I've never flown with a pet before, and I can't imagine not being able to take one of my little ones out of the carrier to hold!
I do want to share what happened with one of the guys I work with. He recently took his wife and 2 daughters on a trip to Colorado. On the flight back, a very young mother with 3 small children ( 1 was an infant) was trying to deal with all 3 crying and upset.
My co-worker and his wife were behind her and tried to help out when he casually mentioned how difficult it was to travel alone with children.
She told him her husband was in the back of the plane because there were several empty seats
A lady across the aisle went to the back of the plane and told him to "get his butt back up there and help his wife with the children. Who do you think you are to leave her alone to take care of them?"
My co-worker said he and his wife along with a couple of other passengers clapped for this woman. The sorry excuse for a Daddy came back up and helped out after that.