mdrbase

Hello everyone,

I just joined today. We would like to fly with our dog preferably on Airtran on a flight coming up. I've looked at the regs and some different forums and to be honest it has left me confused.

According to the carrier regs it seems like only the small bag really fits, but according to sherpa website small, medium and large bags(sometimes) are allowed. I can't seem to find anyone airline that allows the large carriers.
My pet is a 22 pound cavalier king charles spaniel which would definitely fit in the large and I figured I might try the medium. Even if he does fit in the medium according to air tran that is over the allowable dimensions for carriers?

I have seen several posts here from people with dogs about my size and they say they will report back how it goes but it seems no one ever comes back and posts.

Thanks for responding and hopefully I made sense and didn't ramble on.

Regards,

Mdrbase

SCToni

Your dog is over the size limits to fly in the cabin with you. He must not only fit in the carrier, most airlines require that he be able to stand up and turn around. In addition, your carrier must go all the way under the seat in front of you, so you must be careful not to book a bulkhead seat as there will be no place to put the dog/carrier. You also cannot occupy an exit row seat when flying with a pet. Your dog must never come out of the carrier on board the airplane -- not to sit in your lap, look out the window, be walked or carried up and down the aisle or taken into the lav. You cannot carry the carrier with the dog inside into the lav and let him out in there, either. There will be a charge for your pet for every leg of the trip. Different airlines charge different amounts. If he has to ride in cargo, of course, the fees and rules are different. Look at the airlines' websites. You may know a lot of this already, so forgive me if I am insulting your intelligence, but your post is headed "first time" so I'm trying to be complete. I'm a flight attendant.

RSSrsvp

Every carrier has their own rules. This is what Airtran says on their site:

Traveling with a Pet
Small, domesticated cats, dogs and birds that will fit in an approved carrier under the seat are accepted.

The pet kennel is limited to maximum dimensions of 8.5" high x 17" long x 12" wide.
The carrier must be leak proof and ventilated on at least two sides.
There is no weight restriction on pets.
The pet must remain in the carrier and under the seat for the duration of the flight.
The pet carrier counts as either a passenger's one (1) carry-on bag or personal item.

Airfare for a pet is $69 one-way and is non-refundable. Six (6) pets are allowed per flight with a limit of one (1) pet per paying customer traveling on the same flight.

As limited space is available, advanced reservations must be made. Of course, service animals (e.g., Seeing Eye dogs) are always welcome onboard regardless of the number of pets already booked on the flight.

I own the medium size Sherpa ULTIMATE PET CARRIER and have used it for years traveling with my Cavalier King Charles Spanel. The bag's specifications are 17" D x 11" W x 10.5" H, Weight: 3.09 lbs.. Their large bag is 19" D x 11.75" W x 11.5" H, Weight: 3.45 lbs. I have never had a problem using this bag on any carrier. That being said, my Cavalier only weighs 12 pounds so needless to say the bag is comfortable for her.

You must also remember that the beauty of these soft sided pet carriers is that they are flexible and can be pushed under the seat. That is why you will find many posts in this forum stating that if it is an inch or two larger that the airline's specifications you shouldn't worry.

StSebastian

I've flown with a pet on both AA and NW (pre-DL). In both of those a 22# animal would have been too large to fit, and they both restrict to 15# anyway. I'm traveling with a ~13# cat and sometimes it's a little tight for him. We get out and walk a bit in the airports as long as someone doesn't go into hysterics. We're careful to stay away from major traffic flows or groups of people, but welcome anyone that wants to come over and say hello. That way we're not imposing on anyone that is allergic or doesn't like animals. Most people are really nice. He's even had a good time lounging in the corner of a number of Admiral's Clubs.

It looks like AirTran (and ultimately Southwest since the business merger is complete) are in-cabin only for their pet policies, so if you're going to have to go as cargo you'll need to look at a different airline. The rules vary wildly by airlines, so check them in detail to make sure what you want is accepted.

Edit: I just noticed that the AirTran rules are more restrictive on size than the AA rules. I doubt I'd even be able to transport my cat in that smaller carrier, so I think you're likely to have even more of a challenge with that larger dog.

RSSrsvp

I have always found DL to be extremely lenient with carryon pets. I would check them out as a possibility for this trip. They have never listed a weight restriction. @:-)

Pets As Carry On

Some pets can travel with you in the cabin for a one-way fee of 125 USD/CAD* (to be collected at check-in) for travel within U.S./Canada, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico (200 USD/CAD/EUR* for travel outside the U.S.).

Pets permitted in the cabin include dogs, cats, and household birds. The following restrictions apply:

Your pet must be small enough to fit comfortably in a kennel under the seat directly in front of you. Maximum carry-on kennel dimensions are determined by your flight. You must contact Delta Reservations to determine the appropriate kennel size.
Your pet must remain inside the kennel (with door secured) while in a Delta boarding area (during boarding and deplaning), a Delta airport lounge, and while onboard the aircraft.
Your pet must be at least 8 weeks old.
You may not carry on more than one pet.
Your pet in-cabin counts as one piece of carry-on baggage.
If you're traveling to Hawaii, your pet won't be able to go with you in the cabin, and other restrictions may apply. See Pets to Hawaii for more information.
*CAD amount will be charged exit Canada, and EUR amount will be charged exit Europe. Fees established by the contract of carriage in effect at the time of ticket issuance will apply.

Exception: Two pets of the same type may be allowed in one kennel, for example two dogs or two cats. They must be small enough to fit in one kennel provided they are compatible and must be of the same species and size, and they must meet the requirements of acceptance. They will be charged as one pet.

Also, Delta limits the number of pets per flight, but only one per passenger, to:
Class Number of Pets Allowed
First Class 2
BusinessElite® 2
Main Cabin 4


Pets are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Call Delta in advance at 800-221-1212 to arrange to bring your pet on board.

ckotchka

I'm in a similar situation for the upcoming holidays and have a 20# dog who fits in a large Sherpa carrier. She can lay down very comfortably but is a tad tall if she has to stand.

I've made the reservation for her with Delta and plan to get all paperwork necessary from the vet prior to travel. However, I'm nervous about getting to the airport and being turned away by a gate agent because she a) can't stand "comfortably" and b) the height is about 1 inch over what their under seat dimensions are for the Airbus we are on.

Delta is generally pretty lenient in these situations? And if she made one leg of the trip, does that guarantee she will be cleared for all others? We are doing a multi city domestic trip, but all direct flights.

Thanks for any guidance and advice!

RSSrsvp

Speaking from personal experience I have found DL to be quite lenient regarding this. However that being said you may run into a former NW agent who came from a different culture and would give you a hard time. If there is a pet tag placed on your bag when you checkin with the ticket counter leave it on the bag for the entire trip. That might help with any of the other flights.

Here is the link to the DL carryon pet requirements:
https://www.delta.com/planning_reser...ex.jsp#carryon

Goo luck!