Check in your pets at Palma airport

AS all expatriate pet owners are aware in the Balearics, in February this year, the UK scrapped its 100-year-old anti-rabies laws and British residents in the Balearics, many of whom backed the campaign, are now able to travel back to the United Kingdom with their pets by air. British Midland, the UK's second largest airline, immediately leapt at the chance of bringing pets back into the UK without them having to endure six months of quarantine. Due to the huge demand for this service by local residents, British Midland began operating the pet travel scheme on its Palma - London Heathrow service from 10 July 2000. The airline will operate the service in conjunction with Palma based Rapid Transit Services (RTS), appointed by local cargo agents Chapman Freeborn Airmarketing. BM was the first airline to be granted a licence by the UK Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to operate under the scheme, and launched it onto its Amsterdam - London Heathrow route in March 2000. Under the new regulations, airline passengers are able to book pets on a flight, subject to the animal adhering to the new regulations, which include an anti-rabies injection and electronic identification.