RetrievAir hosts service dog training at MacArthur Airport

Service dogs in training will get a lesson in air travel Friday afternoon at Long Island MacArthur Airport practicing everything from airport security to boarding a plane as they prepare to be matched with adults, children and veterans with disabilities.

About 10 of Canine Companions' Northeast service dogs in training, ranging from 16 months to 2 years old, will take part in the exercise aboard one of RetrievAir's Embraer 135 regional jets. The dogs will practice boarding from ground level, climbing the aircraft stairs, finding a place to settle and remaining comfortable inside the cabin.

"This is a huge opportunity for our service dogs," Jessica Reiss, Northeast region program manager for Canine Companions, told Newsday. "It's hard to simulate getting on a plane. It's so different from the actual experience."

The organization raises puppies in homes and environments from Maine to Virginia, exposing them to as many different settings as possible before they move on to the next stage of training, Reiss said.

The session is the first time Canine Companions has worked with RetrievAir and the first time it has conducted this type of exercise at MacArthur. RetrievAir will allow the dogs to board as passengers would, while their trainers take time to work through the experience and determine where each dog can comfortably sit and settle.

The airline will then simulate an in-flight beverage service, pushing a cart down the aisle and serving drinks to recreate some of the sights, sounds and activity the dogs could encounter during an actual flight.

"The cart coming down the hallway, the noises, we can't recreate many of these sounds, so it's a huge opportunity for us," Reiss said.

According to Reiss, air travel among people with service dogs has increased, making it increasingly important for the dogs to be comfortable navigating an airport and aircraft cabin.

"Practicing the whole sequence on a real aircraft, from the security line to settling in, better prepares these dogs for the day their human needs to fly," said Annelise Ingram, head of customer experience for RetrievAir, in a news release.

RetrievAir began offering flights from MacArthur on Sept. 8 after outgrowing its previous base at Republic Airport in East Farmingdale.

Unlike traditional airlines, RetrievAir allows passengers to fly in the cabin alongside cats and dogs of any size. From MacArthur, the airline serves 11 metro areas, including Boston, Chicago and Washington, D.C., as well as Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Scottsdale, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and, beginning in October, Fort Lauderdale. A round-trip for one adult and a pet from MacArthur to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport can cost more than $3,800.

Pets weighing up to 40 pounds can fly free on their owner's lap, while those weighing 41 to 74 pounds can also fly free in the legroom area when two adults are traveling together. Solo travelers must purchase a second seat for pets in that weight range. Pets weighing 75 pounds or more require a second seat.