Queeny the Seasoned Flyer

I often am asked, “What happens with Queeny when you fly to destinations?”

No, she does not go in the cargo hold in a pet crate! She lays at my feet in the cabin, on an absorbent mat provided by Qantas. In the larger aircraft, we are located behind the bulkhead at the rear of business class. Lots of leg room which allows Queeny plenty of comfort.

It is not possible to book online, as Queeny is allocated an extra seat, (at no cost), so she can travel with me in the cabin. I have to do all our flight bookings over the phone. I wish there was a dedicated line to do this, as I regularly have to wait on hold for long periods to speak to a booking clerk.

I plan her relieving carefully. It is unfortunate, but most airports don’t have designated grassy areas for the task. We usually have to walk long distances to get to a satisfactory area away from the public thoroughfares. This also requires exiting the airport and having to return through the security screens once more on return.

Most of our air travel requires connecting flights. I always allow at least an hour between flights, so Queeny has plenty of time to relieve. It is airline protocol that we board first and disembark last. At connecting airports, I have Qantas staff assist us to a relieving area, then to our required boarding lounge for our next flight. They also collect my luggage if we are not being met at our destination.

In our first two years as a team, we have made eleven flights together. The longest flight she has done lasted just over two hours. Queeny is at ease with flying. Takeoffs are a breeze, but I reassure her on approach to landing. I offer her a treat to nibble on when my ear’s ‘pop’ and place a hand on her as the plane brakes.  

Queeny attracts a lot of comment from fellow travelers. Once, flight attendants remarked, “Queeny was the best behaved passenger!”