Yes MiLo flew with us from Frankfurt to Atlanta and from Atlanta to Sarasota, Florida, total : about 12 hours. We were surprised he did so well. I mean not a peep from him. Coincidentally, the carrier on your video looks similar to ours. It was great, Milo was right under the seat in front of us, no problem.
I am a retired flight attendant and once the dog has made it pass customer service, the only concern flight attendants should have is that the pet stay inside of the carrier. I’m sorry you had that negative experience.
I have traveled with my dog in a pet-in-cabin several times. We have traveled intercontinentally from Japan to Vienna, Warsaw, Frankfurt, Zurich, etc. My dog is a 3kg mixed breed. The size of soft carriers for each airline is roughly 18 inches wide, 11 inches deep, and 9-11 inches high, but of course my carrier is within that range. Last year, when I boarded Swiss Air at Narita Airport in Japan, they said that the carrier was too small, and they weighed my dog inside the carrier. They didn't issue the ticket right away, and I spent nearly an hour at the ticket counter. An even more frightening experience happened at the Lufthansa ticket counter at Frankfurt Airport on May 30th. The flight that day was an hour and a half flight from Frankfurt Airport to Vienna, Austria. This was our fourth flight on this long spring journey. The first flight was from Haneda Airport in Japan to Frankfurt, and took 14 hours and 15 minutes. The second and third flights were round trips between Frankfurt and the Canary Islands in Spain, and took 4.5 hours each way. The first, second and third flights were all with Lufthansa, and the tickets were issued easily without any problems, and we flew safely. (To be precise, the second and third flights were with Discovery Airlines, a Lufthansa group company.) However, on the fourth flight, which was the shortest flight of the trip, the ticket was not issued because the carrier was not tall enough and the dog's head was on the top cover, and I was told to buy a recommended pet carrier at the Lufthansa kiosk at the airport. My dog weighs 3 kg and my carrier weighs 1 kg, for a total of 4 kg. When I tried to explain that my dog has long hair but is very small, and that I have already flown on Lufthansa planes in my carrier many times in the past, showing the tickets as proof, I was told to wait at the counter while they called someone higher up. After a while, a supervisor came and told me to put my dog in a carrier. I was denied boarding, and when I tried to explain, they threatened to call the police and that I would never be able to fly with Lufthansa again. I had no choice but to buy the only pet carrier they had in the shop - a Hunter pet carrier. The carrier was 11.8 inches high, which was too tall to fit under the seat in front of me on the plane to Vienna, but the cabin staff didn't say anything. My flight to Japan was with LOT Airlines from Warsaw Chopin Airport. The height of carriers required by LOT Airlines is 7.87 inches (20 centimeters), so the staff told me that the carrier I bought was too tall. After a lot of trouble, I was able to return home to Japan, but I am now in a lot of pain.
I'm sorry to hear what happened to you! I thought Lufthansa is the airline treat pets well, its so confusing the way how they deal with it, I'm also nervous as ill have long international flight with my cat next month.....
I travel with my 16 pound Havanese in cabin all the time since he was 3 years old. He is now 13 years old. I've flown domestically within the US and also internationally from the US to Japan. Here's a couple of pro tips- size matters. The bag she used in the video was too small. The measurements she went by are for hardsided carriers not soft sided. Most airlines will allow soft sided carriers to be 18 inches long, 11 inches high, 11 inches wide. Get your dog used to going in the carrier ahead of your flight so they can be calm during the checkin/boarding process. If you can teach them how to turn in the bag on command even better if you have to prove to the airline they can do it. Last tip- don't put your dog in the bag during check in. This tip may not work depending on the country you're in. For example in Japan the pet must remain in the bag the entire time they're in the airport. In the USA I never put my dog in the bag at the checkin counter unless the airline staff asks. I wait to when we are moments away from boarding to put him in the carrier. I've flown several airlines and the only time the airline staff required me to put the dog in the bag and weighed at him at check in was recently with American Airlines (avoid them if you can). Most of the time if checkin lines are busy the staff will literally just print the incabin pet tag and place it on the bag a not care if the animal is in it or not. They're not going to hold up the line waiting for you to put your pup in the bag. I travel with a pet stroller and that's where my dog is while I'm checking in. I usually have a family memeber standing with the stroller off to the side, near the counter but not too close by. If they ask where the dog is I just point to where they are. There are some staff that will try to power trip and scrutinize your pet if you let them. Act like you've travel all the time with your pet even if it's the first time and your a nervous wreck. Stay calm and play it cool. Know the airline rules and if your bag and pet meet those requirements dont be afraid to argue your point.
I live in North Atlanta. I purchased our golden retriever puppy from a breeder in missouri. Like you, I did all the previous homework and preparations to ensure there were no problems. When I arrived at the airport in Missouri with my puppy, I had the same kind of idiot agent, drunk on the itty bitty teenie weenie bit of power she holds over people in this life, and she refused to allow my puppy on the plane because his head touched the top of his carrier when he stood up. She claimed it was for the safety of the puppy. It's a 2-hour flight. She wanted me to go buy a hard case carrier and put him in cargo on another Airlines flight, which had layovers. How is a 2 hour flight with his head poking out the top of his carrier with me less safe than being thrown alone into cargo by for hours and hours with layovers Etc? I ended up having to rent a car and drive 13 hours with an 8-week-old puppy, making rest stops at gas stations where he could catch anything. She was so unable to relinquish her little pathetic bit of power to actually do what was obviously best for the puppy. I am sorry you ran into the same kind of idiot and I'm so thankful you were ultimately able to bring him on the flight.
I’m about to do the same thing in Oct. My golden retriever puppy will be 10 weeks old. I’m going to order the travel carrier and have it shipped to the breeder, to try it out. If it doesn’t work out, then we will have to drive. A 3 day drive, versus a 3 hour flight.
We were flying with our Westie en exactly the same situation happened to us on the flight back home. She said that next time our dog can't enter the plane cause is too big. Which it was not the case. Honestly I have a feeling that it's depends of the person who does the check. 🥰🥰🥰🐾🐾🐾
Yep, it's definitely up to the person. If it's someone having a bad day, that's all it takes. I'm curious what happened, did you manage to get your dog on board? Did you also have your luggage checked in like we did? 😁
Luckly we were able to fly back home but honestly I am afraid right now to book flight ticket and try to go to vacation with our dog. This year we are going to Italy by car. I love Greece too and its my dream to be there again. Have a nice stay !
@@iwonakukuczka3161 I'm glad you could fly back and I understand your worry. I would feel the same way. It's so great that you are going by car! I love Italy, we also drove there a few times and I hope we can take Sami too next time!😍 I wish you a wonderful vacation!
WOW, this just happened to me a few weeks back flying back from Miami FL to Phoenix AZ, the lady at the desk in Miami was so rude and lacked any kind of disposition to even take a second look. I believe that these airlines workers are just following their training with zero experience when it actually comes to the dog's well being. NO ONE that is an actual dog owner and loves their pup would ever even consider to put them in the cargo. Imagine telling someone with their kid, that they are way too big to sit in your lap, so that kid has to go on cargo. Because for a lot of small breed dog owners, their puppy is like their kid. I know it is to us. Thankfully a supervisor overseeing the whole matter stepped in and said it was fine. Our baby girl weights 9 pounds.
not a westie, but i wanted to travel with my bichon and was wondering how strict airlines were with dogs "fitting" in the bag. she has a lot of room in the bag, but she's a little hunched when standing (her legs and neck are a bit long, even though her body is small - she's only 8 lbs). i couldn't believe how difficult it was to find a video that actually showed the dog going in the carrier. anyways, this video was very helpful - thank you!
The advice about the haircut was great. Our Westie definitely looks a lot smaller when he's in the traditional cut rather than floofy. One thing I've always wondered is if you can buy a separate seat for your Westie so the carrier can go in the seat rather than under? Sami is precious!
Thanks, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! 🥰 No, unfortunately the option to buy an extra seat isn't available for pets. They still have to stay under the seat in front and in the carrier bag. Depending on the airline, on how empty the plane is and how nice the staff is, sometimes they can allow the pup in your lap during the flight :) But not as a general rule (and not during take off and landing, when it's a question of safety for the dog).
I flew with my Westie from Frankfurt to CanCun in 2018 when she was about 7 months old. If I had seen this video at that time I would have made everything possible to take her with me in the cabin but instead she flew 12 hours (plus boarding and unboarding) in the cargo. She was fine but I promised myself I would not have to do it again. Now if she ever has to fly I will follow your helpful advice and make sure she is sitting with me. Thank you for your videos!!
Thank you for sharing this story. I enjoy when people use smarts and tact to get them through situations. I am travelling with my dog for the first time in a few weeks for a move.
Wow, this is the most helpful video I have seen for advice about flying with a dog that is on the 'border-line of small,' like my little one that you see in my photo😁. As a terrier mix, she also has that bushy bear hair that makes her seem a lot bigger yet. Every time she gets a hair cut, I remark n how slim she became; I wish I could do the same with just a hair cut.🤣 And the advice about a slightly larger carrier. Every word of advice was so helpful. Of course, I know that it is up to the counter rep. to accept or deny flight, but I really agree that I don't want my dog in the cargo. I might actually give up on the flight if denied.😢
We are absolutely petrified to fly with our Westie. Your story almost brought me to tears. I am in the US, and I can tell you for a fact that YES people DO use bigger bags, but their dogs are always smaller. I also know for a fact that SOUTHWEST airlines absolutely does not delay a plane to remove someone's bags who cannot board the plane. Several times we missed our connection flight due to delays and were totally out of luck. Several cities we were stuck trying to find a hotel. I couldn't imagine what would happen if our Westie was in cargo! He would be stuck in a cage for as long as it took us to fly to him(our original destination) Our male Westie was the runt of the litter, so he's smaller than most males, but still to large like you said...to stand up, turn around etc. I love the original bag you picked that had expansion sides. Two more things...in the US (in my experience) the strict rules are the area around your feet during take off and landing MUST have no obstruction, nothing laying on the floor (like my blanket was at one time.) AND I. The US I learned that if an animal is put in cargo, the US has a law that animals cannot fly if the temperature is below 45° and above 85°. We're spending a month in Spain without my sweet baby! January is to cold to fly in cargo - All vets also say to never drug your dog (sedate) them. Although I talk to other people who have dogs in the cabin and every single person has told me their dog is on sedation medicine.
I can't even imagine having your dog in cargo and missing a connection flight 🙈 I guess that's one thing that's worse than just flying your dog in cargo; flying them with connection. Nope. I didn't know about the temperature rule in the US. The other rule, no obstruction at the feet, is here too. During take off and landing I would push the bag a little further under the seat in front of me, but while still having eyes on Sami :) Yes I agree, don't sedate the dog unless really really necessary. It's better to spend some time crate training and teaching them to be calm inside the carrier, instead. It takes time and patience but it's so much better for everyone. Your trip to Spain sounds amazing! I wish you a wonderful stay and good luck on your flight! 😍
@@WestieVibes The worst story I've ever seen about a dog flying in the U.S. is when a United Airlines flight attendant went on a similar power trip and gave the ultimatum of getting off the plane or putting the dog in the overhead bin or missing the flight. Unfortunately the owner didn't follow their instincts and complied with stowing their dog in the bins. Even more tragically, the dog did not survive the flight due to suffocation. He was only 10 months old.
Thank you sooo much for sharing your experience, it is very valuable for first time traveling pet owners, ! I’m about to travel with my Shih Tzu and Pomchi next month and they are FLUFFY, so I’m going to definitely trim their hair before we leave. I also got a large Sherpa carrier instead of the medium size for my two dogs. Praying for a smooth experience.
I have a Morkie and we went on our first flight (4 hrs) because of a cross country move. I used that same bag for the extension flexibility you mentioned. Benji, who is 11 pounds, did great! I ended up not using the extension because I didn't want him in the way when the other person in my row wanted to leave his seat. I would travel with him again but I am looking for another bag with a little more storage and possibly roller capabilities. I'm looking forward to hearing about your trip with Sammy in the other bag.
I travel with my maltese, who is a little smaller than your westie. We have the same exact bag, and even for her, I feel it's too small, so I purchased another one for our upcoming flight. I don't know what these airlines are thinking with their given dimensions. The only dog that can fit comfortably with their requirements are toy Yorkies. I'm glad you were able to finally board with your fur baby.
I know!! I always say the rules were made for Chihuahuas 😅 The carrier I have now is the Sherpa original deluxe, size L. It's been great on recent flights 👍🏻
Thank you for your useful videos. I know very much as one who loves their dogs and travels with them in the cabin how perfectly we prepare for travel for my dogs. My Santa (chihuahua mix) and I are going to travel to Spain next month. The first flight from Tokyo to Zulich takes 14 hours. I cut the long hair of my dog right away.
It wasn't based on technicality, it is based on one attendant who felt he/she had absolute power. You got lucky because they can very stubborn about enforcing their version of the rules. No way would I ever let my Westie go into cargo.
Same. A long flight had no issues, but a 25 min flight via Air senegal they refused to take my one of my dogs who was supposed to go in cargo saying the flight has technical issues.. Anyway, happily reunited with them. This is from 4 days back.
We had a similar experience in flight from Chile to Peru on December 24th for Christmas Eve. My sister had to buy a big carrier and Julieta my westie who at that time was 8 months had to fly in another cabin. Well, if your dog weighs more than 7-8 kilos is difficult to fly in the same cabin. You were lucky with Sami in that flight! I have heard that some dogs can fly with you in cabin if there are dogs that supports humans in a physical or emotional way.
Hi Ivonne! 👋🏻Yeah, it's tricky when they are at the limit. Why did Julieta have to fly in another cabin? Didn't she fly with you and your sister? I know about support doggos. I wish Sami was one 😅 He would be much more free to be with me everywhere. Believe me, I thought about it 😂But thankfully I don't need a support dog so I can't make Sami one.
@@WestieVibes the flight assistant said that the carrier was small, that Julieta needs more space...the same as they told you with Sami. The flight was full and it was Christmas so we had to buy a bigger carrier and Julieta had to go in another cabin. We checked with the captain of the flight if Julieta was really in our flight and everything went well.
@@ivonnevillafana2272 Lucky that you could get a bigger carrier. I never heard of the dog flying in another cabin and I was curious, this is why I asked 😊 I'm happy that it all worked out!
@@WestieVibes If your dog weighs more than 7 kgs or it is not able to fly with you. You have to look for flights that have a special cabin where animals can go. It's like cargo but where they have a special environment.That is how it works with flights in South America like Latam Airlines.
My Westin hates even driving so I haven’t had the courage to fly with her? The fact that westies weight is right at the border of airline’s limit is tricky !
I flew with my dog- (smaller than the one in the video) for 1- 6 hour flight, 1- 8 hour flight and 1- 3 hour flight. My dog fit fine inside the bag, but to say the dog needs to be in a closed bag under a sit with next to no air flow is crazy.... the rule should be- dog in the bag 30 minutes before and after take off or landing.... as long as the dog is quiet and not bothering anyone....I am not sure why on long flights (more than 3 hours) it should be in the bag the entire time.
Yes, we always skip the meal the night before and hold back on water in the hours before the flight. Then after the check in, I give him food and water in small portions. I never needed to give him any medication, but if you do, I will share what our vet recommends, which is CBD oil. And always test it in the days before the flight, to avoid any suprises :)
He is 7.5 kg (we diet before the flight). I don't know how long he is honestly, but he fits in the standard flying carrier. Is your pup too long for the bag?
@@WestieVibes well she is very long and it’s hard because that makes her look big in the bag. I am trying to train her on it but it’s difficult. So far she isn’t a fan
I fly with my Havanese all the time. International and domestic flights no problem. We've flown from the U.S. to Japan several times. The carrier in this video was on the smaller size. Most airlines require soft sided bags to be no bigger than 18" long, 11" high, 11" wide. The dimensions she went by are for hardsided carriers.
Did they seriously expect you to put your Westie in the cargo hold with the luggage? I mean..... come on!!! That is never going to happen! Would they put a young child in the hold if it was slightly too large? It's the same thing in my opinion. You were very nearly in big trouble there though, how would you have got home?
I know! I think the same way, but unfortunately pets aren't being treated as such. If we couldn't fly with Sami in the cabin, probably we would have had to book a new flight and spend the night. Not fun!
That bag is way too small for your dog mam. He is tilting his head side ways to look out from the side. Just imagine you try fitting yourself in that bag and I say yes you fit comfortably 😂 please toss that bag out and get a new one. That bag fits a toy puppy let alone a medium size dog. I feel bad for your dog. I would never put my dog through that.
Sounds like a dog hater, and if ur approved when you left, they cant deny it going home...speak to higher up. Good for you for not allowing ur dog to go into cargo
We flew with our 14 pound Westie from California to New York. She just sat on my lap the entire time. We did fly first class, so I wonder if that made the difference…..
That carrier looked way too small for your dog. An average Westie weighs anywhere between 6-10 kg. A small carrier such as the one you have there is meant to hold an animal weighing up to 3.5 kg. That carrier is meant for a toy breed, like a Chihuahua or Yorkie. Your dog’s head is literally the size of the front door of that bag.
While I love traveling with my pet as well I am also cabin crew and I definitely have seen horribly behaved dogs. There are stipulations for a reason and you must not hinder on any other passengers comfort. I suggest booking a window seat. First and foremost that is most airline rules is that your dog must be able to comfortably stand and turn around to be accepted. I have definitely seen more horribly behaved kids but sadly there are no strict rules that prevent them from being onboard 🤷🏻♀️
We just flew with our westie for the first time, thankfully with no issues. We have the larger carrier you showed later in the video. The trick with a larger carrier is that it is still soft sided so it will collapse a little when you put it under the seat. I also think it’s a good idea to have the dog calm and fully closed into the carrier when you check in. On four flights, I don’t think they even noticed it was a dog vs a regular carry on bag other then me telling them I had a dog at check in. Great point about the haircut. People don’t realize how small these dogs really are when their coat is full.
They didn't weigh her? In the beginning I used to put Sami inside the bag too, at check in. But now I keep him outside, because this way they only weigh him and no one weighs the bag 🎉 Technically he should be under 8kg with the bag, but really it's probably a little over, so I'd rather not risk it. You are right, the soft carrier can even bend a little and fit under the seat even if it's larger. I'm so glad everything went well on your first flight with Marley! ❤
It's funny - my wife just groomed our chunkster Teddy - a 34 lb Westie - this morning - and he looked like a different dog when we took him to day care with the trainer. When his fur grows out, it gets very wavy - not a typical Westie look at all, our other two just get long and shaggy. Teddy does look smaller when groomed but he'd be over the limit to fly, in fact all of ours would be.
Im so glad Sami was able to board that final flight ! It just takes one not-so-nice person to ruin a persons day. Clearly, we all can see you truly love Sami and you want the best for him, he has a wonderful life ! . I would NOT have put my dog in cargo either.
What airline would you recommend for flying with two small dogs? When I messaged Delta they wouldn’t allow two dogs. When I messaged American Airlines they did allow two dogs and you could buy the seat next to you to put the dog under the seat. I am very concerned about the dimensions having to be 9 in height, which I find really weird that the height is shorter than the width/length requirements which is 13 in for width and 19 in for length.
Animal laws should be revised to show inclusivity, that all airlines in the world allow pets in the cabin seated in a designated area. Refusing entry of pets and even showing dislike of animals should be considered animal cruelty and is a crime. What's also ridiculous about these technicalities are that the airlines do profit from passengers with pets on board. Kisses and hugs to Sami! 🙂❤
Power tripping flight attendant knowing she's the only obstacle and there's no appeal. Great that you used a trick often used by lawyers to drop a case or settle: bury them in paperwork! When she realized you'd rather pull off the flight than put your dog in cargo, and all of the associated hassle that would come back on her - suddenly she decided it was ok. We have never flown with any pets. Actually have not flown at all on almost 14 years - can't afford it lol! We drove to Florida every year for a while but we always boarded our dogs - we had two Westies and an Airedale. We lost the Airedale at only age 10 due to tumors. Our first Westie is still going strong at 13+, our second one will be 8 tomorrow - he's the bully, but we're working on training for him. And our third Westie is a rescue who will be 8 in June. The first two we raised as puppies. None of our Westies fits the standard weight. McKinley the 13 year old is quite svelte but he's 24 lbs, his nickname is Softee. Teddy the almost 8 year old is a whopping 33 lbs and he's built like a little tank. From the side or front he looks no bigger than McKinley, but looking down on them his body is much thicker and wider. And our rescue Ralphie was only about 17 lbs when we got him but he's up to 22 lbs now. He's a great litle dog, the only trouble is Teddy has some dominance issues with him and we're working on it right now with a $$$trainer but it's helping. Before I met my wife 17 years ago, I wasn't a dog person. She had two elderly dogs - a Wire Hair Fox Terrier and a giant (100+ lbs) Oorang Airedale. Both passed away and after just a few weeks we went to "just look" at puppies... lol. You know how that turned out! Annette had been a groomer so she was familiar with many dog breeds, and she always loved Westies so when we spotted the little white 12 week old puppy with a mouth big enough to swallow a rabbit, we were back in business. Wish I could post photos here!
😊 thank you for your story. That flight attendant was just being mean with you and the puppy, because you flew already with him in the same airlines and you didn't have a problem. Your partner was a flight saver, because the flight attendant realized that it was going to be a bigger problem to get your luggage back to you guys. Well done man. Your puppy is adadorable.
I also want to add that you did a great job of training Sami to go into his carrier, rather than having to force him in. That preparation is so important to reduce as much stress as possible.
Yeah, training helps a lot. I can't imagine having to force them and feeling bad about it the whole time, because they're miserable. 💔 Thank you for your comments! 🥰
Hi! May I know what the dimensions of the carrier you bought (the black one at the end of the video) and what is Sami's measurements? I am trying to figure out which soft carrier bag to purchase! thank you in advance for the help!
Flight attendants or crew have no say in this matter after tickets have been purchased and All the Regulations have been followed! they cannot push their “personal feelings “ on the Pet traveling
Thanks for sharing your story. I have a Cairn mix who looks like a black and gray version of your dog. I also had trouble boarding in Athens for an intra-EU flight (ATH-AMS) when the KLM agent weighed her and she was over 8 kg by one kg and the carrier weighed nearly two kg. I had to talk to the manager who let me fly anyway. Stressful! BTW, I don't think it depends on the nationality of the personnel. The first agent was Dutch and the manager was Greek and in general Greeks love dogs and also are very easy going (they don't check paperwork at all when you land there). Normally I go Delta direct when seasons allow for it and Delta does not weigh or care about bag size (the best airline for pets in cabin)!
I remember the time I tried to check a monster bag that was overweight by a bunch. The skycap first said I'd have to go stand in line at the counter and pay extra... this was at LAX in 1997. Then he starts tagging it anyway and says "I'll take care of it". Yeah, he got a 20 buck tip... it would have cost 4x that to pay the overweight bag fee. I didn't even offer the tip first, he offered to take care of it first. Smart business! And the plane took off just fine... I learned just from dragging that albatross around, when I go on a trip and buy a bunch of hardcover books, best to take them to the UPS store and mail them home! Live and learn. Can't do that with a dog. I figure if we're ever well off enough and both retired we can rent an RV and take our dogs with us.
I wish more carriers would have sleeves for luggage handles…..difficult for me to carry my dashchunds and just using the carrier handle is too unsteady. I finally started flying 1st class despite the cost. The attendants let me put her in my lap and seat mates loved her also….I am 77 and soon I may have to leave her behind….
Thank you for sharing your experiences and have a safe trip coming up with your dog. My Cairn Terrier Charlie is above 8 kg hence he never flew but did long car journeys in his carrier and I wanted to take the train with him once but then Covid destroyed any travel plans and still is. Charlie looks much slimmer and lighter with a short hair cut, too and then usually gets compliments (oh he has lost some weight etc) though it’s the same dog 😉so I would agree with you on the „appearance factor“ making a huge difference.
Thank you! 😊 Exactly, a haircut does wonders doesn't it? People thought Sami was old throughout his first year of life, because he looked like a sheep 🤣🙈 And now he looks like a puppy when his coat is extra short. I hope you get to travel with Charlie soon!
Thanks so much for sharing! My Westie will get home on April 22nd. And I intend to travel with him a couple of times a year (we live in France and we go often to Spain).
Thank you. Beautiful. We had the same experience. It was in India. We flew from Germany to Mumbai. I still keep the airtickets as my husband is traumatized with the whole situation. We flew beautifully with Lufthansa. But when we landed in Mumbai in transit the captain refused to take our Maya on the domestic flight,. The boarding pass was issued by the ground employee , we spent hours in the waiting hall only to be refused into entering the plane. Before the boarding pass was issued at the ground counter, the ground airline employee asked me if I had a muzzel for my 4.1 kg dog. I said 'no'. Inspite of that she issued us a boarding pass and we were let through. So later after like 10 hours or more the manager of the domestic airline, ordered a muzzel for us from a shop outside the airport and we could board the night plane. Had the ground employee of this domestic airline told us the muzzel is extremly important and that our flight depends on the captain, we would have immediately arranged for a muzzel, (which later was told by the air stewedess, a muzzel is not required) for small dogs. We ended up spending more money to buy a new ticket, saddened about our precious holiday time, frustration at the airport with our little pet...... We do not travel everyday. But the ground employees work everyday. Even if we over-read some of the rules of their domestic planes, its their duty to point it out to us before issueing boarding passes?
I will be training my new puppy to go outside on the grass, but I also want to train him to use puppy pads so that I can take him on flights with me. Do you have any suggestions? My puppy is a miniature schnauzer.
We are flying for the first time in cabin as non ESA in a few weeks with Vueling. They have a 10kg weight limit so hoping everything goes smooth although our bag is slightly bigger than the allowance, even though it’s actually no bigger than a normal human backpack. Their website doesn’t specifically state he must be able to stand up, turn around etc either or even he has he be fully enclosed so hoping it’ll be ok but still know it’s a bit of luck and will play on their wording if not 😂. We do have a bigger bag with us as a standby as well as a smaller one (although the smaller he can’t put his head in) sooo many dog bags 😂
I wish you good luck! 🤞🏻✨10kg limit is awesome! Haha, I love how many backups you have! ❤ One thing I want to mention: when you check in, don't put Wylie in the carrier unless they specifically ask you to. This way, they can't see if he can't stand up properly with the bag closed (in case this is a rule). We now take Sami on leash everywhere and we only put him in the carrier after presenting the documents at boarding, right before we step on the plane. This way, no one at boarding can comment on it either. It's worked smooth so far 😊 Looking forward to hear how your flight went!
@@WestieVibes good advice! My only concern is he really really hates putting his head in the bag that we are planning to use, we have to pretty much force it in, even though there's plenty of space, he just hates the first couple of minutes being inside. So were just concerned that if they see us forcing him in they'll say sorry he doesn't fit. But if he's already in and calm we were hoping that would be ok. It's all such a gamble on one person. As an owner, they should trust our judgement as surely noone would torture their dog in too small a bag just for the sake of travelling. Will keep you posted :D
@@MrBuzyok we had a great flight with Vueling, you can check out the flight on my video - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-j5GLcKzGIEw.html there were people in front of us with bags way bigger than the size limit and they were allowed on no problem. On our second flight we had a slight issue as they first thought our backpack wasn't specific for dogs so had to show them the website for the bag and then they were fine.
Thank you so much for your informative videos! I hope you see this, I have a question about what airline did you fly on and if possible, what type of aircraft, for ex: Boeing 777-300? I'm flying from Dubai-Los Angeles on KLM Boeing 777-300 and 787-10 and I'm trying to find the max carrier size I can take her. From head to bum she is 48 cm, chest to bum shes 40 cm. Her height is 35 cm, width is 15cm. 4.4kg. KLM requests 46 x 28 x 24 cm.
Your video has been very enlightening! My dog is very, very fluffy so when we get around to flying, I'll definitely make sure to have her trimmed well a day before our flight! I'll also look for the slightly larger carrier too! Thanks so much!
I'm so glad you found it useful! You're very welcome. By the way I am working on a series of videos with more tips and details about flying with a dog, so let me know if you're interested to learn more! ❤️
I appreciate your video with regard to flying. I have a 30lb. Westie AKC and plan to go to Germany. I have had friends that have flown with their enormous Standard Poodle Sheep Dog mix and just had him laying under their feet. No problem. But as you noted it can turn completely around if you have someone with a lack of patience or something else. I have a letter from my psychiatrist stating that I need to have my dog with me at all times. It is specifically given out so that I cannot be kept off of a jet due to my dog nor kept from renting or living in a building that does not allow dogs. I want to get the passport for my pal and of course all of his shots. I fly Delta a lot and I am planning on flying business class with the small sliding door compartment available on the Eurobus A 380. After watching your video I am going to go as far as I can to communicate with every agency that I may come across on my way there and back. I cannot thank you enough for your video regarding this subject. I would be devastated if I was told that I had to put my dog in cargo. Not going to happen. Ron; Pasadena, Ca.
"Um, if Sami doesn't board, neither do we." :) .. A little known secret: God loves His Westies! He works in mysterious ways but He always has the last word. God Bless you all.
I actually put a bigger bag in my carry-on for this very reason, in case there was an issue. I used the same carrier you used and luckily there were no issues. I have a pug.
Flying with a dog is always tricky. Putting in cargo cabin may be a only solution. Carry on luggage might need to be X ray checked or manually open check.
