PetRelocation Specialist Cara
Rise and shine, it’s the morning of the flight! Mocha and I didn’t need to check in until close to noon, but we wanted to have some time to check out American Airlines’ Pet Relief area at JFK beforehand. We both got fueled up with breakfast, (me: wheat bagel and orange juice, Mocha: Science Diet and fresh water) said farewell to our friends at The Muse and hopped in our chariot (in the form of a cute orange minivan) courtesy of Pet Chauffeur.
As we made our way through Midtown and across the East River, my mind was racing. I had never been to Japan before, or on a flight over 14 hours, much less with a dog as my companion. Did I remember to pack diaper wipes in case Mocha had an accident? Did I leave my cell phone in the hotel room? And in which coat pocket did I hide my passport? Just as quickly as I started to worry, I reminded myself that I was more than prepared, with everything in place, ready and organized. I might have lost my own pair of gloves, but there was no way I was allowing any hiccups for Mocha’s relocation!
We arrived at JFK, bid adieu to our driver Daniel with Pet Chauffeur, and went promptly to the American Airlines (AA) Pet Relief Center. This is a small parcel of land just between the front of Terminal 8 and the parking garage. It may seem like a barren place to be at the end of January, but to someone traveling with a pet, it is the saving grace to potential embarrassment. Would you rather your dog relieve himself in the middle of the floor at the airport check-in counter, or at the AA Pet Relief center on a cute little red plastic fire hydrant strategically placed in the middle of the grass? Yes, that’s what I thought.
We had pre-arranged for Joseph Daly of AA to meet us and give us a bit of background on the spot. It was basically the brainchild of his, and along with members of his team, he saw the project through from blueprints to completion. John let me know that during spring time, the landscaping would be refreshed and the grass would turn green (although large potted bushes would take the place of the trampled upon flower beds). Complete with doggy waste bags and benches for the owners, it was a great place to enjoy the fresh air and great outdoors before climbing into the confines of the plane.
Once I was sure Mocha had plenty of exercise, we made our way over to the check-in counter with Korean Air. We chose the airline because they were the only ones who would allow me to fly with Mocha in-cabin to Japan. (You typically can’t do this with countries requiring quarantine). I pulled out my PetRelocation folder holding all of Mocha’s special documents and asked the agent which forms he wanted to see. The check-in process ended up being a piece of cake because I had everything required, clearly labeled with Post-it notes and well organized. Preparation was the key! Before I knew it, Mocha and I were heading to security, one step closer to boarding the plane.
