We have had our little Yorkshire Terrier for over a year and he has done a lot of things but doesn’t have a frequent flyer card because he hasn’t flown on a plane…yet. We have discussed taking him to the city he was named after, but it just hasn’t been the right time. Traveling with three little ones is challenging enough. Why make my life more difficult?
A half-million pets fly each year, according the Transportation Department. So I am sure our little Boston will fly one of these days.
Some airlines charge to take pets along in the cabin; some don’t. Some restrict the travel of short-nosed animals, such as Persian cats and pugs, which have shorter nasal passages that make breathing difficult at higher altitudes. Most also don’t allow pets to travel as cargo in temperatures below 20 degrees and above 85 degrees.
Here’s what you need to know about flying with your pet:
Federal officials began making the pet-related travel statistics public last year for the first time as part of regulations under the Safe Air Travel for Animals Act, which Congress passed in 2000 under pressure from animal rights activists. Most air trips with pets are without incident. There were 14 reported pet deaths, four injuries and six lost animals between May and September in 2006.
Most airlines require pets to be considered healthy, under 100 pounds and at least 8 weeks old.
Fees vary. JetBlue charges $50 for a pet to fly in the cabin, Continental $95, American and Northwest, $80. It’s free on USAir Shuttle and Delta Shuttle.
American, Delta and JetBlue allow pets in the cabin. Frontier and Champion allow them only as cargo. Southwest won’t let pets fly at all.
Some airlines allow only one animal in the cabin per flight. American allows up to seven.
TIPS FOR FLYING WITH YOUR PET
- Alert the airline of a pet when booking your flight to make sure there’s room in the cabin.
- Fly during a weekday when airports are less hectic.
- Fly in the morning or evening during the summer and midday during the winter to ensure safe temperatures for pets traveling as cargo.
- Choose a nonstop, direct flight.
- Exercise your pet before leaving to help it relax and sleep.
- Do not feed or give water to your pet two hours before departure.
- Check in at least two hours before time and have all paperwork ready.
- Tape a note on the pet container with all relevant information: name of the pet, age, destination and flight number.
- Make sure the carry-on container will fit under the seat.
Familiarize your pet with its carrier before leaving home, and make sure the pet is wearing tags or is micro chipped.
Have you traveled with your pet? How was the experience?
I look forward to hearing your stories and adding to the list of helpful tips.
little Mitten says:
That’s a cool job you’ve done! Thanks.
I guess you’ve made lives of hundreds of pet-keepers much easier.
If I’m lucky enough, I may be moving from Belarus to England one day
I’ll use your tips for sure, and will share my story with you.
Dog Lover says:
You’ve hit a hot button for me.
I traveled with my first pet, Spike, a 12 lb Maltese. On my first attempt, I checked the puppy with the cargo on a USAir non-stop from Kansas City to Baltimore during zero degree weather. The dog ended up in Charlotte. I was panicked and a wreck, so I decided I’d never do that again.
I then traveled a few times with Spike on the flight. I was irritated that I had to pay extra for what was essentially a carry-on size container that had to go under the seat in front of me. The dog never made a noise or bothered anyone and essentially was a piece of luggage. (I also argued that if my dog was a paying passenger, that he should get frequent flier miles. That didn’t work.)
On the other hand, the sometimes squirming children under 2 (who often fly free and occupy a seat if available), often are more disruptive than a tiny dog under the seat.
Perhaps the airlines should charge their fee for pets, and if you can get on and off the plane without them even noticing you have a dog with you, you should get a full refund!
I no longer fly with my pets. I think we are all happier and more relaxed now that we don’t have the stress.
Karen Dawson says:
Moving from Boston to Dallas with pets was probably our biggest area of concern moving here. I have to say travelling with 4 cats was the most stressful experience I think I’ve ever had. Two cats came in the cabin with us, (only allowed one per person) and the other two went in cargo. The cats cried for 20 miles in the limo from my parents to the airport, and I was terrified they would do so in the cabin for 3 hours. Fortunately they didn’t make a sound. The worst part was going through security, as you have to take the pet out of the cage, after you’ve removed your boots, gloves, coats, etc., and now you have this squirmy, terrified pet in your arms while they stop the conveyor; it seems like the longest minute of your life. Those are all great tips above; my only other suggestion is to pay attention to when you fly.
The mornings can be too cold in March flying from Boston to Dallas, so I guessed right by choosing a 12noon flight; the warmest part of the day.
Good luck with yours!
Kenyon says:
I personally am allergic to both dogs and cats and find it hard to believe that animals with fur would be allowed in the cabin as everyone breathes the same air.
The theory is the same as smoking on the plane. I think Boston’s a terrific dog, but I wouldn’t want to coast-to-coast with him in our communal air space.
Stacey Weber says:
Even though I have 2 dogs and am a dog lover, I have never taken my pets on a plane. I’ve often wished they could go on vacation with me, but the logistics of it have stopped me from attempting it.
When I was a kid, we moved cross-country several times. We had both a family dog and cat. Our pets were always transported in the cargo of the plane. Each time, they were kenneled in the city we were leaving, as we would fly to our new home and stay in a hotel until our stuff arrived on the moving truck several days later. The animals would arrive a week or so later. They were always tranquilized for their air travel, which certainly helped their “nerves”, especially after being “abandoned” by their family a week earlier!
We always moved in the summer, as my parents didn’t want us to have to move during the school year. One time, we moved from a hotter climate back to a cooler one and our animals couldn’t be shipped for many weeks due to the conditions. We didn’t get our pets for over a month! It was hard to be without them given pets are such an integral part of the family and I felt sorry for what they must have thought!
Pets have to travel via air sometimes, like during cross-country relocations, and I’m sure some animals get used to it, but I can’t see how it wouldn’t add a lot of stress to their lives. I think if I had to do it, tranquilizers would be a must – in fact, I would have liked to tranquilize some of the humans I’ve had on my flights, too!
Tony Amador says:
Thought this was interesting and appropriate for this post…
Continental Airlines recently unveiled the first-ever airport lounge in the U.S. for animals on the go. The air-conditioned facility at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston features a wide variety of services for traveling pets, including round-the-clock grooming, exercise, and housekeeping. (The Globe and Mail (Canada), February 10, 2007)
Maltese Maniac says:
I have never traveled with my Maltese dog, but think it’s a great idea for airlines to make a little extra money to accommodate small dogs.
ToniSuzanne says:
I wanted to use this forum to remind pet owners that a pet carried on board a commercial flight must remain inside their approved carrier for the duration of the flight. They may not be taken out of the carrier. I am a flight attendant, and my airline’s policy is: Not even the head out of the carrier. They may not be taken out to sit on your lap, look out the window, be tucked into the seatback pocket, “hang out” around your feet, sit on a tray table, perch on an empty seat adjacent to you, be carried or walked up and down the aisle of the plane or taken to the lav. Inside the carrier at all times. There are good reasons for this, and very good reasons for charging pet owners a fee to carry on a pet (even though the pet occupies space that would otherwise be occupied by your feet or a piece of carry-on luggage). I won’t enumerate them here except to say that, from the pet owners’ point of view, the chief reason is the safety of your pet.
Bob Graham says:
I was once on an American flight that had a German Shepperd accompanied by policemen in the cabin. They wouldn’t let them sit in an exit aisle and the dog had to lay down on the floor in front of their seats. My problem was that as a dog lover I wanted to play with him (imagine playing fetch in the aisle of the plane) but I knew that was impossible.
None of my dogs (Golden Retrievers) have ever been on a plane, but they usually accompany us on vacations. They travel well and love to go along for the ride.