Can We Sneak On the Flight?
 

I'm just wondering how hard/easy it would be to sneak a dog on a short (2 hour) flight? Has anyone successfully done this? Any tips? We are flying Alaska soon (usually do) and it's $100 each way, but that's $200 r/t I'd rather save. My dog is super quiet and small and has never made a peep before when we fly, so he's a good candidiate for sneaking. I'm just nervous about doing it though and wonder what would happen if we were caught. Is it worth the risk?

Well i think it would be hard to sneak them on the flight...considering you have to go thru TSA security and you have to take the dog out of his carrier to go thru (You wouldnt want him going under the scanner) . Plus on your ticket...it says "PET"...so if you have a dog..and your ticket doesnt have the word PET on it....red flags are going to come up.

I have flown with my dog many, many times and I would say it is impossible to sneak an animal onboard. You know that old saying.....If you can live with it, I can live without it? Well, I couldn't live with it. My guts would be in such a knot, I would be miserable with guilt. $200 is different things to different people. To me, the clear conscience is worth $200 or else I just wouldn't make the trip.

Not worth it with security etc. What happens if you on the way home get caught and they kick you off and the flight has the number of animals allowed..you couldn't get on that flight so now you have to stay another day...do you have the health certificate...to many things could go wrong...

I know that $200 is ridiculous but trying to do what you are thinking would be worse to me....

I don't know if I'd try it, we flew our cat with us when we moved and that was before 9-11. I don't think you could do it.

Personally, I kinda think that is like stealing. If you can't afford to pay the dog's way, don't take the dog. How would you feel if someone was able to sneak a child on a plane without paying for the ticket? Same thing.

don't do it. it's not worth it if you get caught.

exactly the same thing. Airlines are a business. They charge a fee, they provide a service. You play, you pay. And if you try and cheat the Airline, it makes them pesky.....to the tune of escourting you though the airport in handcuffs and plastering a fine on you that would make you glad to pay $200. I just picked my new puppy up at the DFW airport and while I was waiting for the plane to land.....I ask the guy if anyone had ever been caught doing that. He said sure and they are treated just like shop lifters.

Nope!! Would never do it. Would not want to take that chance!!

This is an absolutely ridiculous thread. It is stealing and moronic also :p
Why would you even think of doing that? Just pay the fee or leave your baby home. You can be arrested you know for doing this, and you would deserve it!
Imagine what a fool you would look like if you were arrested in front of people for this :eek: Good Lord! :confuse8:

I heard this from a friend: she told me that a friend of her's would always sneak his dog onto the flight. He would sedate the poor baby and sneak him in a bag. Well, he got caught one of those times and the airline told him that he couldn't fly with the dog. He could either miss his flight or not fly with his dog. So, this guy ended up giving away his dog to some random person at the airport because he didn't want to miss his flight. :eek:

I wouldn't risk it. I believe people have tried to put 2 doggies onto the same flight without telling the airline of the 2nd dog. But these people do call in to reserve a spot for their baby. It's just the 2nd one they don't mention because some airlines have rules of only 1 pet per person.

I did it.
 

Wow... harsh words on this thread! I fly with my dog as a service animal so the paying/stealing thing isn't an issue for me, but after a horrific experience of getting an airline to recognize my dog as a service dog, I decided to just take Meg on the plane for my return flight (without checking her in at the check-in counter). It was a short 2-hr flight and I kept Meg in her carrier the whole time. I had no issues getting through security (I carried Meg through and put her carrier through the Xray machine), no issues getting on the plane, and no issues during the flight. I've never flown on an airline that marks "pet" on your boarding pass, but that's not to say that some airlines (or even some airports) require this.

All that being said, here are some reasons you might not want to do this:
1) If you get caught, you will either be forced to buy a ticket or --- if the in-cabin dog limit for the flight has been reached, be forced to take another flight, perhaps on your own dollar.
2) Stealing/breaking the law/moral argument
3) Your dog will not be on the plane's roster. Heaven forbid there be an accident or your dog gets lost, there would be no record of him on the flight.
4) The chance that your vacation/travel time will be ruined due to you not being able to get on the flight.

Wow only one pet? When we flew with our cat they allowed 2 pets in the passenger area of the plane, the others had to go under.

NO harsh words, truth is all. Why would anyone intentionally break the law?
And if you get caught and hauled off to jail, you look like a moron :p I don't think breaking the law is "Harsh Words" after 911 our laws pertaining to air flight are set in place. With law enforcement wasting time on this idiotic thing, people somewhere else could be having a real problem. Instead of being passive say what is true that it is dumb and ridiculous to do something like this. I for one want my family safe and want my family to come home safe, not waste precious time and resources on people who are trying to get a free ride//

It is almost impossible! But you can try as you may. Nothing major will happen aside from you having to pay for her/his ticket at the airport and you may end up being delayed. Call ahead. Get the right carrier. Just go by the rules. Its no biggie!

The way security is now you will probably get caught. Where do you think you would hide her. All bags have to go through the x-rays machines and you yourself have to walk through a through a metal detector. They make you take off shoes and jackets. Just not sure where you could hide her>

Are you saying you want to walk right thru? I dont think they mark on your ticket how many carryons. But to me its stealing.

Why would you even think of doing this ? There are safety precautions set for a reason and anyone sneaking anything on an airline is asking for trouble not just for yourself & your dog ...but think of the other passengers and the time wasted when you get caught.

Security has way better things to do than detain people trying to sneak things on an aircraft ! - sorry to be blunt

There are rules set for good reason and we all have to follow them - especially when flying these days

I know plenty of people who do not pay pet fees when flying....HOWEVER...I have had my carrier checked for airline tag, I have been seated in a seat behind the bulkhead (when they knew I had a pet) and had to be moved.

You can attempt it...just be aware if you are caught...they don't simply allow you to hand over the fee and board the plane. You will have to return to the check in counter and the airline is not going to hold a plane while you do this.

How did you get through security?

My niece was going to just carry her little dog on, they got through security, they knew she had the dog, but the ticket people told her she had to pay.

She was not awared that she could not just take it as her carry on.

I personally do not see why you couldn't, they allow you to have a carry on, what differenceis there if it is filled with clothes or a little dog.

She had to pay the price of a seat but the dog had to be placed under the seat. That's not right.

Security doesn't care if you paid for your dog or not. They don't check that....the airline employees at the gate where you board....may though.

I don't do it...as I have gotten checked when I have paid and I'd really rather avoid the headache of missing a flight.

I have done it and gotten away with it. But you are taking a risk. If you get caught, best case scenario is that they make you pay for the pet...worst case is that if there are too many pets on the flight, they can make you get off the plane.

Security does not care. They do not check to see if you paid for a pet or not. DO NOT PUT YOUR PET THROUGH THE XRAY MACHINE....that happened once to a YTer, as I recall.

I do find it really frustrating because I would love to travel with Thor. His first mommy lives in New York, and I go there pretty frequently for business trips. She would love the opportunity to take care of him, and then I would not have to worry about boarding.

At the same time, I can see why airlines want to avoid the hassle. Consider if more people were allowed to bring dogs and cats on flights. Dogs might chase the cats, or bark the entire flight, or might want to fight with each other.

I also agree with manolos mom, security at airports is there to keep our country safe, and we should let them do their jobs. Normally I don't care about sneaking dogs into hotels or whatever, but here, I think it's important.

Exactly, great post! I can't even fathom this idea let alone asking in this thread :confused:

I'm not advocating doing this...but some of you don't understand. You aren't hiding anything....the dog is in a carrier which is in plain view....the fact of the matter is no one checks to see whether you have paid a pet fee or not. TSA and other security are not responsible whether you've paid the fee or not....and they won't check....the only time it may be checked is at the boarding gate by the airline personal.

The op didn't say anything about a carrier. She asked about "Sneaking" her pup on a plane. Sneaking to me means hiding :confused:

Please don't put yourself or your dog or your family in jeopardy.

This thread is ridiculous, people are actually trying to make this in to a morality thing! how about the morals that the airline have charging you $100 to bring a carry-on item that is the exact same size and it takes the place of one of your carry-on items. The dog carrier goes at your feet in your space that you have already purchased, and the airline makes no accommodations for your dog. I take my yorkie "Barklee" everywhere for free, I never pay. I think it is ridiculous to pay. And someone earlier tried to compare sneaking a small dog on the plane to a child. That is a horrible comparison because a child takes a seat, you have to buy a child a ticket.
So, for the person that originally started this thread, go for it. Buy a soft pet carrier that looks very similar to a carry-on bag and just leave your dog inside while boarding the plane. No one will even know you have a dog. The worst that could possibly happen is they will make you pay for the dog. If that were to happen,(has never happened to me in 10+ flights) just tell them that you had no idea you had to pay for a ticket. Have fun!