Also, consistently send out warning emails to alert customers to their upcoming mileage expiration.īACKGROUNDWhile Southwest Airlines is a very customer friendly airline, did you know in one area Southwest is the least customer friendly among all six major US airlines? Its true. OR 2) Count all earning and redeeming activity (not just earning) towards resetting the 24 month expiration clock. Help us convince Southwest Airlines to change its policy and allow pets on flights from the Turks & Caicos Islands to the United States.ĪSKSouthwest: Please change your mileage expiration rules to be as customer friendly or more customer friendly than other major US airlines by:1) Make Southwest miles no longer expire like Delta and JetBlue already do. In fact, the current policy seems inconsistent with Southwest’s highly regarded culture of connecting people to what’s important in their lives and being a good citizen in the community. Thus, in addition to losing fares and loyal passengers on this route, Southwest is also losing out on an opportunity to help make a difference in the stray dog population in Turks & Caicos. Many potcake supporters will not fly Southwest when visiting Turks & Caicos for this reason. In light of this updated HHS guidance regarding importing dogs from rabies-free countries into the United States, it would seem reasonable to request that Southwest review its current policy prohibiting animals in-cabin on international flights, and consider allowing pets in-cabin on flights originating in the Turks & Caicos Islands.īy continuing its current policy, Southwest Airlines stands alone in preventing adopters and couriers from providing homes to these homeless puppies. Pending inspection upon arrival in the U.S., these rescued puppies meet the requirements set forth in 42 CFR 71.51, thus making them eligible for legal importation into the United States. O In addition, rescued dogs from the Turks & Caicos Islands leave with a current medical record and valid health certificate. O The CDC guidance does not identify the Turks & Caicos Islands as having CRVV, and, furthermore TCI is not on the list of countries requiring a rabies vaccine. O According to this guidance, dogs from countries assessed as not having CRVV (canine rabies virus variant) present, based on internationally accepted standards, are considered rabies-free and therefore no rabies vaccination certificate is required. On January 31, 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a Federal Register Notice (FRN), detailing guidance regarding “rabies-free” countries and importing a dog into the United States. As a result, we made a business decision not to accept pets on international itineraries.” – Lindsey, Community Manager, The Southwest Airlines Community, October 2016. Later, I found the following explanation online: “Most countries have animal health regulations that require certain health conditions to be met before an animal can be legally admitted to the country. I, too, fell in love with a sweet potcake puppy named Onyx (now Luca), and was disheartened to learn that in order to adopt that puppy and bring him home with me, I would have to change my itinerary, because Southwest policy clearly states, “Pets are not allowed to travel in-cabin on international flights or any itinerary that includes an international flight.” Consequently, I immediately cancelled my Southwest flight, and booked a one-way ticket with American Airlines. Naturally, many people fall in love with these potcake puppies and want to adopt them, thereby helping to reduce the number of homeless potcakes on the island. Potcake Place K-9 Rescue, in Providenciales, enlists the help of tourists to socialize the puppies they rescue, preparing them for life in a forever home. The puppies, called “potcakes,” because they are typically fed leftover rice and peas from the bottom of the cooking pot by residents, are the traditional village dogs of the Bahamas and the Turks & Caicos Islands. A popular activity in Grace Bay is to walk rescued puppies on the most beautiful beach in the world. In June of 2018, I traveled to Grace Bay in the TCI for a vacation. However, unlike all other American and Canadian airlines (JetBlue, American, Delta, United, WestJet, AirCanada), that provide service to the Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI), Southwest Airlines does NOT allow pets in cabin on international flights. In November 2017, Southwest Airlines began service to Providenciales, Turks & Caicos.
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