What to Know About Building a Career as a Flight Nanny

If you’ve ever flown with pets, you know how important their comfort and safety are during travel. That's where a flight nanny comes in. A flight nanny is someone who cares for pets while they travel, ensuring they arrive safely and comfortably at their destination. This blog post will explore how to build a career as a flight nanny, the skills you need, and what to expect on the job.

Understanding the Role of a Flight Nanny

A flight nanny's primary responsibility is to care for animals during transit. They typically handle pets like dogs and cats that are being flown to a new home or back to their owners. This job includes various tasks such as:

• Monitoring the animal's behavior and health

• Feeding and exercising the pet

• Ensuring proper documentation and travel arrangements are in place

  
  

The role requires a deep love for animals and the ability to provide comfort during stressful travel situations. Flight nannies may also be responsible for coordinating timelines with both the pet owner and the airline, making excellent communication skills essential.

A flight nanny ensures the comfort of a dog waiting at the airport.

Essential Skills for Aspiring Flight Nannies

To be successful in this career, individuals need to possess specific skills and characteristics. Here are some of the most crucial ones:

1. Animal Care Knowledge: Understanding the needs and behaviors of dogs and cats is essential. This includes knowing about different breeds, spotting signs of distress, proper sanitation practices, and proper handling.

   
   

2. Communication Skills: A flight nanny must effectively communicate with pet owners, airline staff, and anyone else involved in the transportation process. And do so with kindness and enthusiasm!

   
   

3. Problem-Solving Abilities: Travel can be unpredictable, and a flight nanny should be able to handle unexpected situations, such as flight delays or cancellations. It is important to have a flexible lifestyle that can accommodate last-minute schedule changes.

   
   

4. Patience and Compassion: Animals can sense stress, so a calm and patient demeanor helps keep them comfortable during the flight. Maintaining professional interactions with all airline staff and airport employees is just as critical.

   
   

By honing these skills, aspiring flight nannies can ensure they provide the best possible care for pets in transit.

How much does a dog flight nanny make?

The salary of a flight nanny can vary significantly based on several factors. Generally, the nanny fee ranges from $300 to over $2000, depending on:

• The distance of the flight

• The size and type of the animal

• How many pets are traveling

• If any ground support is needed to or from the airport

• Domestic or International Destination

  
  

For example, longer flights or those requiring special accommodations tend to pay more. Additionally, some flight nannies may charge additional fees for last-minute bookings or international travel.

For anyone looking to enter the field, understanding these costs is essential. This knowledge will help you set competitive prices if you decide to become a flight nanny yourself, ensuring you attract clients while making a fair income.

An airport waiting area where flight nannies might coordinate transfers with client pet owners.

Steps to Become a Flight Nanny

If you are interested in pursuing a career as a flight nanny, follow these steps to build a solid foundation:

1. Register with the USDA: Start by registering with the United States Department of Agriculture as a intermediate handler. Registration is free and simply a way of telling the government you will be transporting animals for pay.

   
   

2. Understand the Laws: Read the "Blue Book" of laws set by the Animal Welfare Act so you know how to keep pets safe and free from harm while traveling. These guidelines set the rules on pet age, pet carrier sizes, feeding and watering, and the paperwork required to travel with pets across state lines.

   
   

3. Research the Airline Policies: Each airline has their own set of rules and regulations about how pets travel and how much it will cost to bring them on board. By researching ahead of time you will know how to match each client with the airlines that meets all of their needs.

   
   

4. Get Certified: While not required, obtaining certifications in pet care, animal first aid, or pet CPR can enhance your credibility and skill set. Educate yourself on pet behavior and breed specific health issues.

   
   

5. Find a Mentor: The pet transport industry can be competitive. Team up with a professional who already has years of experience to learn from. While most flight nannies work independently to build their own brand, a trusted mentor can help you skip the trial-and-error phase of business. Network with other flight nannies in your area so you can be available if they have extra work.

   
   

6. Marketing Your Services: Use social media, pet care websites, and word of mouth to advertise your services. Start by advertising with your current social circle to get your first clients who already love and trust you.

   
   

By taking these steps, you can build a successful career as a flight nanny, making travel less stressful for pets and their owners alike.

The Future of Flight Nanny Services

The demand for flight nannies is poised to grow alongside the increase in pet ownership and the desire for pets to travel with their owners. With more individuals moving to new cities, relocating, or taking extended vacations, flight nannies will play an essential role in ensuring safe and comfortable travel for pets.

Given the emergence of pet-friendly travel services and the willingness of owners to invest in professional pet transport, the potential for flight nanny jobs is promising.

Stay informed about the latest trends and best practices in animal travel to ensure you are always at the forefront of this growing industry.

A well-prepared pet carrier is essential for a comfortable animal travel experience.

How to Find Flight Nanny Jobs

If you're looking to start your career as a flight nanny and you are having a hard time finding companies who are hiring, you are not alone! Keep in mind, this is a competitive industry. Flying with puppies and kittens is attractive work for all kinds of animal lovers; the newly retired, the college grad, and the serial entrepreneur. Being a flight nanny is a great service to add to your list if you are an active pet sitter, dog groomer, or ground transporter.

From a business point of view, hiring a new flight nanny requires training, hands-on experience, and taking on a great deal of liability. These are people's babies so they have to be certain the new flight nanny is going to be able to care for this pet, communicate effectively, and do so with love and kindness. A positive reputation is critical to success in this industry so businesses can be hesitant to hire new people who don't have any experience.

This is why I created the Flight Nanny PRO training program and mentorship community. I have collected all of my experience as a flight nanny and compiled it into an online training portal that answers all of your basic questions about getting started as a flight nanny. Then, once you are ready, we take a fly-along together so you can experience flying with a pet from start to finish. Once that fly-along is complete you can then become an independent contractor for PurplePup. The goal is to give you all the info you need to build your own flight nanny business while also growing as a part of our team. Would love to tell you more about it if you schedule a zoom meeting with me here. -Amanda, owner PurplePup LLC