Transport of primates
In 2000, Air France transported 2,500 non-human primates from the Philippines and Mauritius to the United States; more than half of which were captured in the wild. In the UK, importations of primates were down to 1,861 in 2003, compared to 2,226 in 2002. Primates are trapped by hunters and traveled for long journeys in small crates up to several days to the airports. A study showed that 80% of the monkeys caught in the wild die on their way to the airports. Air transport is also stressful as monkeys are confined in cages, suffering from inadequate ventilation and temperature.

Destination to research laboratoires
Monkeys are delivered to research laboratories throughout the world where they will be used in research and testing, undergoing often painful, invasive and terminal procedures. Primates are destroyed in research and tests of chemicals and potential drugs during the pre-clinical phases of research and development. It is argued by a small community of researchers that using primates for testing and research is wasteful and misleading as monkeys differ significantly from human beings with respect to their physiology, biochemistry and genetics. It is a fact that non-human primates are poor surrogates for the study of human diseases. However, there is an ever increasing demand for monkeys destined for research and testing purposes.

Power and money
Many other companies such as Air Canada , American Airlines, Lufthansa, Delta, Northwest Airlines, TWA, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and China Airlines, have stopped air shipment of non-human primates. Therefore, AIR-France-KLM has taken on the largest part of the business that was abandoned by the other airlines. The main reason for France-KLM endorsement of the monkey trade is its close ties with the French government and the direct support of shareholders, who are also top executives of large pharmaceutical companies like Sanofi-Aventis. AIR-France-KLM seems to have also the support of some major animal welfare organizations arguing that the ban on air shipment of non-human primates would actually worsen their living conditions.

Actions against air companies involved in the Monkey Trade
For several years, there has been an international coalition of vocal animal advocates calling on Air France (recently-AIR France-KLM) to stop its shipment of primates destined for research throughout the world. The campaign was launched by the Animal Protection Institute (API) in the U.S. the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) in the U.K. and One Voice in France . However, there has been only inertia on the part of AIR-France on this affair.

In addition, this year a group calling themselves Gateway to Hell had launched a campaign to protest about the trade in live animals to British medical research laboratories. The campaign started with demonstrations at several airports, such as Heathrow and Manchester airports. The group pointed to BAA, British Airways, Air France, Air Mauritius and the Dover Port Authority because of their role in the trade of primates. The campaign continues.

What you can do:
1) BOYCOTT AIR-France-KLM

2) Write AIR-France Jean Cyril Spinetta Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Air France 45, rue de Paris F-95747 Roissy, France

3) Support animal advocates campaigning to end the cruel monkey trade. Non-profit organizations will need money to investigate, document and expose the monkey trade and do much of the work that paid officials will not.

4) Support researchers who are committed to research and develop humane and scientific ways of doing research. As far as human health is concerned, the ultimate alternative is the replacement of animals with human-based research tools.