Flying Babies.... - YorkieTalk.com Forums

SophiesHuman · 02-09-2009, 10:05 AM

Ok, first of all I want to tell you all how totally excited I am to have found this site!! It has been (and I'm sure continue to be) a plethra of info!!!

I just had yet another great example of this:

Ok, I live in Montana...I'm struggling to find a local baby here, so I've broadened my search.....I found a few in Phoenix. I can fly to Phoenix pretty cheap to get her, but was/kind of still am having an anxiety attack about flying her home. I REFUSE to check her as luggage...it's got to be loud and cold and super scary down in the belly of the plane, especially for a new baby.

So, I figured I could just hold her in my lap (parents hold their screaming babies who outway my potential baby my 10+lbs) right? WRONG!! The airline web site states the following:
[LIST]Can I bring my pet on-board? [*]Allegiant Air accepts only cats and dogs in the cabin of the aircraft. The pet must be able to stand up and completely turn around inside the kennel. The kennel must be a FAA approved carrier, which must be able to fit underneath the seat. The dimensions for the pet carrier are 9” H x 16” W x 19” D. For health reasons, Allegiant allows only one pet per carrier and also requires a certificate from a veterinarian, dated within 30 days of the travel dates, stating the pet is in good health, is able to travel and is current on all vaccinations. Allegiant charges a $100.00 per segment fee for each pet. This fee must be paid at the time of booking the reservation. To book a reservation with a pet, please contact the Allegiant Reservations Center at 702-505-8888 option 1 and tell the agent you are booking with a pet. The per segment Booking Fees will be waived.[/LIST]#1, I do not want to stuff my new little furbaby under the seat in front of me.....#2, I've searched for hours now on a ton of web sites for a crate in those dimensions....I'm convinced they don't make such a thing. WHY CAN'T I HOLD MY BABY!?!?!?!?!?!?

She's just going to wine and cry being in a crate under a seat right?!!?!?! But I assumed they meant it had to be a HARD sided crate....it doesn't say anything about it can't be a soft sided one...HMMM.........

Has anyone flown recently with their baby in the cabin? Do they let you take them out of the carrier after take off etc.....I wonder if I can just buy her a seat and strap the carrier in the seat belt????? And what about anxiety (for her....not me. LOL) I don't want to medicate her, but should I think about maybe a puppy "downer"??
I'm sorry this is so long, just lots of questions. I only want to do what is the absolute best for my lil' one......

Thanks in advance for your input and advice!!!

RONLYNN · 02-09-2009, 10:26 AM

I've flown several times with my Teddi. I was worried that she would make a lot of noise on the plane and want to be with me but once she is in her carrier and under the seat I put a blanket over the top of the carrier and I think the darkness and the sound of the plane keeps her quiet. Once the plane lands she tends to start making sounds because she knows it's over. You still can't take them out of the carrier until you are off the plane (or the flight attendants could get in trouble...it's FAA rules).

SophiesHuman · 02-09-2009, 11:53 AM

it just seems so cruel to stuff them under the seat....and I've still been looking for a carrier and can't find one to meet those measurements. Do you have a soft sided one? Any suggestions on where to look?

Thank so much for your input.....knowing another yorkie lover has done this helps.

tiffjunior · 02-09-2009, 12:42 PM

Imma bout to fly with my furbaby this thursday.. i have a soft sided crate airline approved and thankfullly meets the measurements.. i had to look long and hard but its the Sherpa in xsmall.. it meets all requirement for Air-tran (sometimes bigger planes have larger measurements cuz under the seat is bigger)
The vet told me not to give him any drugs and just keep him occupied with a stuffed Kong. The vet also told me that since i have an early flight to not feed him breakfast( can get car/plane sick) only feed him when we reach our final destination... to just give him a few licks of nutrical and make sure his blatter is empty!
and they said if im relaxed, he will be relaxed.. they can feel you nervous..
Oh and i tried the whole ill buy a seat for him...lol.. that didnt work FAA rules. and dont forget your Health cert.. some airlines dont ask for it but the FAA requires it..

scrapindee · 02-09-2009, 07:35 PM

Don't forget some pet wipes, a stuffed animal, and maybe a chew stick. Also bring a blanket for the puppybag on the floor--the floor can be very cold. Also a pee pad or two for inside the bag, remove the soiled one when you land, and then you will have a fresh one to use.

yorkiesmiles · 02-09-2009, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SophiesHuman

it just seems so cruel to stuff them under the seat....and I've still been looking for a carrier and can't find one to meet those measurements. Do you have a soft sided one? Any suggestions on where to look?

Thank so much for your input.....knowing another yorkie lover has done this helps.

You don't want a crate - you want a soft sided carrier. I live in Iowa and therefore that means very few direct flights - and when I change planes to come home in a bigger city - like Chicago or Mpls, I get on a tiny plane usually with little room under the seats.

There are a lot of bags that will work. The Sherpa bags I believe are all approved. I looked and looked - expensive to the cheap. They have ones that convert to backpacks or have wheels like a pull suitcase.

What I ended up deciding was I have pretty carriers that I use when we go out to run errands, so what I got for flying didn't have to be super expensive - just functional for flying, because that is all I would ever use it for. I found a bag at Petco on clearance - really cheap, not the color I would have preferred - but it fit the needs.

The one I have is kind of A shaped - as in the base when I carry it is the widest point - what I liked about this bag was when I lay it down under the seat in front of me - I lay the bag on it's side - gently - my 2 are just fine doing this - when the bag is on it's side they have more room to stretch out.

The bag looks a bit like this one I think Walmart.com: Bergan Basics: Softsided Black W/Red Trim Pet Carrier, 1 ct: Dogs - I think that one looks wider at the bottom.

Anyway - look around on the Pet store sites, ebay etc. I'm sure you will find a bag that will work. The biggest thing I think you want is soft sides, in case it is a squeeze - because if it has hard sides and it won't fit under the seat, then the flight attendants will take the bag.

Also, sometimes a nice flight attendant will look the other way as you hold your baby on your lap under a blanket

I always travel with my own travel size blanket just in case I need to hold them for a bit. Also be sure to pack a blanket in the carrier - even if you don't put it in until you get on the plane. It is cold often on the floor of the plane - and cold air can pour out along the sides. I sometimes keep one blanket out on the outside of the carrier to block the cold air from blowing on that end of the bag.

There are lots of threads in the Travel forum about all the info you need to know when flying with your yorkie.

SophiesHuman · 02-10-2009, 04:57 AM

You guys are awsome!! All your great advice and experience is really helping put my heart at east!! I'm still not happy about not being able to hold my furbaby....but I'm a lot more calm about it. Thanks so much!!!

GAOMariposa · 02-17-2009, 06:16 PM

Hi. I recently traveled with my baby from Mexico to California. I used a Kwigy Bo, the Alex bag, and she did pretty well in it. I noticed that my baby was panting a lot, which is really strange for her, so I secretly took her out of the bag and put her on my lap under my jacket. I thought the panting was because she was hot, but I think it was more because she was nervous. I had her in little pajamas and ended up taking those off. On the way going to California she was wearing pjs and laying on a blanket and she wasn't hot. I guess she didn't like her Kwigy too much.

On the way she was in a hard sided carrier. But I would recommended a soft sided that way you can squish it a bit under the seat. Mexicana airlines has an error on their website. They gave the dimensions for the carrier to fit under the seat and it was wrong. The carrier was too big. Luckily the airplane was empty and she was able to ride in the small aisles where the passenger's feet go. It was such a hassle and stressful time for me because they wanted to put my baby in cargo. But definitely get a soft sided carrier and maybe call the airlines to triple check the size specifications. Good luck!

tokes · 03-12-2009, 06:21 AM

Hello,

I flew on Virgin America. It was a 6 hour flight from DC to CA, and I called Virgin America beforehand to ask if I could take my dog out to stretch his legs since the flight would be so long. They told me I could not. I was upset, but what could I do?

On the flight there were at least 2 other dogs (pug and chiuaua) I saw the pug a few rows ahead of me was able to walk up and down the isle! So I proceeded to take my dog out. He was on my lap for half the flight, and the attendants didn't seem to mind one bit.

I think you might have to feel out how lenient the in flight staff and those around you seem to be with the idea of taking the puppy out of the crate.

A soft-sided carrier is great because you will be able to get it to fit under the seat since it's flexible.

JesBred · 03-12-2009, 06:42 AM

I also recently flew with my baby. The attendents didnt even knew I had a dog with me!!

I put her under the seat (in a soft sided carrier) and midway through the flight was able to take her out and let everyone coo over her

I was told that she had to be put back in for landing for her safety but as long as I held her on a leash she was allowed to sit with me. I flew on Express Jet (not even sure if they are a company anymore) but it only cost me $50 to fly her and less then $200 for me. It was great

piperlu · 03-21-2009, 05:05 PM

I haven't flown with an animal yet, but these are all great tips and ideas to know.

Nikitta34 · 03-22-2009, 05:38 PM

I just flew on two 19-hr flights with Meg, and it was a great experience. I used the Bergan Comfort Carrier and it worked great. It was small enough that I could hold the carrier on my lap, and it has some handy outside pockets. There was some rogue stitching on teh bag (like a snarl of yarn!) which I was NOT pleased with, but it didn't affect teh quality of the bag.

Definitely bring blankets, a small water bowl, a couple treats, a toy, ***WIPES***, paper towels, doggie bags, and pee pads (I took Meg to the bathroom and let her go there). Line the carrier with a pee pad in case of any accidents (especially since your baby will be so young). Buy a bottle of water before you get on the plane so you don't need to worry about the flight attendants bringing water for your pup. And make sure you take her for a good walk before hand to tire her out. Also - given her age - try to get as much food as you can into her before you get her on the plane. She probably won't want to eat much on the plane, and then will be in a new home and might not want to eat at first, and you don't want to risk a case of hypoglycemia. Some people will tell you to not feed the dog before the flight, but better a poop on the plane than a hypoglycemic dog!! On that note, buy a tube of nutrical and ask your vet to print a prescription sticker for it so you can get it on the plane. I did this and it worked perfectly, but --- I was nervous so I also took an old pink Blistex tub, cleaned it, and filled it with nutrical.

Note: FAA regulations won't let you fly a puppy before they are 8 weeks old, and you will need a health certificate issued within 10 days of travel. If the puppy is of age (3 months, legally), it needs to have a Rabies shot given MORE THAN 30 DAYS before travel. Otherwise you could potentially have to deal with quarantine issues. Hopefully that wouldn't happen since you'd be staying in teh US, but each state has its own regulations.

Feel free to PM me if you have more questions!

MsFamousHepburn · 03-24-2009, 11:23 PM

I've flown with Xavier twice. I think with Delta? On the first flight, I was able to have him sit in my lap most of the time! The flight attendants loved him! One of them actually sat with us and played with him and talked for a while! We had a 7 hour flight both times, and he did really well! It isn't as bad as it seems at first

scrapindee · 04-01-2009, 02:03 PM

I recently flew on 4 different American airlines flights. Three of the four flights there was no room to put the dog in the soft-sided carrier under the seat--there was no room. Even for your feet. Call and get the dimensions for under the seat--we paid to be upgraded to the bulk-head with more leg area but still had to stuff the carrier under the seat....the dog would have been better off in a crate in the pressurized cargo hold where she could stand up, lie down, turn around and not be cold or hot from being stuffed under a seat for 6 hours.

Cynderz · 04-01-2009, 02:51 PM

Flew on Delta with our little Molly she weighs about 5 pounds. Had to pay a $100.00 each way. Cost more than my ticket. I have a Brighten dog carrier and it fit well under the seat. We did get her some medication, she had never flown before. On take off I had to lean down in my seat to pet her, because she kept making those little wimmper barks. Once the plane was in the air she was fine. Shepra pet carriers are soft and most airlines will take this brand. If your new baby is small, she should have no problem with enough room under the seat. I actually picked up the bag and put it on my lap once we were in the air. There was another dog on the plane in the asile next to me, her dog was about 12 pounds a schnaunzer and she had a wheelie carrier and he did just fine. Good luck, it will all be worth it in the end.

02-09-2009, 12:42 PM	#4
tiffjunior Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 75	Imma bout to fly with my furbaby this thursday.. i have a soft sided crate airline approved and thankfullly meets the measurements.. i had to look long and hard but its the Sherpa in xsmall.. it meets all requirement for Air-tran (sometimes bigger planes have larger measurements cuz under the seat is bigger) The vet told me not to give him any drugs and just keep him occupied with a stuffed Kong. The vet also told me that since i have an early flight to not feed him breakfast( can get car/plane sick) only feed him when we reach our final destination... to just give him a few licks of nutrical and make sure his blatter is empty! and they said if im relaxed, he will be relaxed.. they can feel you nervous.. Oh and i tried the whole ill buy a seat for him...lol.. that didnt work FAA rules. and dont forget your Health cert.. some airlines dont ask for it but the FAA requires it.. __________________ Junior + Tiffany =

02-09-2009, 07:35 PM	#5
scrapindee Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Redlands Posts: 4,842 Blog Entries: 2	Don't forget some pet wipes, a stuffed animal, and maybe a chew stick. Also bring a blanket for the puppybag on the floor--the floor can be very cold. Also a pee pad or two for inside the bag, remove the soiled one when you land, and then you will have a fresh one to use. __________________ Scrapindee--Team Furry & the Biewers www.houseofwags.com

03-12-2009, 06:42 AM	#10
JesBred YT Addict Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 350	I also recently flew with my baby. The attendents didnt even knew I had a dog with me!! I put her under the seat (in a soft sided carrier) and midway through the flight was able to take her out and let everyone coo over her I was told that she had to be put back in for landing for her safety but as long as I held her on a leash she was allowed to sit with me. I flew on Express Jet (not even sure if they are a company anymore) but it only cost me $50 to fly her and less then $200 for me. It was great __________________ Jess Mitzy

03-22-2009, 05:38 PM	#12
Nikitta34 YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 764 Blog Entries: 1	I just flew on two 19-hr flights with Meg, and it was a great experience. I used the Bergan Comfort Carrier and it worked great. It was small enough that I could hold the carrier on my lap, and it has some handy outside pockets. There was some rogue stitching on teh bag (like a snarl of yarn!) which I was NOT pleased with, but it didn't affect teh quality of the bag. Definitely bring blankets, a small water bowl, a couple treats, a toy, *WIPES, paper towels, doggie bags, and pee pads (I took Meg to the bathroom and let her go there). Line the carrier with a pee pad in case of any accidents (especially since your baby will be so young). Buy a bottle of water before you get on the plane so you don't need to worry about the flight attendants bringing water for your pup. And make sure you take her for a good walk before hand to tire her out. Also - given her age - try to get as much food as you can into her before you get her on the plane. She probably won't want to eat much on the plane, and then will be in a new home and might not want to eat at first, and you don't want to risk a case of hypoglycemia. Some people will tell you to not feed the dog before the flight, but better a poop on the plane than a hypoglycemic dog!! On that note, buy a tube of nutrical and ask your vet to print a prescription sticker for it so you can get it on the plane. I did this and it worked perfectly, but --- I was nervous so I also took an old pink Blistex tub, cleaned it, and filled it with nutrical. Note: FAA regulations won't let you fly a puppy before they are 8 weeks old, and you will need a health certificate issued within 10 days of travel. If the puppy is of age (3 months, legally), it needs to have a Rabies shot given MORE THAN 30 DAYS before travel. Otherwise you could potentially have to deal with quarantine issues. Hopefully that wouldn't happen since you'd be staying in teh US, but each state has its own regulations. Feel free to PM me if you have more questions! __________________ - Nicole, Megatron, and T-Bone* Check out our blog! http://nicoleandtim.blogspot.com

03-24-2009, 11:23 PM	#13
MsFamousHepburn YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: WA Posts: 536	I've flown with Xavier twice. I think with Delta? On the first flight, I was able to have him sit in my lap most of the time! The flight attendants loved him! One of them actually sat with us and played with him and talked for a while! We had a 7 hour flight both times, and he did really well! It isn't as bad as it seems at first __________________ I love my life, as a Yorkie Momma and an Army wife!

02-09-2009, 10:05 AM	#1
SophiesHuman Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: laurel, mt Posts: 68	Flying Babies.... Ok, first of all I want to tell you all how totally excited I am to have found this site!! It has been (and I'm sure continue to be) a plethra of info!!! I just had yet another great example of this: Ok, I live in Montana...I'm struggling to find a local baby here, so I've broadened my search.....I found a few in Phoenix. I can fly to Phoenix pretty cheap to get her, but was/kind of still am having an anxiety attack about flying her home. I REFUSE to check her as luggage...it's got to be loud and cold and super scary down in the belly of the plane, especially for a new baby. So, I figured I could just hold her in my lap (parents hold their screaming babies who outway my potential baby my 10+lbs) right? WRONG!! The airline web site states the following: [LIST]Can I bring my pet on-board? [*]Allegiant Air accepts only cats and dogs in the cabin of the aircraft. The pet must be able to stand up and completely turn around inside the kennel. The kennel must be a FAA approved carrier, which must be able to fit underneath the seat. The dimensions for the pet carrier are 9” H x 16” W x 19” D. For health reasons, Allegiant allows only one pet per carrier and also requires a certificate from a veterinarian, dated within 30 days of the travel dates, stating the pet is in good health, is able to travel and is current on all vaccinations. Allegiant charges a $100.00 per segment fee for each pet. This fee must be paid at the time of booking the reservation. To book a reservation with a pet, please contact the Allegiant Reservations Center at 702-505-8888 option 1 and tell the agent you are booking with a pet. The per segment Booking Fees will be waived.[/LIST]#1, I do not want to stuff my new little furbaby under the seat in front of me.....#2, I've searched for hours now on a ton of web sites for a crate in those dimensions....I'm convinced they don't make such a thing. WHY CAN'T I HOLD MY BABY!?!?!?!?!?!? She's just going to wine and cry being in a crate under a seat right?!!?!?! But I assumed they meant it had to be a HARD sided crate....it doesn't say anything about it can't be a soft sided one...HMMM......... Has anyone flown recently with their baby in the cabin? Do they let you take them out of the carrier after take off etc.....I wonder if I can just buy her a seat and strap the carrier in the seat belt????? And what about anxiety (for her....not me. LOL) I don't want to medicate her, but should I think about maybe a puppy "downer"?? I'm sorry this is so long, just lots of questions. I only want to do what is the absolute best for my lil' one...... Thanks in advance for your input and advice!!!

02-09-2009, 10:26 AM	#2
RONLYNN Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Manhattan Beach, CA Posts: 1,635	I've flown several times with my Teddi. I was worried that she would make a lot of noise on the plane and want to be with me but once she is in her carrier and under the seat I put a blanket over the top of the carrier and I think the darkness and the sound of the plane keeps her quiet. Once the plane lands she tends to start making sounds because she knows it's over. You still can't take them out of the carrier until you are off the plane (or the flight attendants could get in trouble...it's FAA rules). __________________ Ronda & Teddi PPU - Petite Pups United Member The PINK Club Member **

02-09-2009, 11:53 AM	#3
SophiesHuman Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: laurel, mt Posts: 68	it just seems so cruel to stuff them under the seat....and I've still been looking for a carrier and can't find one to meet those measurements. Do you have a soft sided one? Any suggestions on where to look? Thank so much for your input.....knowing another yorkie lover has done this helps.

02-10-2009, 04:57 AM	#7
SophiesHuman Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: laurel, mt Posts: 68	You guys are awsome!! All your great advice and experience is really helping put my heart at east!! I'm still not happy about not being able to hold my furbaby....but I'm a lot more calm about it. Thanks so much!!!

02-17-2009, 06:16 PM	#8
GAOMariposa YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: California Posts: 581	Hi. I recently traveled with my baby from Mexico to California. I used a Kwigy Bo, the Alex bag, and she did pretty well in it. I noticed that my baby was panting a lot, which is really strange for her, so I secretly took her out of the bag and put her on my lap under my jacket. I thought the panting was because she was hot, but I think it was more because she was nervous. I had her in little pajamas and ended up taking those off. On the way going to California she was wearing pjs and laying on a blanket and she wasn't hot. I guess she didn't like her Kwigy too much. On the way she was in a hard sided carrier. But I would recommended a soft sided that way you can squish it a bit under the seat. Mexicana airlines has an error on their website. They gave the dimensions for the carrier to fit under the seat and it was wrong. The carrier was too big. Luckily the airplane was empty and she was able to ride in the small aisles where the passenger's feet go. It was such a hassle and stressful time for me because they wanted to put my baby in cargo. But definitely get a soft sided carrier and maybe call the airlines to triple check the size specifications. Good luck!

03-12-2009, 06:21 AM	#9
tokes Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Lorton, VA, USA Posts: 74	Hello, I flew on Virgin America. It was a 6 hour flight from DC to CA, and I called Virgin America beforehand to ask if I could take my dog out to stretch his legs since the flight would be so long. They told me I could not. I was upset, but what could I do? On the flight there were at least 2 other dogs (pug and chiuaua) I saw the pug a few rows ahead of me was able to walk up and down the isle! So I proceeded to take my dog out. He was on my lap for half the flight, and the attendants didn't seem to mind one bit. I think you might have to feel out how lenient the in flight staff and those around you seem to be with the idea of taking the puppy out of the crate. A soft-sided carrier is great because you will be able to get it to fit under the seat since it's flexible.

03-21-2009, 05:05 PM	#11
piperlu Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Myrtle Beach, SC USA Posts: 81	I haven't flown with an animal yet, but these are all great tips and ideas to know.

04-01-2009, 02:03 PM	#14
scrapindee Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Redlands Posts: 4,842 Blog Entries: 2	I recently flew on 4 different American airlines flights. Three of the four flights there was no room to put the dog in the soft-sided carrier under the seat--there was no room. Even for your feet. Call and get the dimensions for under the seat--we paid to be upgraded to the bulk-head with more leg area but still had to stuff the carrier under the seat....the dog would have been better off in a crate in the pressurized cargo hold where she could stand up, lie down, turn around and not be cold or hot from being stuffed under a seat for 6 hours. __________________ Scrapindee--Team Furry & the Biewers www.houseofwags.com

04-01-2009, 02:51 PM	#15
Cynderz YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 7	Flew on Delta with our little Molly she weighs about 5 pounds. Had to pay a $100.00 each way. Cost more than my ticket. I have a Brighten dog carrier and it fit well under the seat. We did get her some medication, she had never flown before. On take off I had to lean down in my seat to pet her, because she kept making those little wimmper barks. Once the plane was in the air she was fine. Shepra pet carriers are soft and most airlines will take this brand. If your new baby is small, she should have no problem with enough room under the seat. I actually picked up the bag and put it on my lap once we were in the air. There was another dog on the plane in the asile next to me, her dog was about 12 pounds a schnaunzer and she had a wheelie carrier and he did just fine. Good luck, it will all be worth it in the end.