readywhenyouare

I know the airlines will declare peanut-free flights when there is someone allergic onboard. I wonder if they would provide me with a free change of flights as I am allergic to cats and would be miserable throughout the flight. I think that is only fair.

MSPeconomist

Sorry. I assumed otherwise since you were talking about a large sherpa bag (singular).

dgilman

I mean, I'm sure DL will do anything for you if you make a stink about it.

But is your allergy so bad that if you sat anywhere on the flight when the cat is in a bag you'd have a problem? Because I'm not quite sure how you'd get cat hair or dander on yourself in that scenario.

readywhenyouare

I'm not sure how it would affect me on an aircraft. A couple of months ago I was at a friend's house and my eyes starting itching and getting irritated. It turned out that a couple of weeks before that they had been pet sitting another friend's cats. So I was feeling the effects and the cats had been gone for two weeks.

grahampros

My dog is much easier to travel with than my father. The dog loves it since he's getting to go..apparently dad not so much since he complains about everything the entire time. Maybe i should try benadryl for dad.

MSPeconomist

The problem for people with severe allergies is that people take their pets out of the carrier and FAs don't enforce the rules.

In fact, I was on a flight to EZE in BE where someone with a little dog moved up to BE after takeoff and proceeded to parade around the BE cabin throughout the flight carrying the dog, including taking it up to the galley and into the restroom. The FAs thought it was cute.

mother-

I'd suggest you buy one carrier and try it on the big guy first- that is a lot of cat to try to fit into an underseat carrier without touching the sides. I recently transported a 16.5# cat in a Petsfit carrier which is 1 inch shorter but roughly the same width while zipped up, and I don't think 5 pounds more cat would fit in that with the 'porch' down.

Good luck.

Orion316

Just did this 5 months ago SFO-JFK.

Same experience here. Didn't give the cats anything, they cried in the car on the way to the airport, and in cab in NYC, but didn't make a peep otherwise.

You can also request a private room at SFO. Then you take the cats out of the carrier in the private room, TSA X-rays the carrier, brings it back, and you lure the cats back in. Worked like a charm.

DYKWIA2014

When I first saw the title of this thread, all I could think of was why the OP would be flying cross country with a large Sherpa?

https://www.google.com/#q=pictures+of+sherpas

But then again, this is FT, and nothing really surprises me anymore.

MSPeconomist

An emotional support Sherpa?

Carl Johnson

You can take one on without any certification or anything, but you have to buy it a seat. However, emotional support Sherpas can earn miles and status just like any other passenger.

Carl Johnson

Bring a doctor's certification. But don't ride it through the metal detector. Some people who attempted to ride their tiger through the checkpoint ended up inside. Also, be careful to watch its eyes.

DYKWIA2014

ROFL.

Tibs

Keep it in perspective. Peanuts can kill you fast and you sound like you're irritated mildly by dander.

Dander isn't going to fly all over the plane, so I seriously doubt even the person next to you would feel the effects if you had a cat and they were allergic.

I am allergic to cats and didn't know it for years, because for years I took a basic over the counter Claritin class pill and when I ran out itchy eyes and put two and two together. I still have to take it because of living in "The Allergy Belt" so it doesn't matter to me.

If someone is deadly allergic to cats, they would fall over every time a little old lady walked by....and would already have other allergies that were so severe they know how to handle it and plan accordingly. Its not like someone on the plan is going to suddenly die when a cat carrier appears - besides the air in the cargo hold that is pressurized more than likely is circulating around the cabin with you.

enviroian

The cats should be in the cargo hold. As a cat allergic asthmatic I would be out of commission. I think it's pretty rude to bring cats on board considering how many people are allergic to them.