AlexisBoyles

I have called 3 different times and each person is telling me different dimensions for my 9.7lb dog. She will travel with me in cabin from SFO-ATL-THL. The issue is the latest agent says because the SFO-ATL flight is 737-900ER the under seats, even in comfort, are 9 in high for your carrier. So they say the carrier must be no higher than 9 inches but the 2nd flight (40 min) from ATL-THL is an MD-88 and has 11 in of under seat room?!
I am only finding carriers less than 9 inches high recommended for cats/dogs less than 8lbs in weight. I understand SFO to be strict and tough on measuring each carrier and god forbid I buy the Delta approved one that is 10.5in high. Agent says I can go to the airport and buy it from them at the counter, but really? Any thoughts or suggestions?

Often1

Obviously the weight is not 100% linked to dimensions, but I find it hard to think of stuffing a close to 10-pound animal into a carrier under a 9" seat. Maybe the carrier will fit, but I can't conceive of what that will be like.

Kuroshiba

I wad recently told by delta that my dog's carrier will not fit underneath the seat even after I had spoken to another rep weeks before and confirmed my ticket & pet carrier information. The dimensions they mentioned that woud fit under the seat of the boeing 767-300 was 16L x 15W x 10H, which is actually smaller than their official carrier. I had to cancel my flight since my carrier will not fit under the seat. I wish they would've told me in the beginning that their dimensions vary quite a bit depending on their aircraft. So I did some research and found a very useful site: http://www.flygob.com/library/documents/delta_underseat.pdf

This document tells you the under seat space of the various aircrafts so you can make sure your carrier will fit. I'm not sure if the same dimensions apply for different airlines but I think it's still useful to get an idea of the under seat space.

puntamita

What ever happened on your trip? I believe Delta is one of the worst airlines to be consistent with pet policy. Most carriers are 10" high but soft side will collapse down. Pets usually lay down in the carriers anyway.

trying2fly

Adding yet another pet question for Delta. I've called 2x. First person told me 8 x 13 x 13. WAAAYYY to small. Second call told me 10 x 13 x 15. Better... but still smaller than the medium "approved" Sherpa carrier which is 17-18" long. Anyone been denied boarding because of a few inches in length? I looked up the previous mentioned Delta .pdf, and it is different for various Boeing 757 planes (don't know if I'll have a 757-200 or 757-300. Flight status just says 757).

BSBD

I've experienced the same thing. I've called Delta multiple times and have been given different dimensions each time for the specific plane we're scheduled to be on. I've been told 14x12x8.5 (which is too small for anything bigger than a hamster), 15x10x10, and 18x11x11.

How can anyone plan with this kind of confusion?

trying2fly

fwiw: Delta actually called me to confirm my carrier size the day before the flight. It was deemed too large per their charts (which indicated 8x13x13), but they told me it would be 'my' inconvenience, and that it would be up to the gate agent at the airport. (I thought it was an FAA rule). I explained that once I went through security it was too late, and they said the desk agent (where you check in luggage) had the ultimate say. So I took the chance, and the desk agent said my 10.5x11x18" carrier would be no problem at all -- that it was "standard" size. Fit under the seat fine, with perhaps a few inches extending into leg room. No one even knew I had a pet aboard, until I pointed it out on landing to some impatient children next to me (they loved it). The whole process was very stressful, however, as I didn't know if it would ultimately be accepted until very last minute!

RSSrsvp

If you have a medium size Sherpa type soft bag you should be ok. IIRC, the Delta branded Sherpa bag is a medium. It is the hard carriers that you cannot squeeze under the seats that are usually the issue.

MateoVuela

These inconsistencies are what make traveling with pets so stressful. It's not like I can just "leave my dog behind" at the ticket counter. But Delta is offering the cheapest prices for my dates.

I'm also nervous because I will be traveling out of Lima, Peru, where officials tend to be illogical sticklers for certain things.

Can someone at least confirm that Delta allows soft-sided carriers?

bhomburg

They do accept soft-sided carriers. However, Delta has so many aircraft-dependent restrictions that it's nearly impossible to say what will work and what not.
Have a look at the "Guaranteed on board" program: http://www.flygob.com/airlines/delta