After it was widely reported that Delta lost a dog on its flight, the airline has just launched what it calls the first pet-tracking device to make traveling with your canine sidekick less stressful and safer.
The device can monitor your dog in real-time, including temparture and positioning. But all this reassuring data isn’t free. It will cost customers $50 per flight (on top of the minimum $200 fee they already pay to travel with their four-legged companion) and is currently only offered in 10 airports.
The gadget, developed by Sendum Wireless Corp., is attached to the crate and if anything seems awry, it will send a message to the Delta’s call center. The owner can also look up at the information on the website. The major issue is that these notifications can only occur before and after takeoff yet Neel Jones Shah, an airline adviser to Sendum and former Delta cargo executive, told Bloomberg that many of the incidents occur while the pet is not up in the air. Hopefully, this new device will help the airline get back on track.
Related: Delta Changes Its Pet Policy, New Option Is Uber Expensive
According to Transportation Department data, Delta has had the most animal deaths among the top five airlines in the last five years, with 51. To be fair, the company has only had six deaths since 2013.
The pet tracker is available at the following airports: New York’s LaGuardia along with airports in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Los Angeles, Memphis, Tennessee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Seattle, Salt Lake City and Tampa.
Related: Plane Gets Diverted to Save Dog