Most airlines now require that a perch be installed (screwed in from the outside of the container) for birds. Noble Feathers Parrots makes the perch no higher than an inch from the bottom. This way, the parrot won’t fall hard or get caught under the perch during turbulence. We also line the bottom of the carrier with newspaper or crumpled then tamped down paper toweling so that the bird has a better foothold if it stays on the bottom. We also to tape a thick piece of cardboard halfway up the front door if the weather is inclement or if we are shipping babies. For parrots that are extra-large and can chew through most material (such as hyacinths and Black palm cockatoos), we line the entire crate with hardware cloth. We always ship bonded pairs separately or in a separate compartment within the crate so as to avoid stress wounds. We fill the bottom of the crate with the seed (and/or pellets if that is their diet). It works as a good bedding liner and gives the parrots nourishment if they want to eat during the flight. We place cubes of juicy fruit in the container on the floor – grapes, apples, oranges, etc. This will provide the bird(s) with liquids during the flight and any layovers. Just be sure that there is enough food for the bird(s) in case of a 1 or 2 days delay! Finally, we add an extra piece of hardware cloth over the entire door of the crate so that no one is tempted to open the door to take a closer look or to take the parrot. We always make sure the crates have the “LIVE BIRDS” label on it, which is generally provided by the airline.