For the past 15 years, I’ve had the world’s best travel companion. But despite the thousands of miles we’ve clocked on the road, my bestie and I have never flown together. And with good reason. As any Shiba Inu owner will tell you, the breed can be “particular,” to say the least. My boy Bento has historically struggled with anxiousness sitting still at restaurants; he always wants to be on the move, and really prefers to be in his fox hole at home. And since he’s 22 pounds, he’s just slightly too big to travel in-cabin, and the idea of him Shiba-shrieking in a kennel in cargo doesn’t sound fun for anyone. So flying was just something I never pushed for. That is, until the recent pack of dog-friendly airlines showed up.
Now dog-first airlines like Bark Air, RetrievAir, K9 Jets are ushering in a new era of pet travel. And others like JSX are making four-legged friends a priority for their service, too. So on a recent trip from Oakland to Carlsbad on JSX, I decided it was time to have Bento join me for his first flight.
Thomas J. Story
On JSX’s public air charters, non-Service Animals over 30 pounds are required to purchase a seat, but other than that, they are cleared to fly regardless of their service animal status. Bento is an Emotional Support Animal, he is not a Service Animal, which requires special training and certifications. ESAs are often treated as pets and are subject to fees, and some airlines do not allow them at all. For the JSX flight, I was required to fill out paperwork at the time of booking including the contact info for our vet, and to bring a printout to the terminal. But that was the only complicated part of the process. (Who has printers anymore, am I right?)
I admittedly was more nervous than Bento seemed to be. I bought him a special little fuzzy blanket to lay on during the flight, and my veterinarian suggested carrying a prescription of very low-dose Gabapentin just in case things got uncomfortable for him. But the moment we arrived at the JSX terminal, things were a breeze.
Firstly, JSX offers valet service, making the unloading of luggage and pets a breeze. There was a doggie bowl full of water positioned at the entrance of the private terminal—which is located outside of the main airport—and the concierge even offered to take a photo of Bento and I waltzing into the terminal once I explained it was his first flight. As we waited in the quiet, sleek terminal, I noticed that JSX had a jar of Milkbones on the counter near the complimentary plane snacks and coffee. Bento, normally a very picky little Shiba, happily chowed down on his freebies. (So did his mother. How could I pass up a free fig bar?)
Thomas J. Story
When it was time to board, I was reminded of why I would happily fork over the extra cash to fly with JSX, even if I didn’t have a pet. Their private terminal’s TSA security screening is far more humane than flying commercial, passing through a metal detector and having luggage politely looked at by their staff.
Boarding the plane was my favorite part of the journey. Seeing Bento’s signature Shiba trot make everyone on the plane smile was worth it alone. The energy of the aircraft immediately shifted in the most positive way. Now I can see why some airports like SFO have the “Wag Brigade”; the calming nature of dogs in the stressful environment of flying is a true welcome one. The flight attendant even announced over the intercom that it was Bento’s first flight at 15, and which garnered some applause.
Thomas J. Story
Although Bento was not allowed to sit in an actual seat on the plane per the airline’s rules, he really did enjoy his little fuzzy blanket. He did get antsy and try to get up and wander around the cabin a few times, but other than that it was smooth sailing on our entire trip from Oakland to Carlsbad.
Needless to say his mother was quite pleased with the trip as well. The flight time was just over an hour (that drive would have taken us quite literally all day), giving us time to take a stroll down Oceanside Pier and enjoy a dinner together at the Mission Pacific Hotel—all before sunset. It’s a service I’ll definitely be tapping into again in the future.