[Butch Cassidy Slept Here]

With all the bad publicity airlines get there is probably a reluctance to issue an outright ban on bringing animals into the passenger compartment. So, maybe the airlines have gone to Plan B and are trying to discourage traveling pets by charging fees which sometimes exceed the fare their master pays. However there may be a basis for a complaint if the airline is not being even-handed about this situation: Like one fee for a dog, another, lower, fee for a cat. For those airlines still allowing traveling pets in the cargo compartment I can understand charging for weight and/or the dimension ("dim weight") of the kennel, even on domestic flights.

While your dog may be well mannered I'm sure you are well aware there are many that are not and could well get into a non-stop barking situation. Also, I don't know if people opening-up the kennel, in flight, and the dog running-around the cabin is a common problem or not. Perhaps the airline people on here can help.

Is “dog allergy” a real thing or something people either make-up or imagine to exist? In the absence of clear proof indicating otherwise I guess those making such a claim must be given the benefit of the doubt. Cat allergy, to my understanding, is a real thing.