Pet Air Travel: 9 Ways to Fly Safe

Get confident before you take flight with our tips for pet-safe air travel.

The debate over pets on airplanes was back in the news this holiday season due to an incident involving a terrified terrier named Mandy and a US Airways flight.

The flight was originally headed for Phoenix, but the pilot decided to make an emergency landing in Pittsburgh when Mandy, flying in the cabin and released from the confines of her carrier, bit a passenger and a flight attendant in a moment of panic.

The bite wounds were not serious, and the plane eventually continued on its way to Phoenix, but the entire event, and the debate which it has sparked, could have been avoided entirely if Mandy would have remained in her carrier during the flight.

Now arguments abound once again over whether pets should be able to ride in the cabin of the plane instead of solely in the cargo area, but in some instances pets must fly in the cabin for their own safety and health.

Cabin vs. Cargo

Cargo travel is best for healthy pets over six months old, and it is a must for pets too large to fit in carriers that are allowed in the cabin area of the plane.

Brachycephalic cat and dog breeds (e.g. snub nosed breeds) should never fly in the cargo area. Most airlines prohibit brachycephalic breeds from flying in cargo because temperature and pressure fluctuations can affect a snub nosed animal's ability to breathe properly and to regulate body temperature.

Pets which have medical issues, such as diabetes, should never fly in cargo either and older pets are better off in the cabin too. Young kittens and puppies which are old enough to fly, but still quite young, are safer in the cabin as well.

Pet Flight Safety

Because of the hazards associated with flying pets, sometimes the best decision is to leave pets at home in the capable hands of reliable pet sitter. When air travel cannot be avoided, pet owners can improve the safety of their traveling pets with these tips:

1. Pets should always be microchipped before they fly on planes. Pets should also fly with an identification tag on their collar and a labeled carrier which includes flight information and emergency contact numbers.

2. The best pet carriers for air travel are made with sturdy reinforced materials and connections which can resist escape attempts.

3. Pet carriers should be comfortable but sparse for the safety of the pet -- containing only one soft toy and a cozy blanket or towel.

4. One way flights are always best for pets on planes - a one way flight will shorten the trip and decrease any chances of misplacing pets at connecting points.

5. Pets should not be tranquillized or sedated for flight travel. The American Veterinary Medical Association advises against sedating animals before flights because sedation affects animals' abilities to regulate their body temperature and equilibrium. Many animals also become confused, disoriented, nauseated and even aggressive once their tranquilizer begins to wear off.

6. Pets should only fly during the cooler early morning or late evening/night hours in the summer and during the warm afternoon hours in the winter. (Airlines may prohibit pets from traveling if temperatures are deemed too hot or cold for safe pet travel).

7. Pets must remain in their carriers during the flight for everyone's safety. It is a violation of federal law to remove pets from their carriers during a flight.

8. Pets should have access to plenty of clean drinking water before the flight.

9. Pet owners should reserve flights early and check with airline pet flight regulations regarding carrier sizes, breed restrictions, vaccination protocols and health documents required for pet travel.