Air Freight for birds

[shayne]

Well I wait until I've travelled to Melbourne to buy some finches and transport them back myself. I've just made enquiries and it turns out the airlines subcontracts this to Toll and for birds Toll say you must use either Jetpet or Dogtainer (so another sub). I can't just do it myself, must go through three businesses. So for me to drop off the bird with my own travel box at their depot and pick them up at the other end is $160. It doesn't make a difference if I'm flying or not, would have done this a few months ago if I'd known.
Anyone know anything about this or a better way?
I could probably gold plate the birds for this...

[Strop]

Hi Shayne,
that is expensive I'm down in Perth at the moment and I'm flying back to Kununurra tomorrow with a box of 10 birds which will cost me no more than $50. I'm flying with Virgin but I have flown with Qantas before and had to use Australian Air Express. If your flying Virgin out of Melbourne they use Toll Air Express so their charges might be different because it's interstate.

Cheers Strop'

[Craig52]

Well I wait until I've travelled to Melbourne to buy some finches and transport them back myself. I've just made enquiries and it turns out the airlines subcontracts this to Toll and for birds Toll say you must use either Jetpet or Dogtainer (so another sub). I can't just do it myself, must go through three businesses. So for me to drop off the bird with my own travel box at their depot and pick them up at the other end is $160. It doesn't make a difference if I'm flying or not, would have done this a few months ago if I'd known.
Anyone know anything about this or a better way?
I could probably gold plate the birds for this...

Hi Shayne,i didn't think what you wanted to happen would happen.It's a lot easier to source your birds and have them freighted to you through Qantas freight as Australian Air Express doesn't exist any more.
The only thing with Qantas is that they only have one direct flight to Darwin twice a week,the rest take many more hours due to stop overs. Craig

[gouldianpaul]

HI Shayne,

IMO Qantas freight are not to bad for service when it comes to major airport to major airport. However when you involve regional airports you are better to spend a little more and go through the 3rd parties like dog tainers or Jetpets as your birds won't go through several stops to get to their destination which Qantas often do when freighting from major airports to our regional ones.

Cheers
Paul

[SamDavis]

HI Shayne,

IMO Qantas freight are not to bad for service when it comes to major airport to major airport. However when you involve regional airports you are better to spend a little more and go through the 3rd parties like dog tainers or Jetpets as your birds won't go through several stops to get to their destination which Qantas often do when freighting from major airports to our regional ones.

Cheers
Paul

I always thought Dogtainers, Jetpets, etc. used Qantas freight (previously Australian Air Express). Whenever I've sent/collected birds at Sydney there's been dogs and variious other animals coming in and out with third party animal freighters including Dogtainers and Jetpets. I thought these third parties did the local pickup/drop-off to and from the airports.

[gouldianpaul]

HI Shayne,

IMO Qantas freight are not to bad for service when it comes to major airport to major airport. However when you involve regional airports you are better to spend a little more and go through the 3rd parties like dog tainers or Jetpets as your birds won't go through several stops to get to their destination which Qantas often do when freighting from major airports to our regional ones.

Cheers
Paul

I always thought Dogtainers, Jetpets, etc. used Qantas freight (previously Australian Air Express). Whenever I've sent/collected birds at Sydney there's been dogs and variious other animals coming in and out with third party animal freighters including Dogtainers and Jetpets. I thought these third parties did the local pickup/drop-off to and from the airports.

I'm sure you are right Sam, but I've found that when sending birds to regional airports they always go on a direct flight when using Dogtainers or Jetpets....not always the case when using Qantas directly myself.

[Craig52]

I don't really agree with that Paul,Those third parties use Qantas to major airports and then transferred to smaller planes/jets to regional airports as large passenger planes can't land on most regional air strips hence the smaller planes.

These days with all the technology you just look up the Qantas fight on their web site a couple of days before it leaves,ring Qantas freight and book it in.They intern email you an itinerary,you print it out and take it with you on the day and pay for it and they do the rest. So easy. Craig

[shayne]

Turns out I'm flying Qantas return. I'll give Q freight a call tomorrow and see what it's about.
Might not be able to post for a day or two.
Cheers

[shayne]

$60 with Qantas freight with person travelling. Guess you want $100 cheaper airfare if flying another airline