Questions about small animals and flying/airlines

shorty0527

tPF=purses anonymous
O.G.
Feb 5, 2007
897
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me and my bf are planning a trip. we are considering taking our chihuahua but i have some concerns.

which airlines allow dogs are carry ons? i refuse to put him with luggage. and if you are allowed to take them as carry ons what is the rule? airline approved bag under your seat the entire flight? do you have to buy a seat for them?

secondly, have any of your dogs flown and how did they handle it? my chi is pretty mellow when he's with me but he has never flown and i am not sure how he will do.

thanks ladies!! love to hear from you! :flowers:
 
Well, I do not have a dog, but I do have two cats. I have flown with them on American Airlines. I also know that US Air allows pets on flights. You do need to notify the airline in advance that you will be bringing your pet as a carry on. Some airlines limit the number of pets that can travel in the cabin.
Here were the conditions:
---a fee (like $50).
-- had to remain in the carry-on during the flight, which was obviously stored under the seat in front of me.
-- my kitty carrier was my carry on
-- had to have a health certificate from the veterinarian. this needed to be completed within a specified time period before the flight.
-- generally, it is recommended that you fast and limit water 12 hours before the flight. to prevent vomitting, diarrhea or frequent urination due to stress.
 
^ thanks for the wonderful (and specific) advice. exactly what i was looking for....
what size was your carry on for the carrier??

more comments welcome! thanks all!
 
As a former long-time airline employee, I strongly recommend you check with your airline that you plan to fly with. Every airline is different. The fees are different. And the rules are different. Southwest does not allow animals in the cabin or cargo. The carry-on size has to be one that will fit under the seat. (your average small carrier). You can not take him out of the carrier. Some animals really stress out on trips. I would take into consideration the temperament of your dog and whether she likes the carrier, traveling, etc. Sometimes, its better just to leave them at home.

As far as the fee, some airlines charge a minimal charge of $50 but I believe most are up to at least $100 (each way) now. You must notify your carrier that you are wanting to bring on a dog. (limited amount per aircraft) Most airlines require a health certificate.

Good luck and have a safe trip. I hope this helps.
 
i flew with my pom as a carryon a few months ago on jet blue. they charged $75 each way, and i had to purchase an airline specific carrying case (i got the sherpa one) and she had to stay in it for the whole flight. Each airline has different rules, and i found their websites usually listed info on it.

Good luck!

P.S. my pom was a FABULOUS flyer. she didnt even make a peep. the people sitting around me didnt even kno i had a dog in my bag :smile: id do it again in a heartbeat
 
AA allows pets. They can't be outside of the carrier the entire flight. You need to check with your airline because it's 1st come 1st served and they only allow a certain number of animals inside the plane per flight.
 
Northwest allows a certain number of pets per class in the cabin (First, I think has like 2 and 2 more are in the Coach). Fee is $80 each way. No health paperwork is required. Pet must fit in a carrier under the seat.

We are taking our Chi to Florida in May. I can post more if you have specific questions.... I'm not sure how she will travel yet but people say flying is a natural sedative for pets.
 
Well, I do not have a dog, but I do have two cats. I have flown with them on American Airlines. I also know that US Air allows pets on flights. You do need to notify the airline in advance that you will be bringing your pet as a carry on. Some airlines limit the number of pets that can travel in the cabin.
Here were the conditions:
---a fee (like $50).
-- had to remain in the carry-on during the flight, which was obviously stored under the seat in front of me.
-- my kitty carrier was my carry on
-- had to have a health certificate from the veterinarian. this needed to be completed within a specified time period before the flight.
-- generally, it is recommended that you fast and limit water 12 hours before the flight. to prevent vomitting, diarrhea or frequent urination due to stress.
Good advise...AA allows 2 animals per cabin. Get your Vet's health certificate and try NOT to tranquilize your dog. AA is usually very helpful. Get a soft sided carrier, dog has to be able to turn around (although in your case, you shouldn't have to worry). Have fun on your trip :yahoo:!!!
 
thanks for all the great tips ladies. for those of you who have airline approved pet carriers, can you please let me know the dimensions of the bag. my little booger stands about 9-10" from the floor to the top of his head (yes he is a big chihuahua 7lbs) and i want him to be comfortable.
 
thanks for all the great tips ladies. for those of you who have airline approved pet carriers, can you please let me know the dimensions of the bag. my little booger stands about 9-10" from the floor to the top of his head (yes he is a big chihuahua 7lbs) and i want him to be comfortable.
Check Sherpa brand. Soft sided and get a size your dog can turn around in, shouldn'd be too hard...ha ha. Soft sided gives them more flexibility. PetSmart carries Sherba...and you can bring your dog in and give it a try.
 
Here is the one I have and my cats are about 7 lbs a piece. I can fit them both in this carrier together.
http://www.designerproducts.com/original.htm
NEWSOFTSIDEBACK-TC_lrg.jpg
 
so the carrier has to be a soft sided carrier, it needs to fit under the seat, your dog also needs to be able to stand and turn around in the carrier. but you should always check with your specific airline because all standards and rules are different.

different airlines charge different fees, but for all airlines you arent allowed to take your dog out during the flight.

most major airlines allow dogs as carry-ons, but keep in mind that it limits the amount of your carry on items.

i would consult your vet about giving your dogs meds. some dogs fly better than others, if your dog is crate trained then it should be fine, but flying makes a lot of dogs nervous. my vet recommeded giving my dog benadryl, but it didnt really work on him.
 
Delta accepts pets in the cabin and its 75.00. I have used the petmate small carrier and the softsided. I believe the small sherpa softsided carrier is one that is commonly approved. I fly international and have to have all sorts of paperwork but not sure about domestic.
 
I've flown with my shih-tzu 3 times. Once with Continental and twice with American Airlines. I use the Sherpa Carrier, I believe it's a large. My boy is 14lbs and he's able to get up and turn around while he's in it. Each airlines charges a different amount. I made sure to bring snacks and a toy (nothing that squeaks or makes noise or else it'll annoy other passnegers and myself LoL). I also bring a small bottle like the ones you use in hamster cages so I can give him water through the zipper. Since I have a boy I bought what's known as a bellyband, just in case he does need to pee he could go on the bellyband. But on every flight he's been on, he's never peed. I'm not sure if we can post links, but if you go onto yahoo type in Pet Friendly Travel the first link there should be helpful.