Pet Airways

By Thomas Baecker, London

媒体英语会带大家一起学习BBC撰稿人在报道世界大事时常用到的单词和短语。

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Background: 一家用来只供宠物飞行使用的航空公司听起来很奇怪，不过美国最新的 Pet Airways 宠物航空改装了几架货运飞机就准备来运送宠物们。宠物的主人们只要付250美元 （大约合人民币1,700元）就可以把他们亲爱的宠物伙伴送上这次宠物之旅，此次旅程出发日期是2009年7月14日。

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An estimated one million animals fly each year in America, usually in a plane's cargo hold. One such trip for Jack Russell Terrier Zoe was enough to convince her owners Alysa Binder and Dan Wiesel that pets needed to travel in style. The husband and wife team came up with the idea of Pet Airways.

Some of the 50 'pawssengers', as they're called on America's newest airline, probably couldn't help but wag their tails when the maiden flight was ready for take off on Tuesday. One of the first to board was Vito, a Border Collie and Australian Shepherd mix. Her owner, Heather Donahue, saw her off:

Heather Donahue:

"Well it was important for me that my dog Vito had a comfortable flight. And he's not a suitcase, you know, he's a family friend and a part of the family, so it was really important for us that he be safe and comfortable and be able to have a vacation with us."

Cats and dogs are able to enjoy pre-boarding walks and at each of the five airports Pet Airways serves, there is even a pet lounge providing pre-flight entertainment.

Upon boarding, the jet-setters are escorted by pet attendants who see to their every need during the flight.

The first flight, from New York to Los Angeles, was a success says Pet Airways. Flights are booked solid for the next two months and the airline is already considering expanding. Within the next three years it hopes to serve the pet jet-set in 25 North American cities.