Flying with Dogs (Literally)
Heh! Okay, believe it or not, these are serious questions:
Does anyone have any experience traveling with dogs on United? For example: I understand that there are limited numbers of dog "seats" available for Economy and First Class. If I use an award ticket for First Class, can I travel with my dog using the First Class slot? If my dog is traveling with a friend and I upgrade her to First Class, can my dog take the First Class slot traveling with her? What is the difference between the Economy dog slots and the First Class dog slots? Is there a difference in treatment of the dogs themselves, or is this just a way to control the number of dogs-per-flight? Can the 1k desk help me with dog travel or would I just get shuffled off somewhere to a dog-travel-specialty-desk? Would also be interested in hearing some experiences and tips from people who have traveled with timid dogs (especially on their first airline flight). By the way, there is some UA Pet Travel info at: http://www.united.com/page/article/0,1360,1048,00.html |
Originally Posted by DimSum
Heh! Okay, believe it or not, these are serious questions:
Does anyone have any experience traveling with dogs on United? For example: I understand that there are limited numbers of dog "seats" available for Economy and First Class. If I use an award ticket for First Class, can I travel with my dog using the First Class slot? If my dog is traveling with a friend and I upgrade her to First Class, can my dog take the First Class slot traveling with her? What is the difference between the Economy dog slots and the First Class dog slots? Is there a difference in treatment of the dogs themselves, or is this just a way to control the number of dogs-per-flight? Can the 1k desk help me with dog travel or would I just get shuffled off somewhere to a dog-travel-specialty-desk? Would also be interested in hearing some experiences and tips from people who have traveled with timid dogs (especially on their first airline flight). By the way, there is some UA Pet Travel info at: http://www.united.com/page/article/0,1360,1048,00.html |
Originally Posted by DimSum
Does anyone have any experience traveling with dogs on United? For example:
Originally Posted by DimSum
I understand that there are limited numbers of dog "seats" available for Economy and First Class.
Originally Posted by DimSum
If I use an award ticket for First Class, can I travel with my dog using the First Class slot? If my dog is traveling with a friend and I upgrade her to First Class, can my dog take the First Class slot traveling with her?
Originally Posted by DimSum
What is the difference between the Economy dog slots and the First Class dog slots? Is there a difference in treatment of the dogs themselves, or is this just a way to control the number of dogs-per-flight?
Dogs carried onboard must fit in their carrier under the seat in front of you (and thus you cannot have a bulkhead seat), and may not be removed from their carrier during flight.
Originally Posted by DimSum
Can the 1k desk help me with dog travel or would I just get shuffled off somewhere to a dog-travel-specialty-desk?
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Does your dog really need a vacation?
I understand a person's love of their pets, however, for some of us it creates a severe medication problem when there are dogs in a small FC cabin. I have suffered on a couple of these flights due to people's lack of concern for those flying with them. Their dog got a vacation...the first three days of mine were spent trying to overcome reactions to allergy-induced asthma. |
Originally Posted by SNA1K
Their dog got a vacation...the first three days of mine were spent trying to overcome reactions to allergy-induced asthma.
But it's been our experience that just sitting next to someone with pet hair on their jacket or clothing (where it's closer to your mouth and nose) can actually be worse than having a confined animal down at floor level. Since the animal is contained in a carrier it can't move and release dander into the air. So unless you are seated directly next to the animal on the floor, you shouldn't really have any problems. And if you are, I'm sure the FAs will accomodate a seat change, which is why the total number of animals allowed in the cabin are restricted. |
Originally Posted by SNA1K
Does your dog really need a vacation?
Originally Posted by zambonisk
$80 per dog per segement
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Originally Posted by DimSum
I understand that there are limited numbers of dog "seats" available for Economy and First Class. If I use an award ticket for First Class, can I travel with my dog using the First Class slot? If my dog is traveling with a friend and I upgrade her to First Class, can my dog take the First Class slot traveling with her?
What is the difference between the Economy dog slots and the First Class dog slots? Is there a difference in treatment of the dogs themselves, or is this just a way to control the number of dogs-per-flight?
Originally Posted by DimSum
Can the 1k desk help me with dog travel or would I just get shuffled off somewhere to a dog-travel-specialty-desk?
Originally Posted by DimSum
Would also be interested in hearing some experiences and tips from people who have traveled with timid dogs (especially on their first airline flight).
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Originally Posted by SNA1K
Does your dog really need a vacation?...
She's traveling for a different reason that has nothing to do with fun. |
Update: Restriction on # of dogs per plane only in cabin, apparently!
I just called the 1k desk and they were very helpful.
Apparently, the restriction on # of dogs is only applicable to the dogs that actually sit in the Y and F cabins vs. ride underneath the plane (our dog is much too large to fit in a carrier underneath the seat). I let my friend keep the upgrade, though. Maybe this will mean that my dog's crate will receive a "Priority" boarding tag upon check-in (and therefore come out last). :) |
DimSum--sorry if my comment about the "vacation" sounded flippant and in your case was not accurate. My flight in July to AMS was impeded by a dog seated in C which WAS going on vacation; a bit of seat readjustments by the GA and Purser made it OK, but it almost did not happen.
Glad to hear that your situation is different and you were able to handle it. |
Originally Posted by exerda
...Dogs carried onboard must fit in their carrier under the seat in front of you (and thus you cannot have a bulkhead seat), and may not be removed from their carrier during flight...
*pseudo because an international configuration 777 substituted for the 757. |
Heh!
Well, this chapter of the story ends with an excellent 1k-desk story! So, my friend calls up the general number, waits on hold for 15 minutes, gives her PNR, and says that she heard from [me] that there was no restriction on the number of dogs in the cargo hold, so she'd like to add a dog, please. The (offshore) call center tells her that information is incorrect, only two dogs are allowed in Y and one in F (and she's still only waitlisted for F). She argues with the call center guy for a few minutes that this only applies to dogs traveling IN-CABIN, and then in the middle, the guy HANGS UP ON HER! So, one more call, around the world, same thing (including being on hold for another 15 min) They still wouldn't budge, apparently. 2 dogs in Y, 1 dog in F, doesn't matter if they're in the cabin or in cargo. So, I conference her into the 1k line. We sit through the announcement about liquids, I say "reservations", type in my MP number, say my name, and "yes [I am traveling exclusively within the 50 United States]". Then the automated voice says the thing about getting a reservations agent for me and that the agent will be provided the information already given. "Yeah, right!" my friend jokes, saying that she's sick of hearing "that United song" while "on hold forever." Got lucky (and consequently got to show off): Exactly one (1) ring, then "1k Desk! Is this Mr. [Dimsum]?" Me: "Yes." 1k: "How can I help you, Mr. [Dimsum]?" Me: "My friend is on the line with me and the offshore call center is telling her that the 2-dog-in-coach and 1-dog-in-first-class restriction applies both to dogs traveling in the cabin and dogs traveling in the cargo hold, so they won't let her add my dog because the in-cabin slots are full, even though my dog is traveling in cargo not in-cabin." 1k: "Whaaaaaat?? That's ridiculous." [Proceeds to add 1 dog to her PNR in about 30 sec, asks if she wants an e-mail confirmation, then asks pleasant questions about what type of dog is it, are they friendly, etc.] ^ |
Your concern for your dog's reaction to flying is admirable.
You should do a search on Flyer Talk, as there have been many posts by people (including me) on how they prepared their dogs for travel. There are also other websites specifically devoted to this topic-Google around. You should make clear that your taking your dog as cargo. It wasn't clear from your original post and it's a whole different experience to prepare for and go through. |
ORD-DEN last week, a puppy jumped out of it's owner seat right after take off and started to run around the 777. Some people were definately frightened.
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Originally Posted by SNA1K
Does your dog really need a vacation?
I understand a person's love of their pets, however, for some of us it creates a severe medication problem when there are dogs in a small FC cabin. I have suffered on a couple of these flights due to people's lack of concern for those flying with them. Their dog got a vacation...the first three days of mine were spent trying to overcome reactions to allergy-induced asthma. |
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