Re: Our experience flying cats in the cabin transatlantic
 

You can always fly first or business class. It's only UK airlines that require pets to be in the hold. Some transatlantic US airlines still allow it. So everyone has a choice, just fly BA.

Pets are not permitted on flights to, from or through Australia, Hawaii or Micronesia (including Guam) are the only restrictions.

Re: Our experience flying cats in the cabin transatlantic
 

I wonder why the airlines only inflict pets on the riffraff down the back. Have you tried flying BA out of PDX so no in fact there isn't a choice unless you can afford to fly business class.

Re: Our experience flying cats in the cabin transatlantic
 

The reason being is that on most planes the only under seat storage is in economy. They don't allow pets in the overhead bins. This link explains some of the other stuff. It also lists the planes with the economy restriction.

https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con.../in_cabin.aspx

Re: Our experience flying cats in the cabin transatlantic
 

Really I think you will find there is under seat storage in the first class cabin on just about all US domestic flights, even if fortunately a pet carrier will not fit. As to the overhead bins they are used for better things than pets which should be confined in the hold, and the owners charged extra if they want the heat turned on.

Re: Our experience flying cats in the cabin transatlantic
 

The pod type seats have some underseat storage, the lay flat I think all the space under the seat is for the electric motor for the seat. It's been a while since I have flown first. I find it hard to justify the cost in first for infant seats. Plus I think people in economy and business should only be able to enjoy my screaming kids.

Re: Our experience flying cats in the cabin transatlantic
 

That's nasty, if there isn't climate control the pets will die of exposure, so not much point transporting them if they're going to arrive dead. Pets are allowed on trains and buses, btw. I don't see why some people are so anti pet. I've smelt some nasty reeking humans in my time, but I've never smelt a pet that stank half as bad. If you read FlyerTalk there are loads of stories of people having to be squashed next to fat rank people on long flights. I'd rather have a cat in a pet carrier on the seat next to me than share half my seat with a hunk of sweaty human blubber.

Re: Our experience flying cats in the cabin transatlantic
 

I agree , I think anyone over 250 lbs should have to buy the adjacent seat

Re: Our experience flying cats in the cabin transatlantic
 

I think airlines should have to provide human-sized seats for long-haul flights. And no, I'm not overweight or even large.

Other than that I would far rather sit next to a cat than a person I don't know for eight hours.

Re: Our experience flying cats in the cabin transatlantic
 

I agree with your philosophy, but your criteria is flawed, because it needs to be adjusted for height. Based on what you said there are times when I would have been forced to buy the adjacent seat, yet I have always fitted easily within the confines of a standard economy seat. ..... It makes a huge difference when your weight is spread over a frame that is well over 6ft. :)

Re: Our experience flying cats in the cabin transatlantic
 

Maybe just do it on buttock width

Re: Our experience flying cats in the cabin transatlantic
 

Lol!

I'm slightly overweight but have a weird proportion probably caused by suffering anorexia as a teenager. I've got an extremely slim bum and legs but a wide waist and belly. Fit into an airline seat easily. I've nothing against overweight people flying and if you've got a fat belly but can get by OK with a seat belt extension it's fine. It's encroachment into the adjacent seat that is the problem. People have suffered serious back conditions as a result of being squished on long flights.

Re: Our experience flying cats in the cabin transatlantic
 

There isn't much point really save the cost it is cheaper to get another when you get here.

Re: Our experience flying cats in the cabin transatlantic
 

Well how lovely for you. But are you able to determine when your cat might decide to poop. I have been a cat owner for most of my 46 years on planet earth and have never been able to predict this.

The very thought that my cat *might* poop and hugely upset the people around me would make me think twice. Cats manage just fine in the hold and probably even better without all those excitable humans around them.

I choose to have some respect for my fellow human traveller.

Re: Our experience flying cats in the cabin transatlantic
 

I guess you do what you do when they have to go to the vet for an op. Starve them for 12 hours beforehand. I don't think I could do that when they had a long flight ahead of them but each to his/her own.

Re: Our experience flying cats in the cabin transatlantic
 

Cats can find pop out of sheer stress. Putting a cat in the cabin would be immensely more stressful than the quite containment of the heated hold compartment. I think it is disgusting that people would subject their cat and other people to the stress of the cabin. Not fit to own a cat.