Let’s have a pig flying in the sky

Ostend (oostende) – in A live animal by air transport requires a different approach when it comes to food, cell phones or car parts. The young Belgian transport company Flightwatch, there are specialty, they ship it to pigs, chickens, legkuikens and the birds are coming from Europe and the rest of the world. And every now and then a lion.

the Flightwatch, it was in mid-2016, and was established by Looking Braet, and There Are. They were, previously, both working for a different carrier, and got the idea to do with starting one’s own business. “There are a lot of companies that have freight to organize them, so we wanted to find a niche in which we ourselves are able to position itself,” says Natalie. “And since we’re huge animal lovers, it seemed like a good opportunity. We are specialized in the transport of broedkuikens, but the ship is also, for example, a lot of pigs. That is going all around the world. In Asia, for example, the European pigs are very popular for breeding because of their high level of quality.”

In the transport of live animals is, of course, there was a lot more than a normal shipment of goods. There is a lot of paperwork to look at, but also with the rigorous IATA regulations (International Air Transport Association), which have to be followed. “If we’re going whole hog for transport, using, for example, we own lots of saw dust and insulation and to make the animals feel as comfortable as possible,” and lay’d out. “If we are to birds or broedkuikens to transport, set up, we have the laadplannen for the best possible stability and zuurstofaanvoer.”

Exotic animals such as tigers or deer to pass through in some cases, the review by Flightwatch, often at the behest of zoos and animal parks. “Our first shipment was a load of turtles from the Maldives to ” Pairi Daiza”, says She. “Those are the animals that are in the fishing nets came to be, and that, in our country, go back to full-strength could have come from. For these animals, we have boxes made to order.”

The work of Flightwatch is out of the administrative preparation for the race. There is an airline looking for, the cargo will be booked in with the relevant documents to be drawn up, and the whole process will be closely monitored. Flightwatch will also handle the contact with the carriers, who have to make sure that the boxes are on the plane to be loaded. “It’s a great, but demanding job,” says Natalie. “The mobile phone continues day and night. We are always in stand-by until the flight is actually the way it is. Sometimes I sit in my office and really have to think, ‘Come on, leave right now, it’s eleven o ‘ clock, I wanna go home’ (laughs).”