FLYING THE CRUEL SKIES Choosing between two airlines? Consider this...

There is a sickening underbelly (literally) to air transportation companies that consists of them transporting primates to research laboratories (primarily in the US and Europe). The death rates for primates on these flights have been known to be as high as 50%. And, in some ways, the living may end up envying the dead, as those that do make it to their destinations have nothing to look forward to but a life of confinement, pain and an untimely death. Some airlines are trying to make a difference by refusing to transport these primates. For other airlines, it's just a small stream of revenue and they have no qualms about it. I'm not advocating an outright boycott of these air carriers (as I know how great differences in air prices can be sometimes). But, look at the two lists below, and if you're facing a choice where you have comptetive rates between two or more carriers, make your statement by choosing one of the companies on the right. This document is out of date (2000), and is not meant as a strict guideline of WHICH airlines to fly, but things to consider when you make choices as a consumer. Contact the airlines and ask. Let THEM know you abhor the practice and it factors into your choices. They may drop the practice. Airlines that DO transport primates Airlines that DO NOT transport primates Air China Air France Air India Air Inter Air Mauritius American Airlines Amerijet International Carribean Air Cargo China Airlines China Eastern Airline Continental Delta Air ELAL (Israel) Faucett (Peru) Garuda Indonesia Japan Airlines Korean Air LIAT (Caribbean) Lufthansa (Germany): [forced to continue by German government] Northwest Airlines Sabena (Belgium) Saudi Arabian Airlines US Airways Varig (Brazil) Aer Lingus (Ireland) Aeromexico Air Afrique Air Algerie Air Atlantique Air Botswana Air Canada Air Malta Air New Zealand Air Portugal Air Tanzania Air UK Air Zimbabwe Air Nippon Airways Ansett Australia Austrian Airlines Brit Air Brittania British Airways British Midland Business Air BWIA (West Indies) Canadian Airlines Cargolux Cimber Air (Denmark) Commercial Airways Ltd. Cross Air Cyprus Airways Cyprus Turkish Airlines Egyptair Ethiopian Airlines Eurowigs Finnair Iceland Air Mexicana Airlines Middle East Airlines Quantas Southwest Airlines Swissair Thai Airlines Turkish Airlines TWA United Airlines Virgin Atlantic Source: American Anti-Vivisection Society. List was compiled by the British Union for Abolition of Vivisection.