STRESS-FREE FLYING WITH A PET

Flying can be stressful for pets and owners alike. Now, Delta Air Lines has partnered with pet carrier startup CarePod to ease concerns. Plastic crates feature a GPS tracking system to update owners on the journey’s progress, a hydration system with a spill-proof bowl and ventilation with angled blinds to reduce the anxiety of seeing unusual surroundings.

The service, with a unit large enough for a 23-kilogram dog, costs about US$850 one-way including taxes, Delta says. It’s only available on non-stop flights among U.S. cities Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York-JFK/LaGuardia, Palm Beach and San Francisco. But the service may be expanded globally after adding more U.S. destinations, Delta spokeswoman Debbie Egerton said.

Visit deltacargo.com to reserve a CarePod three to 13 days before a flight. Postmedia News