Another traveling with dog question: flying edition!

December 11, 2016 11:24 AM

We want to bring our wee dog on a JetBlue flight in a couple months. The airline restrictions state that the carrier can be no taller than 8.5 inches and the dog has to stand and move with ease in the carrier. Our seven pound dog fits fine in the carrier, but he can't quite stand in it. Can only eight inch tall dogs fly? Adding to my frustration is that I've seen people on JetBlue flights with bigger carriers and bigger dogs. Do you work for an airline and can you shed any light on this? Or have you flown JetBlue with your dog before? Help!
posted by cakelite to Pets & Animals (2 answers total)

Best answer: I have flown JetBlue with a long-legged, seven-pound maltese several times in a standard carrier and it was perfectly fine. They just want to be sure your pup isn't cramped. (Also, what a cute dog! Hello!)
posted by mochapickle at 11:27 AM on December 11, 2016

Best answer: I can't speak to this directly (I've only flown with a cat) - but I found a lot of useful information on this confusing and frustrating subject at Dog Jaunt (she has a Cavalier King Charles spaniel and flies with her in-cabin lots, plus there's lots of info from other folks). Here are the search results on Dog Jaunt for 'jet blue' - possibly there might be something of interest there, but the whole 'needs to be able to stand up and turn around' thing is a pretty universal requirement for most airlines, and it seems to just mean that it is possible to change position, not that they need an inch of clearance when fully standing or anything.

From an older post about flying with dogs on this site:

Our dog Chloe is as large as a small dog can be and still fit comfortably under a plane seat. She weighs 13 lbs., and stands about 12 inches tall at the shoulder (which is where you measure a dog for height). She is fairly light-boned, however. A sturdier dog her size could weigh up to 15 lbs. If your dog weighs more than 15 lbs., you will likely find that she cannot stand or turn around in her carrier. That kind of freedom of movement is necessary for your dog’s comfort, and is required by the airlines.

Good luck!
posted by you must supply a verb at 1:08 PM on December 11, 2016