Flying with fish...
 

I am a college student flying home for the summer and I want to take my fish (a beautiful blue betta named Horatio) with me... any recommendations for going about this?

I called the airlines and the only thing they suggested was that I either put him in a container with less than 3oz of water or get a doctor's not stating that my fish is necessary for my mental stability while on the flight in which case I would have no restrictions...

I've looked up information online about this question and have found that numerous people have had no trouble flying with fish... but I'm curious how to go about this with the 3-1-1 rule with TSA. My betta can simply not fit in 3oz of water for very long.

Welcome to FlyerTalk, college_petluver. We're happy to see you've discovered our brand new pet forum. Still, since travel with fish - live ones, at least - means travel with liquids - I fear that this becomes a TS/S matter. I'm going to move this post onward to that forum.

SanDiego1K
Senior Moderator

That will change as soon as the first "fishbomber" is caught....:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

The current rules are in effect because TSA management has a high regard for their closest relations: fellow reptiles...

Has anyone tried to take on an electric eel yet? :rolleyes:

I saw a snippet on a show this morning about a trained goldfish that can swim a slalom course, retrieve rings, etc. I am sure that if the TSA realized that fish could be trained, they would immediately ban them as potential threats, since that treasure chest at the bottom of the bowl could be an explosive device that the fish could retrieve.

As opposed to taking a drink of it, which apparently is not satisfactory proof.

Do you Xray the fish? There could be a b**b hidden inside the fish? Are poisonous fish OK or Chemical Warfare? :eek:

With the advances in genetic engineering, it is now only a matter of time till someone develops a fish that can swim (slowly :p) in nitroglycerine. :D

Being a fish freak I had to transport it few times before all that liquid/gel s... started. If I had to do it now I would just get a styrofoam box, pack it with oxygen and check it. If you need more instructions on how to do it PM me.

Personally, I'd go for this option if only to have for a conversation piece. Of course, the amount and type of conversation resulting in its use could really light up this forum. ;)

The key question is NOT if you can take the fish, but can the fish join your FFP and earn miles?
I could just see buying a seat for my fish, getting both of us a upgrade to F and the fish has his own seat while the whY pax board...

Now we know why screeners are untrainable.. they hire them that way as a security measure.

^^^
A BDO might have trouble screening a fish...

If the plane has a "change of cabin pressure", the airline euphamism for "we blew a window at FL380 and have Rapid Depressurization you all are going to pass out in 8 to 10 seconds" how do you put the oxygen mask on your fish? ;)

In a similar manner, what happens to the Precious Little dogs and cats in their crates and service dogs on the floor if the O2 goes? Are service dogs trained to hop on a seat and use a people mask, or are all these critters just SOL when the pressure goes? I can just imagine some Park Avenue matron who bought a FC seat for Fluffy Poo going totally berzerk having to watch the $50,000 Best In Show croak right before her eyes. . .

What is SOP?

I once travelled carrying a bottle with a fish in it.

Standard Operating Procedure. Something that apparently exists, though subject to interpretation by the TSO on shift on any give day.