Hi there,

I would greatly value anyones advice please! I am being relocated to the US from London UK and I have a shih-tzu dog that I want to take with me in the cabin. The problem is that he is small enough to fit in the designated kennels they suggest, but he is 11kg slightly more than most of the airlines will allow.
I am having great difficulty in finding an airline that can accommodate this. Delta used to do it, but apparently they have just changed their policy and won't accept dogs from the UK. Air Canada can do it but they have a maximum weight of 10kg (I am not sure how strict they are with weighing the dogs at check in?). United and continental don't do it and all the other airlines have a weight restriction of 8kg. Any advice from people with similar experiences would be much appreciated!!!!

Thank you!

Have you checked with Air France or KLM/Northwest? Not sure if they fly out of London, but worth a shot. Tbh, I don't think there are many that will fly pets in cabin on international flights.

Thank you.
KLM have a weight restriction again, so does Air France 6kg.
I'll check NW!

Doggie diet?

I didnt think anyone allowed pets in the cabin for international flights.

We are taking our cats with us and using http://www.petairuk.com/

I was going to suggest Luthansa - but they have an 8kg limit incl. the carry cage. They will allow service dogs - perhaps you can get your dog certified as a therapy dog for your 'stress'? - long shot, crazy idea.

https://www.lufthansa.com/uk/en/Animals

He would probably be calmer in the cargo hold. Dark, quiet, no food smells or humans making him bark.

November last year, I flew Delta direct from Salt Lake City to Charles de Gaulle and there was a lady on board with her pet cat so Delta must offer something like that. They may not transport directly on board from the UK but the rules may be different from Paris. Worth checking that out.

I wonder what would you do if your pet crapped itself within an hour of take-off? I am not sure I understand the rationale for wanting a pet in the cabin on a long-haul flight. I don't think it is in the pet's best interests as the cabin is a noisy, stressful environment.

I agree. I like pets, have owned dogs, and currently owned cats, but I would not want even one of my own animals in the cabin with me, and certainly not someone else's. Children on flights are bad enough, and I have one of those too! ..... We've kept little Miss P "grounded", literally, and she is about to have her first flight at the age of seven.

I've flown my cat in the hold 3 times. She pee'd and pooped on herself each time - definitely an indication she didn't stay calm. The hold may be be calmer once they're airborne, but I think the bulk of the stress is being transported across the tarmac to the plane and off again. My cat is now petrified of the beeps made when a truck backs up. Or pretty much any loud engine noise, which she had no issue with before she flew. For me, while I agree the idea of her yowling for 12 hours, or having a poop and being worse than any mis-behaved child, it would be less stressful for her with me there. But perhaps I'm projecting and delusional on this topic...

Great. And sçrëw what the rest of the passengers think.

It's bad enough in a plane when someone starts spritzing cologne, but the thought of being in a cabin scented with cat pee!

That's awesome - made me laugh out loud!! I also wonder about people who are allergic - be great for them too! Okay, maybe the hold is the best bet!

Gee, what a bunch of sour pusses on here! If my pet made a mess, I would clean it up. I personally have no issue with pets, mine or someone else's. I actually cuddled that lady's cat for her so she could toddle off to the loo. Poor furball was very quiet and scared but did drink a little water. I am not as grouchy or intolerant as you lot.

I love animals, but from my own experience with a "neurotic" (anxious, etc.) rescue dog who flew across the Atlantic three times, they do just fine in the hold. You can buy special bedding that reduces the mess if they have to use the toilet while they are in there.

I do think we sometimes project our fears and wants onto our pets, and the usual response is to label anyone with common sense "intolerant" or a "sourpuss" (mustn't forget the smiley )

(and they won't allow the pet out of its crate mid-flight so you can clean it, either ... can you imagine a piss-riddle cat scared out of its wits tearing around the cabin projecting crap out of its rear end?)

No way would I even consider taking our 2 cats in the cabin. From experience of 5 hour car trips they whinge (loudly) to start with and then settle down for a kip. Our plan is to do a single flight with them in the hold, in flight approved carriers, lined with suitable absorbent materials. Probably we will stump up for PetAir to take the hassle out of it. Of the various cats we have had, the worst traveller was the one who was allergic to Shropshire. Every time we drove from Manchester to SW Wales, whichever route we took the moment we entered Shropshire it was a case of The current two have been no trouble in comparison.