I am not a frequent flyer, so maybe I haven't done things properly when I have flown (all short domestic flights).  It never occurred to me to even check about a cat on a flight until I saw some in the airport for the first time.

I check before boarding the flight if there is a cat, but I think people used to be able to add them on at the last minute.  I've also been on a flight, there was a quick stop (I wasn't even allowed off the flight) and someone came on with a cat that I had not been told about.  It also took awhile to get any help from a flight attendant, they were too busy dealing with someone who was being difficult about luggage or something.  I ended up having to yell about having a medical condition in order to even speak to someone.

I don't complain about every little allergy for these types of things.  I'm allergic to anything with fur or feathers, but I would sit right beside a dog if it wasn't a long flight; that's a typical nuisance allergy and might affect my asthma a little.  A cat will make me extremely sick, and will take days to recover from.

It feels like these pet rules get adjusted alot.

I know one couple who live in both toronto and st Louis.  She travels with a little tiny dog in a soft sided kennel.  she sits under her feet.  I would guess she travels back and forth monthly and always takes the dog.

until she told me I had thought we were back to no pets on planes   I can see why she does carry the dog and she says most times no one knows the dog is there

has anyone noticed the "time" is wrong on the site.  my last post was at 8;45 EST and it says 702

LOL - yup! It's been like that ever since I joined about a year ago.

chemgal,

good for the CMA.  Some keep them for far too long and let them do pretty much anything and pamper them to spoilt errors.  It gives them airs -- remember, they are not family members and you are just destroying their natural beauty.  Too many don't properly train them or even don't fix them till long after the damage has been done.

Adults should be let to roam free in their proper places, but never on a plane.

When we moved out here from Ontario, we gave a lot of thought to what to do with our aging cats (2). Hubby ended up driving out with them, and it worked out well. I have two cats now, and I think one of them is too big for any carrier that would fit under the seat. We also have a dog who is too big for under the seat. If we were to move back to Ontario today, we would want to bring them with us.

I think the airlines could appease both sides in different ways. One thing that would help me is knowing the animals are in a part of the plane that has proper heating, and pressure control, the way they have the passenger cabin. I don't know much about planes, but would it be that hard to have a "pet cabin" below somewhere with suitable airflow and such?

I once flew from from Buenos Aires to Washington, DC, on a packed overnight flight next to a young woman with a puppy in a cardboard box, bedded down on shredded newspaper. Every hour, she took it out of the box for some fresh air, a drink and a cuddle. After several hours, the puppy was soaking wet. After another few hours, I was soaking wet... puppy slobber and urine. After nine hours, puppy poop was a part of the mix. And I had a rushed connection on to Toronto next to a very unhappy looking suit who did not eat breakfast but managed not to throw up. I eventually arrived home wanting to strip and steam clean myself. I settled for three baths, the first containing a whole bottle of Dettol, and a long shower. My wife took my clothes outside and hosed them. The puppy's name was 'Paco'... I'll never forget it.

MikePaterson,

G_ddess has a sense of humour :3