sulcata tortise air travel

Question
my husband is a pilot and we are going to fly to visit family this Thanksgiving. I have a sulcata tortise, Leonidas, he's about 2 yrs old and about 100 grams 3-4 inches long. I want to take him with us. We will be flying at 8000 feet in a unpressurized airplane. Can he handle it. Thank you, in advance for any help you can give me, debra

Answer
Hi Debra,

I don't have an answer for you, so I'm going to do some checking and see what I can find.  I do know that tortoises are shipped safely as cargo (via UPS, Fed Ex, Delta Dash), and your husband will know if those conditions are similar to how you'll be flying.  Let me know if that's the case.  In the meantime, I'll see what I can find out and get back to you as soon as I can.

Update:  I consulted with a friend of mine who runs a rescue.  Your tortoise should be fine flying at an elevation that is safe for you.  You'll just want to make sure that temperatures are suitable for him, or that you transport him in a warm box (you can use a heat pack/hand warmer, etc. if necessary).  Hope this helped!