Airline question and venting
 

I just travelled by by plane with Tia. When I called our airline to let them know that I would be taking her on board, i was told that she needed to have a regulation sized bag (one that would fit under the seat), that this would be considered my piece of carry on luggage and I would be charged an additional $50.00. Okay, I paid the $50.00 and got the right bag. When we got into the plane I was then informed that she would have to remain under the seat at all times. I was surprised that no one told me about this before. I figured she would need to stay in her bag, but I thought I would at least be able to pull her bag out a bit, enough to be able to get my hand in to pet her. I also didn't have any water in the bag for her. After we were airbound, I asked the stewardess for a small cup of water. She said they only had large cups. I took the cup, unzipped the top of the bag and maneuvered the water into the bag, spilling it on me, but the bag did not leave from under the seat. Well, the look I got from her was as if I was 3 years old and got caught stealing cookies. I choose to ignore this and late in the flight Tias started to cry, so I bent over and rubbed my hand over the netting in the case. The stewardess when up to one of the other stewardess and begin to complain about me and how I was not listening to the rules. The whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth. I want to right a letter to the airline but want to know what others have experienced before I write.

The should put more regulations on children and bad smelling loud people! I think all those rules are rediculous!
suzie

I flew with my 3 lb poodle last year. I too bought the regulation carrier and was told I would have to leave the carrier under the seat in front of me and not to take the dog out of the bag.

I flew out at nite and no one was next to me so once we were in the air, the stewardess was passing out blankets so I took one and took my baby out of his bag and tucked him into the crook of my arm all the way, when we landed I slipped him back into his bag.

On the way back, it was mid day and the plane was crowded, the bag was under the seat and my baby Bosley was screaming (they really can scream) and the poor guy in front of me (Bos was under his seat) was very understanding, but I knew this was awful for him.

After we took off the woman sitting next to me asked me what kind of dog was in the bag, when I told her she said she wanted to see him, I told her I really wasn't suppose to take him out. She said , "I won't tell". So I slipped him out of the bag and she oohed and ahhed over him and showed her husband across the aisle, and then the couple behind us wanted to see him and the couple in front of us wanted to see him, I know the stewardess had to know what was going on but she never came by or said a word (whew!)
he was out and hidden under my sweater after everyone saw him until we landed and then I returned him to his bag till we were off the plane.

I know I was fortunate because I have heard they will take the carrier away from you and the dog will have to ride in the back of the plane somewhere away from you, that would have killed me, but I do know the poor guy in front of me had to be grateful, and everyone survived and was kept safe from my dangerous 3 lb. poodle. So all and all it was a good trip.

It is stressful to travel on planes with these little ones, I always have a bottle of water with me, my lil poodle can drink out of the cap if need be, can also carry a collapsible cup for bigger ones.

Sorry you had a rough time, hopefully if you go next time, it will be much easier for you and your baby.

I was recently checking the airline regulations on a website and it sucks, but the treatment you got seems to be legitimate. I am not saying that they were right, I think they should have been a lot more understanding, but they can do that. My parents have traveled overseas with their Maltese before, and they could not take her out of the carrier, or move her carrier from under the seat once in the 12 hour flight. My mother said that the airlines sometimes have very specific regulations on when and how much the pup gets to eat and drink.
We might be moving overseas soon, and I am very scared about the whole plane experience because I know Mia is going to cry until she faints. Ugh, I wish there was a pleasant way to travel long distances with these little guys.

Bad smelling loud people yes, but coming from a mom of five, kids rank slightly higher than even MY dogs.

I do agree that they shouldn't be rude. For pete's sake, its a yorkie, not a st. bernard!! My husband just flew home with my little yorkie boy and said the airline attendants doted all over him. He said he could have been married 5 or 6 times by the time he got off the plane lol...WHAT was i thinking letting him fly home with, as he put it a chick magnet lol. Sorry you had a bad experience. I'd write a letter.

Kristie

I understand your frustration. Peppy was required to stay in his carrier under the seat on his trip to Gerogia. Unless someone complained, I cannot imagine, for the life of me, what the big deal is with a 3 lb. puppy sitting on someone's lap as long as the pup is quiet and well behaved. I do understand that the other passengers would have problems with a wild child -- which brings to mind my BIGGEST complaint -- SKINKIDS who do not behave! I wonder if an airline could REQUIRE a parent to keep his skinkid under control?

I would imagine that the whole issue revolves around insurance issues. The concern would be what if your 3 lb. pup bit someone and then that someone sued the airline. :(

I fly home a lot between Virginia and Philly since I am in Virginia for work. I flew home with Diamond once on US Airways and they made me keep her in her crate under my seat. I felt horrible not letting her out but it was only an hour flight. I should have brought water with me.

She got really stressed out I think because she pooped in the bag but she seemed fine after that. The following Monday, I was back in VA with her and she was extremly unresponsive and out of it...I rushed her to the emergency vet only to find out that she had a hypoglecemic crisis and her blood sugar dropped.

Keep in mind, that it probably wasn't from JUST the airplane but it was a combination of things. I HIGHLY suggest not flying with your pup while they are under a year old, especially six months old because when they are this young, they are prone to getting stressed out over practically nothing. Now, I always have a tube of Nutrical to give to her if I notice anything wrong.

I had to pay $80 each way for her!!!! Unfortunately those are the rules and I believe most airlines make you keep your pet under the seat in a carrier. This is why I avoid flying with Diamond at all costs!

I would recommend Jet Blue for travel with your pets. They were so wonderful and understanding. I had Coco in her carrier and was under the seat during takeoff. I had purposely gotten a seat with noone sitting next to me. The stewardesses suggested that once the plane was airborne that I could just put her bag on the seat and wrap the seatbelt around the bag. She didn't cry a single peep the whole 6 hour plane ride to NY. She slept in her bag knowing mommy was sitting right there. They were very nice about her being on the plane. Sorry you had a bad experience.

I know they have their rules to follow and any flight attendant is obligated to enforce the rules. However, it sound as if it depends on which or what kind of flight attendant you may have been lucky/unlucky enough to get that particular day as to what each experience is like. Maybe, the uncompromising ones are just not dog people. Please, lets not beat up on kids though, they have to travel too, and I'm sure most of their parents are stressed w/traveling with them and would prefer not to if possible. I don't think most people want to intentionally make everyones flight miserable. Hats off to the understanding flight attendants!! And, no, I am not one.haha:D

Thanks for sharing your experiences. I know that rules are rules, like them or not. I have decided to write a letter based on the unprofessionalism of the flight attendant by complaining to her college that I wasn't following the rules, when, in fact I was. Even if I wasn't, I think her comments needed to be said in a private forum, not publicly so that I and the other passangers could hear. I am also requesting the airline to send me a copy of their regulations concerning travelling with a pet and I want to know if we are not to even touch the case once we are on board. The more I think about it, I think I encountered one of those people with huge control problems and I doubt I will be the first to complain about her!

I've had about the same experiences as the rest of you with unbending flight attendants and poor accommodations for little dogs on flights, but my biggest gripe is a lack of anywhere to take them when you get stuck in in an airport between flights.

Eddie once had a 12-hour stretch where I couldn't take him outside of a plane or an airport. He's not pee-pad trained, so he was miserable. He made it 9 hours without an accident, but peed in his container on the last 3-hour leg of our flight. He was miserable when we finished.

If they're charging us $80 per direction to carry these guys on, why can't they have a room or somewhere they can go to pee or stretch their legs between flights? I'd like to raise a stink about it, but I'm afraid they'd just get fed up and stop allowing little dogs on planes altogether.

I have flown a couple of times with Cooper on Alaska Air. The first time he was a fairly good flyer, and he stayed under the seat and I just petted him through the zipper opening. This last time however..he was not a good flyer, and after takeoff I took his whole bag out from under the seat and put it on my lap. The flight attendant did come by and say "you know you can't get him out" and I said yes that I knew, but she didn't make me put him back until right before landing. She did keep coming by and checking I didn't get him out. Even the guy in the aisle (middle seat was empty) said I should take him out. I think if the people around you don't care, what is the big deal?

There was a YTer a while back who admitted to falling asleep and allowing her little guy to escape and run the aisles of the plane, so I can see how some flight attendants could get huffy.

Do any of you give your Yorkies sedatives for flights? I tried it, decided I was against it because I didn't like the glassy look in his eyes, but my vet persuaded me that it is better for the dog to be on a mild sedative than to be upset, yelping and scratching at his container for hours at a time. He assured me that the sedative he gave me was mild. This last flight I went on was the best. The sedative leaves him alert, just relaxed. I was glad I did it.

I've never quite understood the rules. I figure if you are paying anywhere from $50 to $100 one way to take your little one with you, they deserve a little better than they're getting. After all, you can take a child under 2 years of age for free on your lap. Not all children are horrible, however I have had plenty of experiences with my seat being kicked regularly, the tray table going up and down a million times and constant screaming - just because! No one else gets a discount cause their flight was miserable and this little person was free!!!

Ok, off my soap box (and I have skin children - but they are adults and NEVER acted this way on a plane cause I made sure of it). I have only flown once with a cat I was bringing home. The seat next to me was empty (only a two seat aisle), so that is where the carrier went as soon as we took off. I had the top opened and was petting the cat to keep her quiet and was told I needed to zip her up. PLEASE!!

If I ever fly with Sissy, I will hi-tail it to the bathroom with her and hang out there with her as long as I can. I do think it is ridiculous that they can't be on our lap, with or without the carrier, if they are quiet and behaving. If I were faced with a rude attendant, I would remind them that I paid to bring them on board and they should get water if I need it.

Perhaps if we paid for another seat, we would be allowed to put our babies in it? After all, I have a car seat for her?!

Thanks for the tip. Maybe if I have to travel by air again, I'll check into this with my vet. It is so much better then stressing them and ourselves out!

We'll be flying from Boston to Seattle or Vancouver at the end of July and I'm not really looking forward to it, only because I'm not sure how Jaxon will be on the plane. I'm surprised that Southwest doesn't allow pets, considering they're so easygoing with everything else.

I'm trying to get an evening flight on the way there, hoping that he'll sleep most of the time.

WOW! I really can't believe how some people are comparing these dogs to real babies. In the eyes of most people, real babies are higher up there.

As for not being able to let them out, I can see why. Yeah one dog might be well-behaved, but what if another one isnt...then that one can't be let out and it's not fair. Where would you draw the line as to who can be let out of a carrier and who cant?

If people are complaining soo much about the regulations for the airlines, atleast be thankful you can bring the dog on the plane! If it's such a problem, try to find someone to watch the dog for you.

For the original poster though, they had no reason to be rude to you when you DID follow the rules. I would say that their just jealous.

Here's a poll for you; who would you rather sit next to you an airline flight, a person with a baby/toddler on their lap, or a person with a pet carrier (with whatever animal you please in it)?

I love children, especially babies. However, I'll take the pet carrier anyday or a baby/toddler next to me - unless that baby/toddler is related to me!

Here is what American Airlines website says about sedation:

"Sedation
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, in most cases cats and dogs should not be given sedatives or tranquilizers prior to flying. An animal's natural ability to balance and maintain equilibrium is altered under sedation, which can be dangerous when the kennel is moved.

Whether flying as a cabin or checked pet, animals are exposed to increased altitude pressures, which can create respiratory and cardiovascular problems for dogs and cats which are sedated or tranquilized. Brachycephalic or snub-nosed dogs and snub-nosed cats are especially affected."

http://www.aa.com/content/travelInfo...horEvent=false

that is so stupid!!!:mad: :thumbdown

Thanks for that! I read something similar, and my impression was it applied to people who oversedate animals to the point of unconsciousness. It was also for animals that were stored in cargo.

But it does give me pause, so I will solicit opinions from other vets. But I do appreciate your input.

But Rae Rae, Jeze, I'd lay odds that you are a flight attendant. What's wrong with people wanting their dogs to be comfortable on a flight? I pay $80 each direction, and all I've gotten out of the airlines is rudeness. DON'T EVEN THINK OF TAKING THAT DOG OUT OF THE KENNEL. That's a direct quote as we were walking on the plane in full compliance. I think there's room -- a lot of room -- for airlines to improve their regulations for having dogs on flights.

I agree. When you are paying to bring them on, and they count as one piece of your carry-on luggage, I think it is only reasonable to at least allow the carrier to be on your lap after take-off and before landing. The dog/cat doesn't necessarily have to be taken out of the kennel, but to demand they be zipped up and tucked away is a little ridiculous for something you have paid for that isn't bothering anyone else. If you aren't handling them, they should pose no problem for folks with allergies, either.

I can understand the airlines wanting us to keep our little dogs out of sight and under control while on the plane... Like someone else said, not all dogs are well behaved and you can't have special rules for certain dogs (unless of course that dog is used for service purposes). Who knows if the person sitting next to, in front of or behind you is allergic to dogs or has some kind of fear/phobia of them. Those other passengers paid to be on that flight as well, they shouldn't have to suffer through the whole ride because of my little pup. I'm sure they paid just as much I did for the ticket!

What I think is incredibly unfair is the prices they charge for you to even bring your pup on the plane! Everything I've seen is about $80 one way! Why is that? The dog counts as a carry on. If I didn't have the dog, I'd have another carry on... What's the difference? I don't understand it. They should just allow pets on planes on a first come, first serve basis, without any extra fees involved.


At any rate, Bailey's Mom, I do believe you treated a bit harshly. You were following the rules and I doubt anyone complained about you. The stewardess let her own mood get in the way of doing her job professionally. I would write a letter to the airline advising of the unfair treatment. Hopefully they'll look into and find a way to make up for it.

Airline Travel
 

Tiffany and I have gone from California to New York twice now. Both times she has done great. The first time she was 11 weeks and the 2nd time she was 13 weeks. Her vet told me to give 1 - 1 1/2 cc's of Childrens Benedryl 30 - 45 minutes before the flight. It will keep her calm and make for a better trip for her. I also try to take only direct flights.

Yes regulations state that they have to remain under the seat, I always get a window seat and pull her little kennel out after we take off. I have found Jet Blue to be the most pet friendly. I'm going again in August and September. She is gonna have more frequent flyer miles than most people.

Hope this helps.

Suzie & Tiffany

I do agree that it was rude for the attendant to speak about you in that way.

I worked for an airline for many years and though it may seem like a good idea to take a pup out of his carrier or to open the carrier to give him a break, I totally understand why they want them to remain in a closed carrier under the seat at all times. Not only are the rules there for the passenger's safety, but they are there for the pup's safety as well. It's not unheard of for an aircraft to suddenly drop a couple of hundred feet or experience sudden turbulance. Most times the pilots are able to predict these things and request that passengers buckle up, but there are times when it happens unexpectedly (that's why I never take my seatbelt off...only to go to the washroom:)) A pet out of his carrier (or even if the carrier is out from under the seat) could get severely injured.

I do understand your frustration with the attendant...she was rude and that is uncalled for.
Check the airline's website. If it's the one I'm thinking of, they have all the info there regarding travelling with your pet.

That is so true! I hadn't thought of that. A similar thing happened to me (while traveling alone) once during a flight from Columbus to NY. The small plane I was on had an unexpected drop. I was carrying a cup of Mocha, and even with the lid on, that hot coffee went up on the ceiling, and all over me. It was a very scary experience, and luckily everyone on the plane was buckled in. I thought we were going to die. Well, I can't imagine what that kind of drop could have done to a roaming Yorkie. :eek:

I dont' rank who is more important
 

I guess what bugs me is that these businesses don't respect that some of us only have our yorkies as children and we have to take them sometimes. I am of a different spirituality then some. I don't rank what living thing is more important than another. I don't put humans above dogs or if I had a kid, my kid above my dog. I feel all living things are equally important and deserve respect. I think that at times, people can be very rude when it comes to a person who only has a dog. These businesses could be a little more flexible. I always think...how would I feel to be stuck in a bag for 12 hours?
Hats off to ALL the parents out there. Those that have skin kids AND those who have dogs or both. All of you are equally important and do a great job. It isn't easy to raise kids and dogs. It's not easy to travel with both either.
suzie

Most of the posters had no problem leaving the dog in the bag, but why can't the bag be held on your lap where you can at least comfort the dog.

Those rules are ridiculous and make no sense. People tend to break rules if then don't make sense.

Or the could designate the last row as a pet section, or the front row where there is more room.

I believe I would go the sedative route.

I agree and would never fly with my dogs because of it.