'Unproductive' Hens Airlifted To New Homes By Air Partner Freight Charter

Air Partner, which is the only aviation charter service to hold a Royal Warrant by Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen, on Wednesday delivered a very different type of passenger. The company's Freight Division teamed up with Animal Place, a farm animal rescue organization, to freight 1,150 hens from northern California to sanctuaries on the US East Coast.

The hens were part of a flock of 3,000, saved from slaughter after becoming unproductive at the California egg-laying farm. While on the farm, they had their beaks clipped and were kept in cages around the clock. They arrived at Animal Place covered in parasites, having never set foot on anything other than the wire mesh of their cages.

They were being kept at Animal Place's Grass Valley location, receiving veterinary care and acclimatizing to their new freedom. But Animal Place isn't equipped to maintain that many birds permanently and, while the organization found homes for most in nearby sanctuaries, many were fortunate to find a string of welcoming partners throughout New York State.

Transporting 1,150 chickens across the country, however, isn't as easy as it sounds. Commercial airlines are unable to provide the conditions necessary to freight the adult hens, and the logistics of driving them cross-country proved too complicated and costly. Chartering a cargo plane became the only solution and Air Partner Freight stepped in.

"In over 50 years of experience, we have shipped all manner of freight, but I have to say, this was certainly one of our more interesting cargos," said Phil Mathews, President of Air Partner North America. "While these birds don't match our normal clientele of business and leisure travelers, we were more than happy to give them a lift to their new home."

"We scheduled a red eye flight so the ladies could wake up refreshed in the Empire State," joked Chris Armstrong, Freight Director for Air Partner North America. "Because the chickens slept through most of the flight, they didn't need to eat or drink during those hours and the whole experience was much less stressful for them. They've been through enough already."

The birds, who have never had enough room to stretch their wings, flew 3,000 miles at 25,000 feet to farms across New York. "It's pretty amazing to see how lively these animals are now. We're happy to be a part of providing them with safe and comfortable new homes," said Mathews.

FMI: www.airpartner.com