[sugarandspicekidz]

I must admit that I was shocked to find out that I would have to pay $300.00 for a round trip ticket to have my dog travel with me, in her kennel, which she cannot leave and it has to stay under the seat in front of me, with no food, water or bathroom serve. Her flight is costing more than mine and yet I get food and water service, I can stretch my legs, and I can go to the bathroom. I (LOL) even offered to just buy her a ticket and let her kennel sit on the seat by the window with my husband and I on the other 2 seats of the 3 seats in the row... the airline assistant could not find the humor in that.

Really this is ridiculous! Even when they charged $80.00 round trip...that was to much and now the fees have doubled!!!. I think this group is unfairly singled out!

I can understand, about not taking the dog out of the cage...etc... But the fees are out of control....

LLIN

[countrynewsman]

What kind of dog in a kennel could fit under a seat????

[sugarandspicekidz]

An adorable 4 pound toy fox terrier

[Corbel]

i must admit $300 for a dog to travel is a bit much...i didn't even spend that much for my seat flying to vegas last month. cute dog!!

[sugarandspicekidz]

I know...our ticket only cost $241.50 .... The fact that they provide her with no services and she cannot even get out of her kennel and sit on our lap or have some water or food.... I wish I knew of a way that we could get the Airlines to be FAIR on their charges! Gosh for the neglect that the dogs receive it should only be $50.00 or less. My neighbor just told me to call the airlines, as she said this will count as my carry on... I sure hope she is WRONG. I hope I can check her kennel that she sleeps in and NOT have to pay for that too....

[Leatherboy2006]

not all of us would want to be sitting next to a dog and listening to it bark the whole flight (been there, done that) especially how small dogs tend to make that sharp shrill bark.

[Leatherboy2006]

Interesting but on my floor in my apt. building, two doors down is a lady with one of those Taco Bell dogs and next door is a guy with a Boxer. The Taco bell dog makes more noise then the Boxer who is a sweet well mannered dog while the Taco Bell dog(can't remember the breed name) is a little ankle biter and goes after everyone. If only the Boxer would realize all he has to do is lift a paw put it down and squish the small dog
Theres also a Rottwieler one floor down who is the biggest baby and is better with the kids then the little dog (though he is very protective of the kids in the playground area and gets between them and strangers that come on to the play ground)

[countrynewsman]

Originally Posted by Leatherboy2006

not all of us would want to be sitting next to a dog and listening to it bark the whole flight (been there, done that) especially how small dogs tend to make that sharp shrill bark.

I agree. I have had to sit near an animal and it was not pleasant.

[Butch Cassidy Slept Here]

I wonder if sled dogs can ride in the main deck cargo compartment on their "combi" aircraft? I guess there would have to be some way of securing the kennel from sliding around.

A relative of mine had one of those Taco Bell dogs. You don't want it in the house, or any other indoor place, if it gets too stressed-out. Diarrhea time!

[sugarandspicekidz]

Wow... let's not blame the dog...It is the owner that you should be complaining about!!! Obviously they have never trained their dog to not bark and to behave. Our dog is trained and if she barks once and it is not warranted we tell her "no" and she will not bark again. Unfortunately, there are many people that don't deserve to have dogs and are too lazy to take the time to train them. That does not mean that all dogs are the same. I totally agree..though... I would not want to hear a dog bark the whole time I am on a flight as I do not want to hear a child scream the whole flight... but getting back to the subject this does not warrant to over charge the passenger and take advantage of a situation. After all... children who sit on their parents lap ride for free!!! So why can't a dog who is under 10 lbs do the same ...even keep them in their kennel...

[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.

[countrynewsman]

I think it would be pretty hard at check-in to determine a well-behaved dog vis one which is not. I would prefer not having to fly with a dog, or any other animal near me...well-behaved or not. The obvious exception would be a seeing-eye dog.

[jimworcs]

I would never take a dog on the plane unless it was absolutely essential... can't it just stay home with relatives, dog sitters, kennels or some other arrrangement until youget back? Why put the dog through such stress?

[sugarandspicekidz]

Well, I guess you would call this essential. I do have some medical problems that she assists with. Also, I have no one to leave her with...remember 4 pounds...very small. My husbands sister has 3 very large dogs, one of which is a great Dane. She has an open fence gate (open slats), so the dog can get out of her yard and we live in an area where there are hawks that take small animals and eat them, so our dog can never be out by herself. Both of them work 10 hours a day, and so does my son and daughter. They both have large dogs with a wrought iron fence that a small dog would be able to get out. So we do not have anyone to leave her with. My daughter had a small chihuahua a few years back.. She had the dog sat by a friend. The dog got out of the yard, even though they thought they had completely dog proofed it and drown in the pool behind the house that was dog sitting... Horrible death... It was an accident, but non the less...both my daughter and her friend will never be the same over the loss of the dog.

And to answer the question above, she would not be running around. She would be in her crate the whole trip. It would be nice to have the crate on my lap...??

In reference to some dogs not being well mannered, yes, I am sure that is not true. And yet there are many children that are not well mannered especially those under the age of 2. Should they stay home too???? And then there are those adults who drink too much and are out of control on a flight....what do we do this those people???

Again... we are off of the subject.... $300.00 to have a 4 lb. dog in a kennel under a seat with no services, and counts as a carry on... this is crazy....

[countrynewsman]

Originally Posted by sugarandspicekidz

Well,In reference to some dogs not being well mannered, yes, I am sure that is not true. And yet there are many children that are not well mannered especially those under the age of 2. Should they stay home too???? And then there are those adults who drink too much and are out of control on a flight....what do we do this those people???

Again... we are off of the subject.... $300.00 to have a 4 lb. dog in a kennel under a seat with no services, and counts as a carry on... this is crazy....

OK...compare a dog to my "ill-mannered" three month old grandchild? The dog belongs in the baggage hold in a kennel....end of story.

[Butch Cassidy Slept Here]

First, I'm not trying to defend the airline. A lot of regular posters on here will vouch for the fact that I would be the last person to do so. That being said one has to understand the reality of domestic air travel nowdays. Unlike 40 years ago almost every coach seat, on most "mainline" flights, are filled. There is rarely an abundant supply of vacant seats. Animals in the cabin can be a source of complaint from customers. I'm sure the flight attendants don't want to have to hear it. So the airline may have, deliberately, set an unnecessarily high fee, for animals riding in the passenger compartment, to discourage people from bringing their pets on. As to:

I do have some medical problems that she assists with

I'm sure if you go through the certification process the airline will probably have to allow you to bring your dog with you as a "service animal." However, I wouldn't be surprised if you and your doctor wind-up with a lot of paper work. During a long-distance Amtrak trip I saw an example of abuse of the "service animal" rule. A woman's "emotional support" dog crapped all over her sleeping compartment. She brought her dog into the dining car and wanted it almost on the table. A conductor had to come and tell her to put the dog on the floor or leave the car. Still, if you are determined to travel with your pet, you will probably find Amtrak more hospitable as long as the dog is kept in a kennel while on board the train. On long-distance trains the stops at some stations are long enough for you to walk your dog outside—just don’t venture much more than 50 feet from the train.

I live in a very rural area. Yet there are vets/kennels within 2 hours of my home. When I go on vacation if I can't afford to board my cat, I don't go.

Finally, as to the idea of pets riding in the lower deck cargo hold: With all due respect to Countrynewsman, I've heard too many "horror" stories to believe that putting a pet in a cargo hold is safe for the animal. Indeed the US Dept. of Transportation is now making airlines report all instances of animals dying while travelling in the cargo hold. If you're an oil rig worker and Alaska Air lets you put your pet in the main deck cargo hold, of a "combi" aircraft on a flight from Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay, that might be a safe bet. Unfortunately, I don't think this situation applies to many air travellers!

[jimworcs]

This may be true, but I have concerns about the safety of pets in the cabin. In the recent ditching of an aircraft in the Hudson, a dog might get loose and impede the exit, an owner may impede the exit trying to rescue their dog and carry the pet carrier out of the aircraft, etc... unless there are overwhelming reasons why the dog must be kept in the cabin, I feel it should be in a kennel in the hold.

Butch, I sympathise with the issues relating to poor handling of animals in the cargo hold. However, this is a regulatory issue and it is good to hear that this is now being looked at to make sure that the animal's welfare is taken into account. As long as the cargo hold is heated and pressurised, there is no reason why the animal cannot be comfortably and safely transported in the hold.

[sugarandspicekidz]

Do you know how big a 4 lb dog is? This dog could not get loose, as it does not know how to unzip a zipper and to impede an exit...are you kidding? This size dog could not impede an exit. The carrier is small too. Like the old fashion carry on make up cases.

When I moved we had to fly our large Irish Setter as we moved across the country and had no car. Our car caught on fire the day before we left. It was horrible. Her crate had not been secured properly in the hold. It broke loose and box and luggage landed on her cage and the luggage and her flopped around the kennel loose. Her crate...a heavy strong crate was damaged, and smashed. She could not even stand up in the crate. The airlines did not even care. We took her to the vet. No broken bones, but many bruises!!! If that had been my 4 lb dog she would be dead.

My girlfriend had to fly her mother's cat to her house after the funeral of her Mom. She had promised her Mom that she would take care of the cat until it died. It died in the cargo hold because of the cold.

Here is some information as to why one would not put the pet in a cargo hold, much less a 4 lb. dog...

I have personally heard of too many stories about pets being killed or seriously injured while flying in cargo. There are many stories of Dogs overheating or freezing in the cargo hold.

How cruel.....

Once again...back to the subject....$300.00 for a round trip is airplane robbery...

[jimworcs]

Ok, well lets just keep it cool here...

1. I agree that $300 to transport the dog is robbery
2. The size of the dog is irrelevant. Peoples actions in a crisis can cause significant problems. This is why in an evacuation,where seconds count, passengers cannot even retrieve their handbags when exiting the airplane. My only point was that an owner may try to "rescue" the dog and in doing so impede an exit.
3. I was not suggesting that the dog would unzip the carrier, but on a life vest and start looking for the exit, but it is perfectly feasible that the dog carrier could be damaged and the dog escape given the forces at play in an air accident for example.
4. I have a small dog myself. A 4lb dog wrapped around your feet whilst in a panicked, dark and chaotic atmosphere is a danger to both the passengers and the dog.
5. Citing examples of bad animal handling in the cargo hold is a reason to regulate and control the way the airlines handle animals, not an argument for allowing them in the cabin. The best way to deal with this for the regulators to fine airlines heavily every time an animal is injured or killed and to criminally prosecute the moronic airline employees who inflict such cruelty on the animals.

One last thing, trying to stop thread drift on discussion forums is like trying to stop the tide!

[countrynewsman]

Originally Posted by jimworcs

2. The size of the dog is irrelevant. Peoples actions in a crisis can cause significant problems. This is why in an evacuation,where seconds count, passengers cannot even retrieve their handbags when exiting the airplane. My only point was that an owner may try to "rescue" the dog and in doing so impede an exit.

Exactly! I can imagine what would happen if I were sitting in a window seat during an emergency and someone with a dog was in the middle or aisle seat. You can be sure that they will do everything to save the animal, and thus impede the evacuation.

The airlines may not have done a good job in providing safe passage for many animals in the baggage hold, and clearly need to improve. If the airlines can guarantee the same measure of comfort (pressurization, heating, etc.) for animals in the hold as passengers in the cabin, then I would say that all animals (except service animals...and that would need proof) be transported in the hold.

As to the $300 charge, does anyone know how the other air carriers charge for pets onboard?

[sugarandspicekidz]

The airlines range from 100 to 150 one way in the cabin, so 200 to 300 for round trip.

The airlines state that they cannot control and guarantee the cargo hold will stay warm enough for a 4 lb dog to survive. If they do not take off right away and are on the runway for a while the cargo hold gets hot or cold. If the weather outside is very hot or very cold, it may be the same in cargo hold. They state that they cannot be responsible for the temperature changes.

[jimworcs]

If the airlines are saying this, they are talking nonsense. If the hold was not capable of being heated, no animal could survive, whether he was 4lbs or 400lbs. The temperatures at altitude are so cold, without adequate heating nothing would survive. You should report any airline to the ASPCA which would accept animals and could not guarantee their comfort and safety. Even service dogs are banned in the cabin in many European countries and the animals survive and the passengers manage perfectly safely. An ealier post suggests that the DOT are looking at this and now keeping statistics, and I would encourage you to write to the DOT highlighing any airline which tells you that they cannot guarantee the welfare of an animal in their care.

[Butch Cassidy Slept Here]

You should report any airline to the ASPCA which would accept animals and could not guarantee their comfort and safety.

To my understanding some airlines, American MAY be one, simply refuse to accept animals, under any circumstances, for travel in the cargo hold. I believe the decision to accept, or not accept, animals (with the exception of bona fide service animals traveling in the passenger compartment) is entirely up to the airline, at least for domestic passengers. The DOT decision to start keeping stats on animals that die during travel in the cargo hold may be one reason for American's decision. Of those airlines still accepting animals for cargo hold travel some will not accept them when there are extreme temperatures at either the departure, connecting or arrival airports. I believe the cargo hold CAN be heated in flight.

[The_Judge]

Originally Posted by sugarandspicekidz

The airlines state that they cannot control and guarantee the cargo hold will stay warm enough for a 4 lb dog to survive. If they do not take off right away and are on the runway for a while the cargo hold gets hot or cold. If the weather outside is very hot or very cold, it may be the same in cargo hold. They state that they cannot be responsible for the temperature changes.

Absolutely untrue. Either you or the person you spoke with are not telling the truth. Working for the airline as long as I did, I have heard some good stories. One of them being that while a baggage handler was working in the bin of an aircraft, his silly co-workers locked him in and he got a trip to Chicago from Minneapolis. I guess knowing it was only an hour or so, they thought it was funny. He obviously made it okay and was not frozen to death or cooked on the way. Now the kicker, the airline tried to charge him for employee travel on the trip. Great airline, huh??

Anyway, back to the subject. Cargo holds are completely safe and humane. They are temperature controlled and when there is a problem with the system in the hold where they are kept, they are not allowed to fly. I was in the position that monitored this for a time and I made many a call to the mechanics asking if the particular MEL (minimum equipment list) that was on an aircraft allowed animals to fly or not.

[Butch Cassidy Slept Here]

Midwest Air appears to be actively ENCOURAGING people to travel with their pets!

http://www.midwestairlines.com/Midwe...iles/Pets.aspx

I didn't see the name of the airline charging the $300 in any of the posts. If it was Delta or Northwest that would be a hoot! Delta, through a previous investment made by Northwest, holds a major stake in Midwest.

Among other things you'll note Midwest offers one free "fare," for a pet, after three paid round-trips. It appears the regular "fare" is $100.

Obviously the route system of this airline is limited. I didn't see whether there are restrictions on Midwest Express (commuter) flights.