Airline Travel Today with Animals - Tips & Advice

by Kimberly Senn

For anyone who plans to travel with animals, maybe around the holidays or if you're considering moving, you may find this advice helpful. I just relocated from LA to Canada for a job. Given that I have 9 animals, this move was no easy feat! I had to fly all of them since I couldn't take the time off work to drive cross-country. And I would never dream of leaving any behind.

I've heard a lot of horror stories about animals getting lost and injured during airline travel, and when I started planning for my pets' travel I wasn't quite getting complete information from anyone I was talking to at the airlines (imagine that!). I have found out a lot by simply going through the process.

Here are my tips for traveling with animals on airlines today, especially given the current airline security measures:

BOOKING:

Many airlines no longer allow animals in the cabin due to both security and passengers' allergies. There are a few airlines who will allow cats or small dogs to go in the cabin at the foot of your seat (i.e. American Airlines) if you're flying domestic flights. Generally, however, pets are checked in and go as cargo in the belly of the plane.
The cargo section where the pets go is slightly different from the luggage section - it's where the perishable food for the flight is stored. The air is regulated so it's the same cabin air that we would breathe, but the area is often NOT fully heated. If this area is not heated, the temperature can go down to the mid 20's F. Airlines may require you to sign a waiver stating you are aware of this risk factor (i.e. Air Canada).
Some airlines only allow TWO carriers to be checked into cargo per flight, not per passenger. When you reserve your flight, reserve space for your animals in cargo to guarantee you get the space. Similarly, check with the airline to see whether you can have two pets per carrier, such as two cats in the same carrier, or if they require one animal per carrier.
When booking your flight, travel on the same flight as your pet and book a direct flight to your destination if possible. Minimize the number of connections and you minimize the chance that Fluffy doesn't make the next flight.
There is a fee per carrier that you'll have to pay at check-in, usually anywhere from $75 - $125 depending on the airline and size of the kennel. Some airlines will only allow the total weight of the animal and carrier combined to be 75 pounds. Check with the airline on weight and kennel size requirements. For animals over 75 lbs. they may have separate cargo procedures or additional fees.

PREPARATION:

Airlines require two documents - a health certificate showing the animal is healthy to travel and proof of current vaccines/rabies shots. Your vet can issue these certificates and generally the health certificate is only good for 10 days, so you have 10 days to travel before it expires. Make two copies of the certificates - carry the original with you and duct tape the copy to the pet carrier. You may want to fold it in half and put it in a plastic baggie before taping it to the carrier to protect it from getting wet.
If your animal isn't already microchipped, use this opportunity to do so. It's a great idea to get them microchipped for the trip as an added precautionary measure.
Use a hard-sided carrier only! The kennel should be big enough so the animal can lie down and stand up.
Duct tape the sides of your pet carrier around the seams. Duct tape it well! This ensures no small screws or clasps can accidently come undone during handling. Also write your name and contact number directly on the kennel or on some duct tape on the kennel, as well place a luggage tag on the carrier. Home Depot carries red duct tape which will make your carrier very hard to overlook.
It's a good idea to take a photo of your pet before they travel, just in case any mishap occurs during transit.
Line the bottom of the carrier with soft padding to keep the animal comfortable and warm. During winter, materials such as fleece and wool are better than cotton towels since they retain heat better. The opposite, such as linen and light cottons, are better for summer.
Do not put water or food in the carrier because the water will inevitably spill on their blankets during transport, and they may throw up from the food because their stress levels will be high. Feed them a good meal the night before the flight. Many carriers have food/water dishes that attach to the wire door and are stored in a small space on the rooftop of the carrier. Its good to have this handy just in case there is an extended delay and an airline person needs to give your pet some water. You can also duct tape a small baggie of dry food to the top or side of the carrier in case of a delay.
Get a soft collar for your pet and make sure they have identification tags. Even if you don't normally keep collars on your cats, do so for the flight in case anything happens. Mark one tag with your home info and one tag with your destination info.
Make sure to trim the animal's nails prior to the trip so they don't get caught on anything in the carrier during the flight.
It is not generally recommended to tranquilize your pet for the flight. In case their carrier would shift, fall or if there is any sudden movement, you want your animal to be able to respond. If your animal is exceedingly hyperactive or gets stressed easily, talk to your veterinarian about what is appropriate. Benedryl is also a good substitute; it gets them drowsy but not totally sedated. There are also great natural products out on the market that act as stress-relievers or calming agents.

TRAVEL:

When you're at the airline check-in counter, ask the agent to stick a "priority" tag on the carrier as they do for first-class passenger luggage. They generally will but only if you ask.
Due to today's security measures, you will be required to take the animal OUT of the carrier by the check-in counter so that the airline security personnel can put the empty kennel through an X-ray machine. You'll be left holding the animal in a crowd of people while they do this - NOT ideal. If your animal is squirmy or has a tendency to make a run for it like my cats do, put a leash on them to keep them safe during the interim until they are safely back in their carrier. If you press hard enough (i.e. throw a fit!), the security agent may escort you to a closed stairwell or quieter area while you take the animal out to minimize the risk for you.
If you are transporting a feral or semi-feral and cannot take the animal out of the cage during the security check, the airlines require that you do not have any blankets in the carrier so they can see there is nothing inside. The airline security will perform a swab test to test for explosive materials, but they won't have to open the carrier to do so. Be advised that urine can sometimes trigger this test, so if the feral has peed in the carrier you could be turned back and not allowed to fly. It's also advisable to mark somewhere on the carrier "Feral: Do Not Open".
You're not allowed to lock the kennels with a hard lock; in case of an emergency, an airline personnel may need to pull the animal out of the kennel to safety. What I recommend, and what I used for my kitties, are really large plastic cable ties, the kind with teeth where once they are secured you can't undo them. You can find them at Home Depot. I secured the tie from the wire door to the side of the kennel, tightly. There was no chance that kennel would accidently come open, but the cable tie could easily be cut with scissors or a box cutter in a pinch. No one hassled me about this. I triple tied the carrier with cable ties when transporting my semi-ferals.
Once you board the actual flight, ask an attendant to confirm that the animals made it on board.
When you arrive at your destination, a baggage handler will personally bring the carriers out instead of putting them on the carousel. During international travel, you will have to present the original health certificate and proof of rabies vaccination when you clear customs, generally at the baggage inspection point after you've collected your pets/baggage. Have those documents handy.
After you get to your final location or home, make sure to put fresh water and food down for your pets. Water particularly, as the flight can be very dehydrating for them, just as it is for a person.

I also found two pet travel agencies that will handle the shipment of your pets for you. They are pricey - you'll definitely pay for the convenience - but it could be worth it if you yourself can't travel directly with your pets. They offer door-to-door service and use normal commercial airlines. Here are their numbers:

Animals Away - (800) 492-7961
Animal Movers - (877) 379-8625

As a final encouraging note, I was able to transport all 9 of my animals without incident, including my two crazy semi-ferals. A little common sense and preparation goes a long way.

Bon voyage and good luck to anyone traveling!