wma

Let me first say I'm a dog lover. But... Is it reasonable to have to sit next to a cat or a dog on a plane when you are allergic for several hours?

My daughter (23) was on a plane last week, where the woman had a cat, in a carrier on her lap. My daughter is highly allergic to cats. She didn't expect to be seated next to one so didn't take an allergy pill as she does when she goes to someone's home. She sneezed all the way from BOS - ATL and had to use her inhaler twice. When asked to have her seat changed FA apologized but said flight was full.

Why is it okay for FA to tell you not to eat peanuts or almonds, if someone is allergic on the plane, but it's okay for someone to bring a pet? Pet dander stays around for a long time after the pet is gone.

weblet

Until they ban pets in cabin, you're out of luck. But your daughter could ask at check in if there are any pets on board as the ticket agent can check that. I would guess, too, that they could pinpoint where the pet is sitting and try to make accommodations for seating her well away from that area if at all possible.

It's too bad the FA didn't offer to make an announcement regarding the issue - I'd have been happy to switch seats. And I'll bet the seatmate with the cat felt awful for her but didn't know what to say or do.

flyrights

I love pets too, and I wouldn't mind sitting next to any pet, even if the pet was making noise. But... it is NOT reasonable to make someone who doesn't want to, have to sit next to someone else's pet. I think people that insist on bringing pets on board should have to buy a seat for the pet.

Also, it is my understanding that you are NOT allowed to take a pet out of the container/carry bag inflight.

For the record, all French airlines are probably the most 'pet friendly". And there is nothing more scary than having to check a pet... especially if a connection is involved... something I would NEVER do (the connection part).

wma

It is not a question of paying for the animal, it is a question of health. Once a pet is on the plane, anyone allergic to a pet is subjected to the exposure. I was on a plane and eating almonds, three rows away from a person who was allergic to nuts. I was asked to stop eating my snack because of the persons allergy. There is something wrong with this picture. Nuts are bad but pets are good.

flyrights

I understand and agree with the health issue... i'm just suggesting that buying an extra seat at least might put the pet a few more inches away from someone else... i would make a rule that the pet must use the seat by the window, and the owner must use the adjacent seat, which would slightly insulate other passengers.

Somewhat related, I also think it's unreasonable to have to sit next to people that have small children, under 2, sitting on their lap. This is awful...

skydiva44

As a F/A, like your daughter, I am also highly allergic to cats, I live for the day that pets are no longer allowed inside the cabin. I cannot take benadryl because of the drowsiness that it causes while I'm working, so therefore I am miserable. I am a pet lover, so don't anyone think that I hate all pets, just have a bad reaction to cats. If your daughter had been on my flight and told me the situation, I would have asked someone to trade seats with her. There are also some people who are not honest, and never tell anyone that they have a pet on board the aircraft. I sympathize with your daughter.....

Lehava

I love pets, I have zero problem with pets on a flight and would willing sit next to one, but I have thought about what the OP points out before. The airlines go MAJORLY out of their way for people with peanut allergies, removing all snacks from the plane (and leaving ALL all other passengers without a snack service), they clean the plane, and they instruct all the passengers that they arent even allowed to open food they brought on. But yet there is NO announcement even informing passengers there is a pet on board, there is no inquiries if anyone is allergic and so on. Seems like a bit of a double standard!!!!!!!

757-300

WN doesn't allow pets in the cabin (although they make an exception for Sea World animals...I was on a flight where the first several rows were reserved for assorted creatures and their handlers...while we were in flight, one of them brought a toucan through the cabin for everyone to see).

Even though I am a pet owner, I have often wondered about allergies and how that would work onboard. We thought we were going to have to fly our cats with us to FL, but we ended up just driving them. If we had flown, I would have pitied anyone in the cabin with our long-haired, probably howling cats.

droopyUA

I do like pets...................but not in an airplane cabin. I know it sounds harsh but pets should not be allowed in an airplane cabin. Most restaurants don't allow them, most hotels do neither so why should airlines?

ajalan

I am also very allergic to cats, but not dogs, and if it had been a dog, I would have been perfectly willing to change seats. If the FAs are there primarily for our safety, I think the FA should have at least tried to find her another seat. I would imagine there is some level of liability if something serious happened.

I don't really understand the peanut thing, but from what I have seen, allergies to nuts can be more severe than allergies to dander.

I don't know that banning pets is the right answer either. First, you deal with service animals that may still cause similar problems (at least for people with allergies to dogs), and if I was in a situation where I had to fly and bring my pet, I wouldn't want them to fly as cargo, considering the stories I have heard.

Lehava

It depends on the person, I have known a couple people whose pet reaction were life threatening, on par with serious peanut reaction

remyontheroad

I've never given it much thought before, and I guess it must happens all the time, but the idea of a bird on a plane made me laugh....

Do you think that it's embarrassd about having to take a jet? Did it look ashamed? Do you think it lied to the other Toucans when it got there??

dknyc01

Yesterday I watched a woman board in C with a small dog in a carrier - I must admit it crossed my mind, "what if people are allergic?"

I'm surprised they allow it too, but I'm grateful because I needed to do it once.

When I moved cross country, I had no choice but to fly with my cat (I could never have boarded her in stowage!) She was quiet the whole trip and it was the only safe way I knew to get her here.

Antiqantas

In 1985 we were flying with our small children on PA from LHR to JFK. We were in business class, which was up the spiral staircase on the 747-100. We had comfortably ensconced ourselves in our seats and were suffering our usual pre-flight anxiety about how the kids would behave during the flight, especially in business class in such a confined location. Just before leaving, the final two passengers boarded, an old lady and her poodle, which sat on her lap (in theory) but in reality just gambolled around the cabin as it pleased. The hilarity of the situation hit us and everyone else. The kids and the other passengers had a source of amusement for the rest of the flight and we were healed of our anxiety.

Perhaps the situation has changed over the years. I haven't seen a pet in a cabin for many years, and I'm almost certain they are not and never have been permitted to fly in the cabin on Australian flights.

wharvey

I know if I had an allergy and could potentially be in a situation where pets COULD be present, I would always carry my medication... so I think your daughter made a mistake in not carrying her medication.

Second, as someone mentioned, she could have asked at the desk if there was any pets scheduled to be on board. If so, at a minimum, she could have asked to be rebooked... I know United had done that in the past for some friends... at no charge.

Third, I cannot believe that no one was willing to change seats with your daughter if she asked. I would have welcomed the opportunity to sit next to a cat... and help out someone who has an allergy. In the future, she may want to be more "forceful" with the flight attendant... and just say "Can you announce to see if anyone would be willing to switch seats with me for this reason?"

These days, there are so many things that people may be allergic to that it is impossible to account for everything. But I would hope they would be as accomodating as possible.

William