# What a hazzle with United Airways!



## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

First off... I apologize to AbbyK9 that Yukon smells like an outdoor dog. It's been raining like crazy, we are drowning in mud and water, the temperature dropped dramatically and Yukon is a bit smelly and since it's so cold and wet outside we couldn't give him a bath. It's not as bad as it could be but you can smell it.... :help:

I also want to thank Abby for all the help. Without her it would have been much much more complicated and she's been a tremendous help and I will be forever thankful for that. She's a true friend!


Secondly, I want to smack the people from United Airways. 
They are cheap, I give them that but since when is a German Shepherd XL Kennel too small for a German Shepherd that doesn't even weigh 80 pounds?
He's lost so much weight he probably doesn't even have 75 and is not the tallest dogs and can comfortably walk in and out of the kennel, turn around, lay comfortably down and sit up and they still said the kennel was too small and we should buy a new bigger kennel that is usually for St.Bernards so he could fly in the bigger kennel to Chicago and then my husband should simply build the other kennel together and switch kennels before he is flying out to Syracuse since they don't ship XXL kennels there. 
Also, he was not allowed to keep his collar. We had to take it off. So my husband would have to get Yukon out of the kennel without a collar and put him into the other kennel? REALLY?
I am sick to my stomache thinking about all the things that could happen to Yukon just because those idiots made up a new policy that says that a dog can't wear a collar in the crate. For gods sake they are on an international flight and he's got to get that dog out of the kennel in Chicago and if he runs off for whatever reason, god knows what could happen... and I am not there which is the worst part. I have no control over my dog and Yukon is my heartdog. So right now I am worried and can't wait to get the info that they made it safely to Ft.Drum. 

Anyhow, they called the Vet and the Vet checked ten times if Yukon could walk in and out of the kennel comfortably. I mean... it's a German Shepherd Kennel and it's not big enough for Shepherds anymore? If he was over a 100 pounds and one of those so called old fashioned kind of dogs I would understand but he is not outside of standard and really not that big. 

After we convinced the Vet that he would be fine and she realized how ridiculous it sounded when she suggested that my husband should take two kennels for one dog, she was like "Board him but for the other two dogs I want to see an XXL kennel" 

I don't get it. Indra is even smaller than Yukon and literally a lightweight. She doesn't have 70lbs yet and they want an XXL kennel for a dog that isn't even a year old and doesn't have 70 pounds yet?
WTH happened? What kind of kennel do they want to use for big danes or st.bernards if a German Shepherd kennel is too small for a GSD?
Are Big Dane owners supposed to get a custom made kennel or do they have to ship them like horses? What the heck happened to common sense and having a dog on an international flight WITHOUT A COLLAR IN HIS KENNEL IS FRICKIN DANGEROUS! 
They are not even allowed to wear a leather collar anymore because they could hang themselves in their kennel. REALLY?
What if he takes off and gets shot because of those policies? The risk of a dog taking off because you can't grab him fast enough is much higher than a dog that will hang himself in a crate! And than they gave us scissors to put holes into the back of the crate because of the air circulation.... at that point I was about to seriously lose it!

Now we can go and buy to brandnew kennels because the ones I have ain't good enough anymore. Ooooh the fun... PLUS with those kennels I can't even fly into Syracuse. I have to fly to Newark, take a rental and drive all the way to Ft.Drum because we don't get those kennels into our car and at that point I can take both, Zenzy and Indra with me. 

I am so sick and tired of the whole move and I can't wait for the entire thing to be over. 

I can't believe it. A German Shepherd Kennel too small for a German Shepherd. WHY THE **** ARE THEY STILL SOLD FOR GSD's?

You know what one of those XXL kennels cost? They cost 280 **** Euros which translates in almost 400 Dollars PER KENNEL!

THAT IS MORE FRICKIN EXPENSIVE THAN SHIPPING THE DOGS!
SHIPPING THE DOGS COSTS 180 Euros and I have to pay a hundred Euros more for a single crate? :help:

Yeah, I am seriously pissed off!


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## CaseysGSD (Oct 15, 2010)

Sounds like it has been very stressful....just keep the goal in mind, you will be on the other side of this soon, sitting at home with all your dogs (and a house full of XXL crates LOL) and try to focus on that! People can suck sometimes! Hope it all works out and is over with soon!


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Are your dogs here and safe? Or still in the air? My thoughts are with you. I would be terrified and ill until I knew there were safe.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

They are still in the air. All I know that they are supposed to arrive in the afternoon(NY time) in Syracuse. 

I am so worried. I really hope that everything goes well in Chicago, especially since he has to get him out IN THE AIRPORT without a collar on. 
The Airport is a completely different beast and I cannot understand for the world how in the world they can justify that. It's more dangerous having a dog in there without a collar than having them in there WITH the collar. Seriously. 

What if you have a dog that is so terrified or what if you have a biter? You can't even grab them since they are no longer allowed to wear anything in the kennel.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I would imagine that in the land of the USA, a dog with a collar was harmed somehow so to prevent lawsuits they take the collar off. Who is taking them out of the kennel? Your husband? Or Chris? 

Either way, I'm sure they will be fine once they see a familiar face.  Can they move the kennel to a confined area prior to taking them out of the kennels?


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Jax08 said:


> I would imagine that in the land of the USA, a dog with a collar was harmed somehow so to prevent lawsuits they take the collar off. Who is taking them out of the kennel? Your husband? Or Chris?
> 
> Either way, I'm sure they will be fine once they see a familiar face.  Can they move the kennel to a confined area prior to taking them out of the kennels?


Quasi has to switch planes in Chicago and pick him up and check him in with the next plane. My husband will be picked up in Syracuse by a personal friend of ours. They worked together in Germany. Chris will pick up Yukon once they arrive in Drum. 

I am just pissed that I can't take any dog at all to Syracuse and if I wanted to I'd have to take two different kennels. So I have no choice but to fly into Newark which itself is crazy because it's such a long drive from Newark to Watertown... they are making life so much more complicated. Since when does a GSD has to be in a St.Bernard Kennel? It really doesn't make any sense. :help:


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## Pattycakes (Sep 8, 2010)

Sorry you are having to go through all this stuff. I can't imagine how stressful it is for you. But once you have your dogs on the ground again and able to hug them, I hope it will be better. 

Good luck...sending good, positive thoughts to you and your dogs.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Thank you, Patty. At this point I am worried but hubby, once he gets to Chicago, will have all the stress to get from point A to point B with the dog, kennel and the luggage. I hope he can get help or manage everything together.


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## TitonsDad (Nov 9, 2009)

Why couldn't you attach the collar to the gate of the kennel or any other method?


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## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

If I understand what you're saying, Yukon has to be switched from one kennel to another when they get to Chicago?

If so, the transfer from kennel to kennel should (more than likely) take place down in the baggage area. Your husband should be able to pull the kennel off to a quiet area and do the switch there. He might be able to line the kennels up face to face and guide the dog from one to the other without much problem. 

Another thought; He can make a slip collar using the leash or a rope. Open the door just enough to get it over Yukons head.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

TitonsDad said:


> Why couldn't you attach the collar to the gate of the kennel or any other method?



They wouldn't let us do it. I have no explanation for it either and it goes beyond my comprehendion that he can't wear his collar in the crate. :help:

So my husband handcarried it on the plane but he was not certain if he could actually take it since they could consider it as a weapon. If he was not allowed to take it on the plane, I don't know what he's going to do in Chicago. :help:

As of right now, I have no idea what is going on, I don't know if he was allowed to take it with him or not. 

I am seriously considering booking a flight with a different Airline whose rules are not as ridiculous as United Airways.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

He has to fly to NY via Chicago? That alone seems ridiculous!


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## Anja1Blue (Feb 27, 2008)

I had a dog shipped from LA to Denver on United four years ago - the no-collar rule was in force at that time, but the person shipping her was permitted to securely tape the collar (a fursaver) to the top of the crate. It may be that this policy has changed, but perhaps the people at the point of origin misinterpreted the rules. I believe that removing the collar is for (perceived) safety reasons...... Anja was in an XL crate, provided by the shipper, not United - she weighs 63 lbs. We wanted to make sure she had plenty of room to get up and turn around if she needed to. I hope your nightmarish experience ends soon, and you are safely reunited with your dogs... 
______________________________________
Susan

Anja SchH3 GSD
Conor GSD
Blue BH WH T1 GSD - waiting at the Bridge :angel:


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## abby (Mar 13, 2010)

Oh Mrs K sorry you are having a nightmare i bought one of the shipping kennels measured dog added all the extra on and you couldnt fit it in the bloomin house it was the size of my living room. I ended up using airpets and they build wooden ones it was half the size kobe was fine they took of the collar and put it on the wire door. We flew BA from heathrow to chicago the guys at chicago require you to fill out a form pay for the dog about $35 they didnt handle him other than to check through the door he was ok and as he was still barking. The hardest thing i had was finding where to pick him up from cause no one knows funnily enough. Other dogs were actually bought through to baggage pick up which we were told to wait at by customs then no dogs, (another couple had their two ridgebacks also on the flight) so finally taking things into our own hands found we had to drive to the opposite end of the airport to the cargo hold for BA.
Hope you are reunited soon


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

i'm sorry you're having such a tough time with it all!!! This is exactly why i've told my husband i adamently refuse to move overseas if he ever gets stationed. Just not going to happen. Its too much stress involved. Wishing you less stress.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Honestly, I can fully understand where you are coming from and where other wives are coming from when they stay in the US and don't move with their husbands. It's not just the stress itself. It's the financial stress. Once we've moved we've spent close to 10k moving and the money you get from the army doesn't even cover half of everything we've spend. 

The financial stress is the worst and we can pretty much start from zero with saving money. 

Yeah, you don't want to be seperated from your husband but sometimes it's better to stay behind instead of being driven into bankruptcy. :help:


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Mrs.K said:


> Honestly, I can fully understand where you are coming from and where other wives are coming from when they stay in the US and don't move with their husbands. It's not just the stress itself. It's the financial stress. Once we've moved we've spent close to 10k moving and the money you get from the army doesn't even cover half of everything we've spend.
> 
> The financial stress is the worst and we can pretty much start from zero with saving money.
> 
> Yeah, you don't want to be seperated from your husband but sometimes it's better to stay behind instead of being driven into bankruptcy. :help:


 
yeah the finances are another issue. our case is we start saving money and something comes up and savings gets blown and then some and we run to catch back up. Usually we'll get a few hundred finally back into savings and its like Riley just knows its there and he'll do something to hurt himself and off to vet we go and savings is gone. I'm going to be working overtime when i go back to work to get money saved up for my friends wedding in february and going home for that and THEN the almost immediate move to our next station. I'd kill someone if we got an overseas duty station.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

One more hour Mrs. K!

At least I thought you said 1600? It's 3pm now.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Jax08 said:


> One more hour Mrs. K!
> 
> At least I thought you said 1600? It's 3pm now.


I KNOOOOW!!!! 

I know he's arrived in Chicago. Checked the bank account and saw that he went to McDonalds. Now thats another way to find out that he made it over there!!! :hammer:

Our friend L. just called to let me know that he will take off to Syracuse in a bit. I am so glad to know that he's on the way to pick both of them up. :wild:


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

ahhhh...stalking by debit card...I like it!


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## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

Jax08 said:


> ahhhh...stalking by debit card...I like it!


LOL!!

Sounds like everything is working out well so far Mrs. K. Pretty soon it'll just be a bad memory.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Jax08 said:


> ahhhh...stalking by debit card...I like it!


Yup, not just the police knows how to do that and I knew he'd go and get some food once he arrived.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Whiteshepherds said:


> LOL!!
> 
> Sounds like everything is working out well so far Mrs. K. Pretty soon it'll just be a bad memory.


I just hope that all will go fine and that I can manage to get from NEWARK to Watertown by myself. I just got my international drivers license today. 

It will be a new experience to drive in the US all by myself once I get there. That's for sure.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

What side of the road do you normally drive on?


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Jax08 said:


> What side of the road do you normally drive on?


Right hand side. Shouldn't be any different from the US. It'll be just new since it's a new country and different signs, different Highways and stuff like that.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

You'll be ok once you get out of the city.  Just have a map marked out and have your exit numbers noted.


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## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

Mrs.K said:


> I just hope that all will go fine and that I can manage to get from NEWARK to Watertown by myself. I just got my international drivers license today.


Except for the congestion at Newark Airport most of your trip is going to take you through smaller cities and towns (via the highways), I don't think you'll have a problem. Just remember, if you get lost, keep heading north.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Do you have a map already plotted out? I just did a mapquest and it takes you right thru PA, directly by me.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Jax08 said:


> Do you have a map already plotted out? I just did a mapquest and it takes you right thru PA, directly by me.


No, not yet but I guess I could swing by if it's on the way and say hi.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Whiteshepherds said:


> Except for the congestion at Newark Airport most of your trip is going to take you through smaller cities and towns (via the highways), I don't think you'll have a problem. Just remember, if you get lost, keep heading north.


Heading north. Will do that!

And as long as I don't go over the Speed limit i should be fine as well.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

here's the map. Either way takes you through Binghamton (by the map or staying in NY and going up to 17) which is very close to me.

duhhh...here's the map!

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?1c=New...s=NY&2y=US&2l=43.974701&2g=-75.911102&2v=CITY


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

McDonald's always shows up immediately on my credit card/debit card account. They are fast! 

The kennel thing is stupid. Don't they know that the dog is just going to be sleeping?

Chicago?


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

If you go over the speed limit, you tell them you are a military wife just flying in and meeting your husband on base. I'm willing to bet they give you a break. Just make sure to wear your seatbelt. They won't cut you slack on that.


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

I picked up Balto from Newark airport. That was before I had GPS. I found it very easy to get on and off the expressway. Luckily, there wasn't a lot of road changes for me.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Jax08 said:


> If you go over the speed limit, you tell them you are a military wife just flying in and meeting your husband on base. I'm willing to bet they give you a break. Just make sure to wear your seatbelt. They won't cut you slack on that.


 
no they dont cut slack. they'll bust you harder on speeding because too many military wives try to get away with it thinking they're untouchable. Plus Mrs.K's hubby can get in DEEP trouble if she gets busted for doing anything wrong. Family down the street is being kicked out of the military because his wife kept getting ticket after ticket because she thought nothing would happen to her because she's a military wife. He's been dishonorably discharged and has a month to get out of housing and off the base.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I'm willing to bet they would cut her slack here in PA/NY. 

And it's not like I told her to drive 100 mph and see what she could get away with.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Jax08 said:


> I'm willing to bet they would cut her slack here in PA/NY.
> 
> And it's not like I told her to drive 100 mph and see what she could get away with.


 

lol true. she could also tell them she's from germany and they'd probably cut her some slack simply for being new to the states. 

hope all is getting better and at least a little less stressful for you Mrs. K.


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## Smithie86 (Jan 9, 2001)

That is BS about the XL crate. Frodo, Quasi and Enzo all travel in a XL on the plane.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

ANDDDDD......

Did everyone land and get home safely?


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Yes they did. I fell asleep and while I was sleeping they called and mom picked up. in the morning I found messages on facebook that one bewildered, very hungry Yukon is with Chris (AbbyK9) now. 

He pood into his kennel so she had to clean that up but other than that everything is allright. I am so glad. 
I hope that he will settle and calm down and that the entire experience didn't trigger anything from the past.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Glad to know everyone is safe and sound.

He's in good hands. She'll make the transition easy as possible for him. 

When are you coming over?


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Jax08 said:


> Glad to know everyone is safe and sound.
> 
> He's in good hands. She'll make the transition easy as possible for him.
> 
> When are you coming over?


I know, he's in the best possible hands and with Abby I have no doubts that he'll settle down and fit right in. 


I don't know. I probably fly over between december 1st and when hubby gets off leave. I definitely want to be there once he goes back to work. 

I thought about waiting until he's got the electric up and running and paid everything we have to pay so we can see what money we have left. I do have quite some Euros left that will cover the expenses for the dogs but if I wait until the first we can plan everything and won't stress our finances too much.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Can the dogs fly in December? Isn't there a temperature cut off that they won't ship dogs? Just curious on that. Do they ride in the cargo hold?

When you do, let me know and I'll give you my contact information. At least if something happens in the Binghamton area you won't feel like your stranded on Mars.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Jax08 said:


> Can the dogs fly in December? Isn't there a temperature cut off that they won't ship dogs? Just curious on that. Do they ride in the cargo hold?
> 
> When you do, let me know and I'll give you my contact information. At least if something happens in the Binghamton area you won't feel like your stranded on Mars.



Some airlines fly all year around. I guess they regulate the temperature. I guess they are in the cargo part of the plane. 

thank you so much. I love this forum because of the great people. :wub:


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

> Just remember, if you get lost, keep heading north.


And remember, if you come to something that looks like a border, you've gone too far. That's Canada.  (It'll be clearly marked, though.)

As for the speed limit - the limit on I-81 (the major highway) is 65. Most people go about 80. Speed limit everywhere else on the main roads is 55. Most people go about 65. As long as you flow with the traffic around you, you're usually good. (I've never gotten a ticket, at any rate.)


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

Oh, boy. I was just checking the KLM website to see about Balto flying to Europe with me. They say the dog has to be able to stand in the kennel with his head erect and not touch the top of the kennel. Is that really necessary? (sarcasm there folks.) I guess at $400 extra dollar I probably won't bring him. I thought it would be fun for him to meet his mom, sister and father when I go for the breed gathering next year.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Maybe you can find a used Kennel that you can use to ship him over?

When are you going to Europe? If you are not too far away I could give you one of our kennels. Seriously, I received so much help from this forum that I would be happy to help too


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

I'd by flying out of Chicago to Amsterdam. I'll only take a dog on a direct flight and the 5 hour drive is better than sitting around in airports worrying. I have several months to think about this. It's probably going to be June.


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