Choosing a Carrier for Airplane Use
Feb 24 '01
The Bottom Line Be sure to check into Airline requirements before purchasing a carrier, look at several to decide which is the best choice for you AND your pet
Shortly after I adopted my puppy Cheyenne, we moved from Arizona to Upstate New York. I knew we would be flying, and before making plane reservations, I checked into several airline's policies to get a basic understanding of what I needed to know.
Aside from the fee associated with your dog being allowed to travel in cabin with you, you must come with (some airlines allow you to buy a carrier when you arrive at the airport) an appropriately sized carrier for your pet.
Each airline has different dimensions that your carrier must fit into, it must easily fit under the seat in front of you. They also require that your pet be able to Stand Up, Turn Around and Lay Down comfortably. Pets too large to fit under the seat in front of you will be put into the Cargo hold.
While there are a lot of choices in both size and brand of pet carrier, the are two 'kinds' of carrier. Hard Sided and Soft Sided.
Hard sided carriers are usually made out of heavy duty plastic, there are air holes on both sides and on the back, and a wire gate on the front. Most come with a small split bowl so your pet will have food and water while inside the carrier.
Soft sided carriers are more like duffle bags, they are fabric, and usually have a zipper and/or snaps to keep your pet inside. Ventillation is usually fabric mesh sides, which can be covered up to prevent drafts. Most all come with carrying handles and shoulder straps for easy carrying.
I chose a soft sided carrier because I felt it would be a little less stressful for my then 3 month old puppy, it was easy for her to move around in, and she wasn't limited to only a certain area as she would have been in a hard sided carrier.
Prices vary quite a bit depending on the brand and size, I found most Hard Sided carriers that were appropriately sized for airline use went around $20-$30. Most Soft Sided went for $30-$50. Luckily I got mine on sale from $69 down to $13, it came with a nice fleece pad for her to lay on and was very easy to use.
Even though Cheyenne managed to sneak out of it and lay ON her carrier throughout our flight, it was more than worth the money and effort that went into researching it.
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