I’ve only flown with my own dog once – well, twice if you count the return trip – and suffice it to say, I’ll probably never do it again. This wasn’t a complete disaster; My late Manchester terrier, Milo, did not bite anyone or relieve himself in the aisle like a dog did on a United flight earlier this month, which caused the entire plane to be diverted. But he barked from inside his cage throughout the 20-minute journey to the Isles of Scilly.
Milo was not traumatized by his experience; He cheerfully pulled my arm as we climbed the stairs of the 10-passenger plane for our flight back to the mainland after our holiday. But the rest of us were probably in a small way. Although it’s not as traumatizing as the passengers dealing with dog poop in the first-class restroom of the flight to Seattle.
There are a few unwritten rules when it comes to flying with your dog; A good rule to remember is not to go to the toilet in the hallway or anywhere else in a closed metal pipe 30,000 feet in the air. But there are also some official, actually written, rules. For starters, in the UK the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) states that the only dogs allowed to fly with their owners are assistance dogs such as vision dogs, hearing dogs or medical alert dogs; emotional support animals are not considered assistance dogs. Unfortunately for those of us with big travel plans, pets can only be transported into and out of the UK by plane when checked in as cargo.
However, numerous airlines across the pond in the United States and Canada, and on the European continent, will allow small dogs (usually up to 17 lbs) to fly with you in the cabin as long as they are kept in a dedicated carrier. It is large enough to fit under the seat in front of you. This may seem a little unfair (who wouldn’t want to cuddle with Cookie as we soar through the skies towards the Canaries?), but all airlines require your dog to be kept inside the carrier at all times. This prevents unwanted disturbances and discomfort to other passengers in the flight. But unfortunately – as the United Airlines incident shows – not everyone follows the rules.
The endlessly entertaining forums on Reddit are a goldmine of stories of flight attendants who witnessed such chaos. “An ’emotional support’ pitbull attacked me while I was doing the safety stunt… and the owner had the nerve to get upset when we took them out,” one user wrote in a thread about animals traveling inside planes. Another complained that the problem was actually with the owners, some trying to sneak their pets into first class, which had no under-seat storage. But there were some defenses for dogs, too: “Pets are generally the most well-behaved passengers. I’ve never had a dog threaten to stab me or pee in the kitchen,” one user wrote.
Of course, beyond rules and regulations, there is common sense etiquette that must be followed. The first and main rule is this: Not everyone likes dogs, so don’t let your dog interact with everyone without their consent. In fact, this is a good mantra to remember not only when flying but when traveling anywhere with your dog. Other people have phobias, allergies or just a general disdain for dogs if they’re just plain heartless, so it’s important to keep your dog on his own. This means you don’t need to ask for attention from passengers at check-in.
It’s important to exercise your dog before you fly so he can relax before boarding, and make sure he’s relieved before boarding so you can be sure he won’t divert the plane with a poorly timed poop – some airports have special pet assistance areas set up for just this purpose. Finally, bringing a handful of small training treats can be helpful to help them regulate the air pressure in their ears during altitude changes (which is often the cause of the biggest distress for dogs on airplanes) and to give them a small, long-lasting chew. It can help them stay focused and calm while flying.
If all this sounds a little too restrictive for your pet, there’s a better way to fly: K9 Jets. This private jet airline charters small planes exclusively for dog owners in the US and Europe. It costs quite a bit (think around £5,500-7,000 each way if you’re flying transatlantic), but if you’ve got five figures to waste on a round-trip flight to America, you can book a private jet where the pets can roam at their leisure, including other dog owners. “On a K9 Jets flight, all pets sit on your lap or next to you in the cabin. No safe, no dark cargo area,” says co-founder Adam Golder.
While their dog should never have left his carrier on that United flight, I truly feel sorry for that poor owner: There’s little you can do if your dog has to go. I know all about this: on the same trip to the Scillies, Milo gave our hotel lobby carpet a golden shower after the staff got him too excited with their fuss at the front desk. But perhaps this is an important lesson for us pet owners: The lesson is, don’t do that. Forget flying with the dog and stay in the UK instead; There are so many adventures on our doorstep. Perhaps it is best to go to the Isles of Scilly by boat.