Everyone with 2 dogs!!!!! PLEASE HELP!!!!

[celstu1]

Hi all,
I posted this kind of thing before.... I have 2 boys (8lbs & 5lbs) and im trying to go home for the holidays. I called all the airlines and NOT ONE will let me travel with them either in cabin or in baggage. In cabin cuz there are 2... in baggage bc of temp restrictions. I asked them HOW I can get my dogs from here to there. Noone has any answers... I just cant.

I was telling my friend, I TOTALLY understand rules & regulations and that there are restrictions and if they can limit chaos by listing them on their site then thats great. BUT... they allow 2 dogs if they are under 6 months old in 1 crate, they allow them if they are mom & pup (and pup is over 3 months). They have a 15lb weight restrictions for in cabin pets also. Ok, well my boys fit comfortably in 1 crate like they require for 1 pet, and they weight LESS than the limit. I dont get why an exception cannot be made in circumstances like this.

Airlines have the power to do what they want to do. They can say YES to my 2 dogs and tell the guy next to me NO to his one dog if they want to. It says it on their website they reserve the right to say no to any dog at any time. So why is it so difficult to just let me take my 2?? They said I need a 2nd person. Im so frustrated.

So Im left with 2 choices here...
a) Very kindly ask someone to help me get one dog through security and giving them the money for it. Thats IF I can find someone who feels they can trust me enough to do that. Then once through, jsut putting them both in the same crate for travel.
OR
b) just put the 2 of them in crate and pray the security people know nothing and really dont care that there are 2 dogs in the 1 crate.

Once I get past security I'll be fine Im sure... its just getting through that might be the tough part.

What do everyone else think? Has anyone ever run into this? How did you get around it?

I appreciate all advice!!! I just want to go home to my family for the holidays and not leave the most important members (my boys) in a kennel for the holidays... thats all I want!

[AngelWorks]

I just flew w/ Milo last month.

You have to remove them from the carrier and carry them through security with you as the carrier goes through the machine with your shoes, bag, etc.

Sorry.

This is the very reason I decided to keep it at one yorkie.

I can pick up and go----- I would never be able to decide who to leave behind.

[LoveMyGirlz]

I know, I agree that it should be more of a weight limit thing, rather than a numbers thing. I don't really have any advice though! When I went through security, I had to take my dog out of her bag though, cause the bag had to go down the conveyor! And if they ask to see your ticket(s) for the dogs and you can only show them one, you may be screwed? I was NEVER asked to show my ticket for Vixxen though...not by security or the airlines So I think you may get away with it, but you may not! then what?

[Yorkiekids]

I'd hate to see you land up at the airport just to be turned away. Can your boyfriend babysit for you, as it seems you can't get them on.

[celstu1]

At this point, it will be a matter of lost $$ if I cant get away with it. I can either book it and take the chance or not book it and not go home. You know what i mean? so Id lose out on $400. Not that I want to lose that much $$ but it won't make or break my life. I just wonder if I cant get through if I can say to them that I need to get to New Mexico, can we please figure out how to accomodate my dogs to get them there.

Im flying from a fairly small airport into a fairly small airport. manchester NH to albequerque NM. My mom did it in June and they didnt make her take her dog out of the carrier at all. I just need someone to walk my dog through for me then. I wonder if people are WAY too skeptical to help me out with that. I only have to go through security once, so Im sure the layover wont be a problem, just getting through security might be

I dont know what to do!!!

[celstu1]

Originally Posted by Yorkiekids

I'd hate to see you land up at the airport just to be turned away. Can your boyfriend babysit for you, as it seems you can't get them on.

I don't have a boyfriend anymore sadly!

Also I really want my dogs with me for the holidays... Im such a baby. Id be so miserable with out them for 2 weeks Id rather not go. Isnt that awful?? hahaha

[JHurtt]

I flew with two pups back in February with American Airlines. While booking the tickets I asked the lady about the whole issue of them being related or under a certain age and she said that was the rule. Others had told me that they had flown with their two grown Yorkies together and never had a problem, so I took a chance. They did ask at the desk if they were small and I showed them that they were both comfortably in the carrier together. When I went through security I had to carry them both through while the carrier went through the x-ray machine. Didn't have any problems at all. Of course there is always that chance that you will have problems, but so far I haven't heard of anyone being stopped as long as they fit in there together.

[celstu1]

Originally Posted by JHurtt

I flew with two pups back in February with American Airlines. While booking the tickets I asked the lady about the whole issue of them being related or under a certain age and she said that was the rule. Others had told me that they had flown with their two grown Yorkies together and never had a problem, so I took a chance. They did ask at the desk if they were small and I showed them that they were both comfortably in the carrier together. When I went through security I had to carry them both through while the carrier went through the x-ray machine. Didn't have any problems at all. Of course there is always that chance that you will have problems, but so far I haven't heard of anyone being stopped as long as they fit in there together.

Thank you! Did you book one dog or two? I guess Im just going to do that and take the chance. Its Northwest airlines Im flying. I dont see another way to get around this. I dont want to 'get away' with sneaking them, id rather the airline know that I have them, but if they make it so cut & dry and difficult in this kind of circumstance I dont see any other way!

[LuvMySissy]

I can tell you that Northwest requires you to go to the counter at the departure airport to pay the fare to carry on your pup. You will need to make that reservation ahead of time as they do have a limit on the # of dogs on the plane, so you'll want to reserve that space. I don't know if they will require you to take them out of the carrier if you were to show up with them in it when you come to the counter.

They will require you to take the pup(s) out of the carrier when going through security, carrying the pups through the metal detector and putting the carrier through the conveyor scanner. Security will check to make sure you have the appropriate ticket for the pup(s).

My feeling is the NW counter will be your biggest obstacle. Also, the size limit is 15 lbs including the carrier, so you will be bordering on that, NW isn't very sympathetic about anything these days and even their employees must pay the $90 EACH way fare to carry an animal on board.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[Shadow]

Consider this...What if they pass going over but not comimg home? How would you get them home then?

[celstu1]

I found in Northwest pet travel rules that 2 dogs under 6 months of age are allowed to travel in the same crate in the cabin... Guess my boys are taking a drink from the fountain of youth! Since the state of NM and the airline do not require health certs, the airliine cannot prove my boys are over 6 months old. That should work just fine then right? I'll say they were born Sept 1! (technically they were! just not 2007 HAHA)

[MeganS]

That is so horrible of them. I would call them again..and hit them where it hurts. Tell them that your boys together weigh less than the limit, and if they aren't fair to you then you won't use their airlines anymore and you'll tell everyone you know not to use them either.

I'm so sorry. I hope it all works out for you!

[Tiger's Mom]

Originally Posted by celstu1

I found in Northwest pet travel rules that 2 dogs under 6 months of age are allowed to travel in the same crate in the cabin... Guess my boys are taking a drink from the fountain of youth! Since the state of NM and the airline do not require health certs, the airliine cannot prove my boys are over 6 months old. That should work just fine then right? I'll say they were born Sept 1! (technically they were! just not 2007 HAHA)

When I travelled with Annika to MI via NWA, I made the reservations way ahead of the trip as I wanted to ensure she is allowed on board. NWA does allow a total of 2 dogs on a flight, not necessarily both yours so call them . . .am sure there is NO problem for you taking both of them provided the quota has NOT been met. And since you made the arrangements ahead of time, they cannot turn you down on the day of departure as your e-ticket will indicate you do have a pet travelling with you.

My experience though is that I could have easily snuck Annika inside the plane without anyone noticing her LOL. But you do have to take them out when going through security. Security does NOT care how many dogs you have, as long as your paperwork says that you are travelling with dogs, not that they checked mine I think. If NWA accepts your payment for 2 dogs when you do book through them. then the crew CANNOT deny you that right. I suggest you call and make the reservations as supposed to just showing up with them on the day of departure . . you will have peace of mind come travel day.

[Superstarkba]

There is no one else in your family traveling with you? Maybe you can find someone on the plane that could register them. Is it too far for you to drive?

[scrapindee]

I have traveled several times with 2. Tell the airlines they are under 6 months of age and pay for their reservation--I haven't had to take the pups out of the carrier except at security. Last time, I got a "hall Pass" for the husband to help me with the pups through security. Once I had the pups back in the carry-on he was allowed/escorted to the non-security section. The airlines were very nice about allowing husband to help me.