moving overseas with caique

Question
The airline says that the bird will travel in the cargo area and not in the cabin with us.  We are moving to Greece.  The trip will be about 8.5 hours.  It is in the evening 5:30 pm so this is the almost the time when he normally goes to sleep anyway.  We are terrified! Does anyone have experience with something like that?  My husband is convinced that the bird will be dead on arrival.  That maybe it will be better to give the bird away to a rescue center for adoption.  

We do not  know what to do.  HELP.

Answer
Hi, Irena.  Thanks for posting!

You need to ask your airline whether this cargo area is specifically adapted for animals, i.e., whether there is heat.  The cargo area normally is not heated for luggage and when you are 36K feet or more in the air, the temperature is well below zero (I've made the flight to Greece 4 times).  

I've seen animals in the cabin with people when I've traveled within the USA (of course, they are kept in pet taxi's or pet carriers).  I wonder why your bird has to be in the cargo area.  You might want to ask this question as well.  Perhaps it has to do with the length of the flight.  You may want to try another airline to see if their policies are different.

If your bird would have to travel in an unheated cargo area, I'd have to agree with your husband that the bird would die.  The bird can go 8.5 hours without food and water, but not heat.

Chrys