WELCOME TO GREAT LAKES AIRLINES CARGO Updated April 25, 2017
Table of Contents 1. Animal Shipments A. Procedures for Shippers B. Document Requirements C. Kennel Guidelines D. Temperature Restrictions E. Dog/Cat Breed Restrictions F. Rates G. Helpful Tips H. Helpful Travel Tips I. Frequently Asked Questions 2. Priority Parcel Shipments (PSP) 3. General / Perishable Air Freight 4. Human Remains Note: In order to ship on Great Lakes Airlines, you must be a Known Shipper with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) with the following exceptions: Medical shipment of Human Product Live Animals Items weighing 1 pound or less If you aren t sure if you are a known shipper with TSA, you may give us a call at 307-432-7023. 2
1. Animal Shipments A. Procedures for Shippers Great Lakes Airlines is able to handle most specialty shipments, especially pets, with the greatest of care. We understand the special requirements of shipping animals and we adhere to the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) regulations, as well as IATA (International Air Transport Association) regulations. We require animal shippers/breeders to follow the below guidelines to help ensure the safety of animals: Pets must arrive at the originating airport Ticket Counter at least one hour prior to the scheduled flight s departure time with the exception of Denver and Phoenix. For originating out of Denver, pets are to be tendered at the Great Lakes Airlines Ticket Counter 2 hours prior to flight departure with all paperwork completed. For originating out of Phoenix, pets are to be tendered at the Great Lakes Airlines Ticket Counter two hours prior to scheduled flights departure. The USDA and Great Lakes Airlines require a Health Certificate issued by a Licensed Veterinarian dated within 10 days of travel with date on the Health Certificate being day 1. Pets traveling with an International destination, the requirements differ. Please contact the Great Lakes Airlines Cargo Department. Kennels and crates must conform to IATA and USDA regulations. Great Lakes Airlines will not knowingly accept a dog or cat that has been sedated and accepts no liability for the death or sickness of an animal caused by any drug. B. Document Requirements Great Lakes Airlines must follow the rules and regulations set up by the USDA as well as, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and vary by species. 1. Health Certificate a. You will need the original and one copy stating the animal is in good health to travel by air, free of injury and disease. It must be dated within 10 days of travel for traveling within the United States. 2. Rabies Certificate a. You will need to bring two copies of the Rabies Vaccination Certificate issued and signed by a licensed veterinarian and no older than one year from the date your animal will be shipped. b. Dogs and Cats less than 12 weeks of age are not required. If your veterinarian feels your pet is too small to have a Rabies Vaccine, he must note this on the Health Certificate. c. No shots are to be given less than 3 days prior to shipping. d. Your Veterinarian can also do a combination Health Certificate and Rabies Vaccination with details as mentioned above. 3
3. Acclimation Statements a. The two Airlines we work with to get to final destination (if not a Great Lakes Airlines destination), is Alaska Airlines and United Airlines. Neither of these two airlines require an Acclimation Statement. b. We at Great Lakes Airlines do require one for the cities we serve. If temperatures fall below 32F degrees however, we at Great Lakes Airlines do require one for our cities. Cooler than 32F degrees: The animal(s) in this shipment is acclimated to temperatures below 45F degrees and down to F degrees. Warmer than 85F degrees: The animal(s) in this shipment is acclimated to temperatures above 85F degrees and up to F degrees. 4. Please contact the Great Lakes Airlines Cargo Office at 307-432-7023 for clarification on any of the above document requirements. C. Kennel Guidelines Great Lakes Airlines and the shipper are responsible for following the USDA and IATA regulations regarding the size and type of kennels utilized. 1. Type/Size of Kennel a. The kennel must be sturdy, (hard plastic), with a front loading metal gate and for traveling within the United States, be properly ventilated on at least three sides. b. The top and bottom of the kennel must be put together with metal screws/bolts. If the kennel you purchased does not have these, you can drill holes and add screws/bolts and metal nuts on at least each corner of the kennel. c. The kennel must be large enough for the animal to freely stand, sit, turn around and lie down in a normal posture. When standing or sitting (whichever is higher) the head/ears must not touch the top of the kennel and have a clearance of at least 2 inches. d. You need to bring 4 releasable zip ties with you to the airport. e. To prevent accidental injury, no part of the animal's body can protrude through any openings in the kennel. For this reason, kennels made exclusively from wire are not accepted. f. Cannot be collapsible or foldable. g. No kennels will be accepted that have an opening on the roof. 2. Great Lakes Airlines will not transport animals in any crate/kennel larger than a 400 series whose dimensions are 36 in x 24 in x 26 in. The 500 series kennels can be accommodated on specific aircraft and must be coordinated through Cargo Services at 307-432-7023. 3. Check the closing mechanism to ensure it works properly. Do not put a lock on the kennel door. In accordance with federal regulations, your pet must be accessible in the event of an emergency. 4
4. Great Lakes Airlines will not accept any kennels with wheels on the bottom. If your kennel has wheels, they must be removed to prevent them from rolling in transit. 5. Unacceptable kennels: a. Wire kennels b. Collapsible or foldable c. Kennels with opening on roof d. Kennels with wheels e. Brands: Petzazz and Nylabone 6. To measure an animal to insure a proper sized container: a. Container Length = total length and height Length = from nose to root of tail Height = from ground to elbow joint (front Leg) b. Container Width = measure across widest part of body and multiply by 2 c. Container Height measure height of dog standing (From highest point of head or ears to the ground) Kennels can be purchased from most pet stores. Great Lakes Airlines does not rent or sell kennels. Here are a few examples of the type of kennels: Maximum Maximum Kennel Kennel Actual Dimensional Animal Animal Type Size Kennel Kennel Weight Height (Inches) Weight Weight (Pounds) (Inches) (Pounds) 18 13 100 21L X 16W X 15H 7 26 25 17 200 27L X 20W X 19H 13 53 48 21 300 32L X 22W X 23H 19 84 70 24 400 36L X 24W X 26H 24 116 121 28 500 40L X 27W X 30H 32 168 The 500 type kennel is not accepted on most of Great Lakes Airlines planes due to narrow body aircraft and space availability. Kennel type 100 accommodates an animal that is up to 18 in. long, 7 in. wide and 13 in. tall Kennel type 200 accommodates an animal that is up to 21 in. long, 9 in. wide and 17 in. tall Kennel type 300 accommodates an animal that is up to 27 in. long, 11 in. wide and 21 in. tall Kennel type 400 accommodates an animal that is up to 29 in. long, 12 in. wide and 24 in. tall Kennel type 500 accommodates an animal that is up to 32 in. long, 13 in. wide and 28 in. tall 5
7. Each kennel should contain no more than 1 dog or cat, or no more than 2 puppies or 2 kittens younger than 6 months, of comparable size, and fewer than 20 lbs. each. Dogs and cats cannot travel together in the same container. 8. The kennel must contain absorbent material or litter try for cats. (Shredded paper, or training pads) Do not use paper with colored ink or advertisements as they can be toxic to animals.) 9. Include two secured food dishes (one for food and one for water), accessible from the outside of the kennel. a. Do not put food in the food dish, instead put no more than one pound of dry food in a clear, Ziploc bag and attach to the top of the kennel. b. The water dish must be empty unless you are freezing the water in the dish the night before D. Temperature Restrictions Please contact the Cargo Services Office (1.307.432.7023) for any weather restrictions. 1. PHOENIX: May 21 October 15, all animals in and out of Phoenix must depart or arrive before 9am local time, or arrive or depart after 9pm local time. The day time hours between 9am and 9pm will be embargoed due to high temperatures and the inability to protect pets. a. This embargo does not apply to United Airlines mainline flights. Only United Express flights. b. Alaska Airlines will go up to 100F degrees. 2. United Airlines Pugs/American Bulldogs/Boston Terriers (Mixes of these breeds are included) May 15 September 15 United will not accept adults of the above breeds. Adults are over 20 pounds or when they reach 6 months of age. September 16 May 14 United will accept as long as we can protect them from temperatures above 85F degrees 3. Alaska Airlines Denver and Seattle temperatures cannot be over 85F degrees at their departure and arrival time into these cities. 6
E. Breed Restrictions There is a permanent embargo for the following breeds: English Bulldogs / Olde English Bulldogge and French Bulldogs, adults over 6 months of age or 20 pounds, whichever comes first, will not be accepted. All mixes are restricted and will not be accepted 1. Alaska Airlines a. Dogs: American Pit Bull, American Staffordshire Terrier, Boston Terrier, Boxer, Brussels Griffon, Bull Mastiff, Bulldog, Bull Terrier, Chow Chow, Dutch Pug, English Bulldog, English Toy Spaniel, French Bulldog, Japanese Boxer, Japanese Pug, Japanese Spaniel, Pekingese, Pug, Shih Tzu, Staffordshire Bull Terrier b. Cats: Burmese, Exotic Shorthair, Himalayan, Persian 2. United Airlines a. United will only accept the following breed of dogs before they have reached either 6 months of age or 20 lbs. in weight (whichever comes first) IF they are in a reinforced container (See Container 82 in Live Animal Regulations, LAR). Included are mixed breeds of these dogs. No exceptions will be permitted. Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Presa Canario, Perro de Presa Canario, Dogo Argentino, Cane Corso, File Brasileiro, Tosa (or Tosa Ken) b. Determination of breed, age or weight of the animal is to be confirmed by the animal s health Certificate (dated within 10 days of transport). c. Additionally, United reserves the right to refuse any animal that displays aggression or viciousness at the time of transfer. d. United will accept Boston Terriers, Bulldogs (of any breed including English and French) or Pugs according to the following conditions: 1. Puppies of these breeds which are between 8 weeks to 6 months of age and are less than 20 lbs. will be accepted at any time of the year. 2. Adults of these breeds (older than 6 months of age and/or weighing more than 20 lbs.) are subject to the following restrictions: May 15 September 15 None will be accepted September 16 May 14 These breeds will be accepted as long as the forecasted temperatures along the itinerary are expected to be less than 85 degrees F (29 degrees C) or lower at the time the animal s flight(s) is scheduled to arrive and depart. Animals may also use the option of day kenneling to avoid the heat of the day for connecting flights, for an additional fee. F. Rates Please contact the Cargo Services Office 1.307.432.7023 for current rates and pickup/drop locations. 7
G. Helpful Hints Recommendations for puppies and kittens: Great Lakes Airlines recommends that customers shipping small or toy breeds that are less than 12 weeks in age and less than 3 lbs in weight, should follow these precautionary steps to ensure their safe transportation: Do not vaccinate these puppies or kittens within 3 days of transport Do not worm these puppies or kittens within 3 days of transport Ensure that no medical procedures are performed on the puppy or kitten within 3 days of transport Puppies or Kittens use honey or white Karo syrup for carbohydrate loading for the 24 hour period just prior to shipping (to help encourage glucose levels while in transit.) Great Lakes Airlines recommends these steps because a puppy less than 3 lbs and 16 weeks of age cannot store glycogen in its liver which means it may not be able to regulate its own sugar/glucose levels. Lowered glucose levels in these pups could result in hypoglycemic episodes including seizures, reduction of body temperature (hypothermia) and could severely compromise the health of your pet. Great Lakes Airlines is committed to the safe and humane transport of all animals, and we believe that following the above steps will help ensure that your pet has a positive experience. For questions concerning the transportation of your pet, please contact Cargo Services at 307-432-7023. You can also email us at cargo@flygreatlakes.com H. Helpful Travel Tips The following tips may assist with your pet s journey: Take along a leash and collar for walking your pet prior to departure and upon arrival. Include identification tags with your home address and phone number as well as the address and phone number of its destination. Check Temperatures: Remember to check prior to departing for the airport to verify that temperatures are within acceptable ranges and arrive at the airport early. Check in will be at the Great Lakes Airlines Ticket Counter unless departing from Denver. Keep your animals as calm as possible prior to the flight. A walk immediately prior to flight departure is a good idea. 8
Frequently Asked Questions Q: How do I make a reservation to ship a pet? A: While bookings cannot be confirmed usually more than 7 days in advance of shipping, you may begin the process at any time. Please have the following information available when calling or sending an email to the Cargo office to make your booking: Origin and destination cities Preferred shipping date and times Type of animal and breed Age of animal Kennel size or dimensions (Length x Width x Height) Shippers name, address and phone number Consignees (receiver) name, address and phone number Q: What if I am traveling with my pet? A: Please contact the Great Lakes Airlines passenger reservations center at 1.800.554.5111 for instructions and information. Q: Where will my pet fly when traveling on Great Lakes? A: Animals are transported in the same compartments as baggage and other cargo. These compartments are located behind the last row of passenger seats with a partition. Q: How can I help my pet ease the stress of traveling? A: One of the most important steps you can take to ease the stress of travel for your pet is to make sure it becomes familiar with its kennel. Purchase the kennel as far in advance as possible. Veterinarians recommend leaving the kennel door open and an old sock or familiar object inside, so that your pet may spend time near the kennel and perhaps venture inside on its own. Since it is important that your pet be as relaxed as possible during the flight, familiarization with the kennel is essential. Q: Do you have insurance available for purchase? A: No. We do offer a Declared Value for purchase. Cost is $15.00 for the first $1,000.00, and $.75 per $100 declared on top of that up to a maximum of $2,000.00 at the time you call or email (cargo@flygreatlakes.com) the Cargo office with the information for booking your flight. Q: Where all does Great Lakes Airlines fly? A: You may view our current Route Map by going to flygreatlakes.com. Click on Flight Info, and go down to Route Map. Please note Great Lakes will not ship cargo in or out of Los Angeles, CA at this time. 9
Frequently Asked Questions (continued) Q: How do I track my pet? A: If your pet is arriving on Great Lakes into final destination, you may contact the Cargo Office at 1.307.432.7023. If your pet s final destination is on another airline, please contact the corresponding airline below: Alaska Airlines 1.800.225.2752 United Airlines 1.800.575-3335 10
2. Priority Small Package Shipments (PSP) Great Lakes Priority Package is a reliable airport-to-airport small package service and is available at all Great Lakes passenger and cargo terminals with the exception of Minneapolis, MN. This type of shipment offers: Highest boarding priority Fastest transit times Shortest acceptance and recovery No advance booking required Individual pieces can weigh up to 70 lbs Exclusion from Liability Great Lakes shall not be liable for loss, damage, delay or other result caused 1. Acts of God, perils of air, public enemies, public authorities acting with actual or apparent authority, authority of law, quarantine, riots, strikes, civil commotions, or hazards or dangers incident to state of war. 2. The act of default of the shipper OR consignee 3. The nature of shipment. Great Lakes shall not be liable for special or consequential damages unless, at time of receipt of the shipment from the shipper, Great Lakes is given written notice on the Air Waybill of the circumstances which could result in such damages; however, this provision shall not limit the right of Great Lakes to refuse any shipment. Limit of Liability: A shipment shall have a declared value of $50.00 or $1.00 per pound whichever is greater, unless a higher value (not to exceed $1,250.00) is declared on the Air Waybill at the time shipper tenders the shipment to Great Lakes. Cost for Declared Value is $1.00 USD for each $100.00 USD declared subject to a minimum of $15.00 USD. 11
3. General / Perishable Shipments Great Lakes General Air Freight shipments are not guaranteed to ship or arrive on a specific flight. Advance booking is required. Each piece can weigh from 70-100 lbs and dimensions must be able to fit on the flight you are requesting. Exclusion from Liability Great Lakes shall not be liable for loss, damage, delay or other result caused 4. Acts of God, perils of air, public enemies, public authorities acting with actual or apparent authority, authority of law, quarantine, riots, strikes, civil commotions, or hazards or dangers incident to state of war. 5. The act of default of the shipper OR consignee 6. The nature of shipment. Great Lakes shall not be liable for special or consequential damages unless, at time of receipt of the shipment from the shipper, Great Lakes is given written notice on the Air Waybill of the circumstances which could result in such damages; however, this provision shall not limit the right of Great Lakes to refuse any shipment. Limit of Liability: A shipment shall have a declared value of $50.00 or $1.00 per pound whichever is greater, unless a higher value (not to exceed $5,000.00) is declared on the Air Waybill at the time shipper tenders the shipment to Great Lakes. Cost for Declared Value is $1.00 USD for each $100.00 USD declared subject to a minimum of $15.00 USD. 4. Human Remains Great Lakes will accept infant remains two years of age or less, or cremated remains only and arrangements must be made by a Funeral Home. Contact the Great Lakes Cargo office at 307-432-7023 for more information. 12