XP Dog on airplane

[honey987]

I didn't get any advice on pets and was wondering if you all had any tips.

pandce.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=pets&action=display&thread=27235

[joanis018]

Can't you bring a 10lb dog on the actual flight? My friend has a small dog and she puts it in a small dog bag and brings it on the flight with her all the time. She just has to make sure the bag can fit under the seat in front of her.

[bimbi284]

If he's comfortable, and its an airline approved carrier, I don't see why its a problem if its a shorter flight. Whatever you do, do NOT let it wander around aimlessly in the gate. You may love your dog and think he's the cutest thing in the world, but other people may not. A guy did this when H and I were traveling this weekend, and he wasn't paying attention to where the dog was, so the dog was running around bugging people and sniffing up their food and stuff. It was pretty bad, even though the dog was super cute.

[misshark122]

I think it's fine but I also thought like Joanis did, that you can bring a 10lb dog on a flight as long as he fits under the seat in front of you in a crate. I've traveled with my 8lb dog like this many many times!

[honey987]

Sorry if I wasn't clear, he will be under the seat. We are flying southwest and they don't allow dogs to be under the plane. I would leave him home before I would cargo him! The airline just said he has to be able to stand up and turn around and it worried me a little. When he is laying down curled up in a ball he only takes up about half the carrier. He is just so tall! The flight is only 1 hour.

[bimbi284]

Well then I guess if he's not able to stand up and turn around, you may need a different carrier, but if he is, then you should be fine. I think as long as your dog is quiet and doesn't draw attention to himself, you may be able to get away with it (as in they may not check that closely that he's not able to fully stand up). I guess just make sure you are prepared as well as you can be ahead of time so that you have the least amount of contact with airline employees as possible, haha. So make sure you check in and print boarding passes at home if possible (or check-in online and use a kiosk to print rather than waiting in line at the ticket counter). Aside from having the dog, try not to draw any unnecessary attention to yourselves, it sounds weird, but if anyone pays attention to what people are wearing, its airline people, although with Southwest its a little different. If you are frequent travelers, you should be fine, as you should be able to know what you need to get through security quickly and seamlessly, again, not drawing too much attention to yourselves and the dog.

I've done the same thing with bags that would be consider too large for carry-on, lol.

[bimbi284]

Oh, and just in case, I would be sure to get there extra early, and have a friend or family member on standby to pick the dog up at the airport and take care of him while you are away in the case that the airline won't allow it.

[bimbi284]

Jul 3, 2012 9:09:37 GMT -5 carrotsmakemefat said:

If the airline says he needs to be able to stand, then he needs to be able to stand. I've seen too many people who don't follow guidelines and then their pet doesn't fly. Don't take that chance. I used to fly SW a lot and saw it happen time and time again.

This is my first thought too (as you can see above). It would be much easier to just exchange your carrier to one in which he can stand so that you don't have to be all stressed out while trying to be all sneaky about it in the smaller carrier.

Is the carrier you have the largest you can get that still fits under the seat? If so, you may want to reconsider your plans to have your doggy travel with you. If you do decide to take the chance though, you should be prepared for anything.

Also, just because you could get away with it out of your home airport doesn't mean you'd be able to get away with it leaving your other destination. So imagine you were able to bring your dog to wherever you are going, but on the way back home, you face an extra careful airline employee who won't allow it. What will you do then?

[honey987]

Jul 3, 2012 9:24:22 GMT -5 bimbi284 said:

Jul 3, 2012 9:09:37 GMT -5 carrotsmakemefat said:

If the airline says he needs to be able to stand, then he needs to be able to stand. I've seen too many people who don't follow guidelines and then their pet doesn't fly. Don't take that chance. I used to fly SW a lot and saw it happen time and time again.

This is my first thought too (as you can see above). It would be much easier to just exchange your carrier to one in which he can stand so that you don't have to be all stressed out while trying to be all sneaky about it in the smaller carrier.

Is the carrier you have the largest you can get that still fits under the seat? If so, you may want to reconsider your plans to have your doggy travel with you. If you do decide to take the chance though, you should be prepared for anything.

Also, just because you could get away with it out of your home airport doesn't mean you'd be able to get away with it leaving your other destination. So imagine you were able to bring your dog to wherever you are going, but on the way back home, you face an extra careful airline employee who won't allow it. What will you do then?

We are driving back so that is not an issue. I need to take a picture of him in it, he kinda looks like he can stand, but I can't seem to make him stand as he just wants to lay down in there. It is the largest one per airline standards, but it is flexible as to fit under the seat. I have read a lot of people using this same carrier and having success, but im not sure how i can get him to stand in it at the airport. He just keeps sitting and if his head is ducked down his front legs have no issue and if i push his butt up, his back legs are fine, he just won't fully stand unless his head pops out the top.

[bimbi284]

Jul 3, 2012 9:38:26 GMT -5 honey987 said:

Jul 3, 2012 9:24:22 GMT -5 bimbi284 said:

This is my first thought too (as you can see above). It would be much easier to just exchange your carrier to one in which he can stand so that you don't have to be all stressed out while trying to be all sneaky about it in the smaller carrier.

Is the carrier you have the largest you can get that still fits under the seat? If so, you may want to reconsider your plans to have your doggy travel with you. If you do decide to take the chance though, you should be prepared for anything.

Also, just because you could get away with it out of your home airport doesn't mean you'd be able to get away with it leaving your other destination. So imagine you were able to bring your dog to wherever you are going, but on the way back home, you face an extra careful airline employee who won't allow it. What will you do then?

We are driving back so that is not an issue. I need to take a picture of him in it, he kinda looks like he can stand, but I can't seem to make him stand as he just wants to lay down in there. It is the largest one per airline standards, but it is flexible as to fit under the seat. I have read a lot of people using this same carrier and having success, but im not sure how i can get him to stand in it at the airport. He just keeps sitting and if his head is ducked down his front legs have no issue and if i push his butt up, his back legs are fine, he just won't fully stand unless his head pops out the top.

Yeah that does change things. Hmmm. I mean, if the dog WON'T stand up its different then him not being able to stand up, you know? Not really sure how this works, but if he's comfy sitting in there, and you can't get him to stand up because he's comfy, I don't know how an airline employee would try to MAKE you get the dog to stand up, you know? I can ask H's best friend and see if he knows anything. He's a gate agent for AA. I'll let you know if he says anything.

[misshark122]

I bet you he can stand and turn around if he wants to, even if he is kind of squatting low to do it. I don't know though! My dog's carrier is definitely not huge but he's fine in it. No one has ever even looked twice at the carrier!

[photon]

are you taking your dog as a carry on or as cargo? i fly with my dog all of the time, and he is my carry-on. i have an airline approved soft carrier, and my little guy goes right under the seat. he is 8 pounds but also has freakishly long legs. he is unable to stand all the way up in the carrier but can move/turn around. it works really well. the rules are probably different if you are taking your dog as cargo, though. let me know if you have any other questions!

[bimbi284]

Airline employee says "we don't usually make the dog get up, so long as there is room for him to do so"

[averyjessup]

I have actually seen a check in agent (at AA in Orange County or LAX, can't remember) actually make sure the dog could stand up and turn around, and it couldn't (wouldn't?) and the owners caused a huge scene. It looked the agent was going to stick to her guns so I don't know what came of it, but just wanted to throw out that I have seen it happen.

[honey987]

Thanks everyone. I actually just took the pup and carrier to the airport (its close) and made sure it was correct. They said it was fine and he does have plenty of room. Thanks for the advice

[averyjessup]

Jul 3, 2012 15:03:29 GMT -5 honey987 said:

Thanks everyone. I actually just took the pup and carrier to the airport (its close) and made sure it was correct. They said it was fine and he does have plenty of room. Thanks for the advice

Good call - glad it worked out and have a great trip!