.  This tribute band has been recreating the experience of early Beatles‘ shows since 1982.  The band strives for authenticity and does a great job.  The subtle mannerisms were uncanny.  Mark Benson (as John Lennon) did an exceptional job leading the show and the band.  Benson imitated Lennon’s quick wit throughout.

As we were driving home, we planned on having some snacks, wine and Coca-Cola by a small fire in the backyard.  It was a nice night and that would be a perfect end to the evening.  Unfortunately (and fortunately), plans got derailed.

As we were close to home, Laurie spotted a small dog bounding down the busy street.  I know Laurie well enough to know our backyard plans would be delayed. I spun the car around as quickly as possible and Laurie jumped out, trying to befriend the pooch.  She caught up to the dog at a gas station.  As I pulled into the station, Laurie called for the leftovers.  The schnauzer seemed to enjoy the food as much as we had hours earlier. I read Butch’s tag and Laurie called his owner.  We bought a few packs of beef jerky at the station and (with a blanket from my car) had ourselves a little picnic right there in the gas station — at one of the busiest intersections on the north side of Chicago.  That had to be quite a sight. The owner quickly showed up, and Butch was safely on his way home.  I have to say Butch seemed happier with us.

I was perfectly happy with a perfectly enjoyable evening before we saw the dog.  After Butch, I was somehow even happier.

–John Wroblewski, distribution specialist

It’s here. No warning, no heads up. The heat has arrived in New York City. It’s really remarkable — it’s as if everyone has forgotten that, just a few days ago, they were donning turtlenecks and winter coats. Now, it’s bikinis in Central Park and no signs of spring — just summer.

One reason I like living in the Northeast is the fact we have four solid seasons, and usually the transition into each season is often the most enjoyable part. However, this year spring has sprung right over us. Summer is not my favorite season in NYC, mostly due to the humidity, but I have to admit it is nice to see the sun and people enjoying the outdoors.

In my travels, I’ve seen many different types of climates. In Southeast Asia, for example, the climate ranges from hot to hotter. Even locals I know in Singapore and Malaysia claim to never get used to the heat. On the extreme opposite, friends in Stockholm always seem shocked when the first snowfall hits. In fact, one year when I was visiting, the subways had technical issues due to the cold during the first snow. It was as if it was the first time they’ve seen cold in the region. Maybe they forgot about their history of long winters!

Bottom line, of the four different seasons, I’ve learned I’m a winter girl through and through. I try to avoid the heat. However, I wouldn’t mind spending some time in the sun if, say, I was in the Maldives or perhaps Bali for a few days. Where would you enjoy finding time in the sun?

-Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher

I’ve always wanted a dog. Unfortunately, my landlord won’t allow us to own one. Most people ignore the requests of their landlord and get dogs anyway. My landlord, however, lives directly below me. There is no way around it.

For those with a disposable income, NYC will let you rent a pup for a day. Sounds great, but you can imagine the cost!

However, there may be some hope for us all! My friend recently discovered an animal shelter that takes dogs that are about to be put to sleep from other shelters. You can sign up to be a foster home for these dogs and help the shelter rescue more dogs. It sounds a bit chaotic, but foster parents usually keep a dog for one night as the shelter makes room for the new arrival. There are several similar programs all over, so you can find one that is right for you.

My friend recently registered herself as a foster home, and I agreed I would help take care of the dog when it arrived. We didn’t know what to expect, but we were so excited that we had a countdown. We were disappointed when we discovered that there were no dogs to shelter that day. They had all been adopted. I’ve never been so disappointed by such great news.

I understand that the dogs being rescued are typically the dogs that no one wants. Again, we don’t know what to expect! But as much as I love the cute little mixed breeds with their perfect hair, I still hold a place for the one-eyed snaggle-tooth mutts!

-Courtney Centeno, account executive

I love all animals, but dogs take the cake for me anytime, especially over cats! I grew up with dogs and I’m a dog person. Five years ago, I lived in an apartment building and I thought it was terrible. The apartment and building were fine, but the people never smiled, it was a fight to get anything done, and, of course, I blamed it all on the neighborhood. When my lease was up, I searched all over town for the right neighborhood. Where did I end up? Directly across the street from the old building, and I love it! The difference? My new building allows dogs.

As I often mention in my blog, I like to take advantage of the fact that I live across the street from Central Park. In one blog I even mentioned how I think it’s great that the park allows unleashed dogs prior to 9 a.m. That is a great sight to see, but nothing compared to what I saw yesterday — it blew me away! I though I’d seen it all, but apparently I was wrong. I saw four good-looking men, all sporting the same jacket, each with about 10 dogs, all of different breeds, on leashes. They would walk them and then make them all sit, lie down and obey any command their hands waved. The dogs were perfect, and I realized it was an obedience school.

But the name on the jacket is what really made me smile - Zen K9. Yes, that’s right, despite the economic crisis and everything else going on in the world, rest assured, because your dog can find its spirituality. I guess as crazy as the city can make humans, it can stress out dogs, too. I am glad to see they have a place to go while their owners go to yoga class.

Now, that may sound sarcastic, but if I had a dog, I would trust the people I saw yesterday. All the dogs looked happy and extremely well-behaved. I hope I run into them in the park again!

-Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher