How to Choose the Best Travel Crate for Your Pet on an Airplane

Your Complete Guide to Air Travel with Pets

Whether you’re taking a family trip or relocating to a new home, traveling by air with pets requires careful planning. In this article, I’ll address all the important considerations and answer common questions for securely transporting dogs and cats in air travel crates.

Why Use an Air Travel Crate?

The number one reason is safety. An FAA-approved pet crate provides a safe, confined space for your pet during take-offs, landings and taxiing when changes in air pressure can be disorienting. It prevents pets from wandering loose in the cargo hold where they could get injured or hurt other animals. From my experience working as a vet, I’ve seen cases where pets not in crates suffered broken bones or trauma during turbulent flights.

An air travel crate also identifies your pet on paperwork and helps airline staff properly monitor animals. Without a crate, there’s always a chance a pet could be accidentally lost, misdirected or isolated from its owner during a connection. The crate acts as a clear “home base” for your pet throughout the journey.

choosing the Right Size Crate

Go for one that’s just big enough for your pet to stand up and turn around in comfortably but not too big as excess space could allow them to be injured if thrown about. Pets should be measured and test crates checked before purchasing. Here are the FAA size regulations:

1. Dogs: Length + width + height cannot exceed 108 inches total but must be over 6 inches high.
2. Cats: Must be escape-proof, sturdy and ventilated as required by the carrier rules of individual airlines.

Leave 5 extra inches if your pet is on the larger size or very active. Overly cramped spaces are inhumane. Collapsible soft-sided crates have an advantage of packing small but must meet the same size rules when set up.

Getting Pet and Crate Airway-Approved

Major airlines like the big 3 (United, American, Delta) have detailed requirements for pet travel that tend to align with IATA Live Animal Regulations. Check airline policies well ahead to meet things like health certificates, vaccinations, reservations and payment deadlines. A vet exam within 10 days of travel is standard to verify fitness.

The crate itself needs stickers or tags stating it meets IATA standards plainly visible on three sides. Pet stores sell pre-labeled crates but old crates can sometimes be retrofitted. It amazes me how rigid airlines can be on these minor technicalities when the pet’s welfare should be top priority.

What to Pack in the Crate

Include your pet’s favorite bedding or toy for comfort. Avoid food, especially smelly kinds, to limit messes. Small ziplock bags of water are OK but anything loose could spill. You can bring food/bowls through carry-on for serving after arrival. I always toss in a pheromone diffuser like Feliway or Adaptil to help reduce stress.

Handwrite your contact info on the outside in case of separation. Inside, tape an ID tag with your and your pet’s name, destination address and emergency number. Hopefully it won’t be needed but better safe than sorry with identifying stowaways in a cargo hold of animals. Beware though – some airlines reportedly “lose” lost tags to rationalize losing pets completely!

Preparing Your Pet

Positive conditioning starts well in advance. Give treats and praise when your pet enters their crate so it becomes a happy, safe place rather than punishment. A week before travel, practice short periods inside with increasing durations. On the day, avoid heavy meals that may cause nausea. Calming aids prescribed by your vet can help too. But remember – sedatives are generally prohibited for safety reasons.

Arrive early at the airport to give your pet time to acclimate before being checked in as cargo. Have paperwork prepared, identify collars and leashes, and be on your best polite behavior when facing airline staff – getting adversarial seldom leads anywhere good in my experience. Take deep breaths! You’ve got this.

What Could Go Wrong?

Realistically, the vast majority of pets travel without incident. However, a lot can happen beyond our control at huge, busy transportation hubs. Here are some uncommon but possible issues:

1. Delays: Weather, mechanical problems or airport logjams could slow arrivals by hours. Ensure pets have food/water accessible if held onboard plane.
2. Lost luggage: With multiple connections, items can be misrouted. tattooing pets helps if separated from tags/collars. Microchips are essential for ID too.
3. Illness: Stress may cause vomiting/diarrhea. If pets seem off after landing, seek vet care asap. Airlines may cover costs.
4. Escape: Rare but possible if crates are badly secured or damaged. Well-fitting carriers help prevent this nightmare scenario.

It’s wise to budget connecting flights in case of scheduling mix-ups too. Overall, choosing carriers committed to animal welfare, avoiding night flights when possible and following proven protocols promotes safe passages.

What’s My Personal Experience?

I’ve transported dogs across states a handful of times. While nerve-wracking, using approved carriers and positive reinforcement training ensured calm, safe trips each time. Minor delays were the worst issue faced. For one greyhound, calming music inside helped settle her. Mostly you just need to trust the system and focus on your pets’ care and comfort during travel.

To sum up, air travel can absolutely be achieved without undue stress to our pets if we do our research, prepare thoroughly and place their needs above our own impatience or convenience. Comment below if you have any other questions – I’d be happy to share even more from my years in practice!

Factors to Consider When Choosing an Airline Travel Crate for Your Dog

Feature	Description
Size	Measure your dog and only consider crates that allow at least 3 inches of extra space on all sides for comfort and ventilation.
Material	Plastic crates are lightweight but less durable. Metal crates are heavy-duty but noisier. Soft-sided crates are comfy but less secure.
Ventilation	Proper ventilation helps keep your dog cool and reduces stress. Look for crates with mesh panels sides and tops.
Locking Mechanism	Secure latches prevent unexpected opening during travel. Choose a crate with sturdy bolts or locks your dog cannot access.
Portability	Foldable or collapsible crates are easier to transport than rigid units. Measure size when collapsed for car or plane storage.
Durability	Reinforced corners and edges withstand chewing better. Heavy-duty fabric and sturdy frames last through multiple trips.

FAQ

1. What exactly is an air travel crate?

   Basically, an air travel crate is a hard-sided container that an animal rides in when being transported by plane. It aims to give the pet a safe and comfortable space during the journey.

2. How big should an air travel crate be?

   The crate needs to be large enough for the animal to stand up, turn around and lie down comfortably. However, it shouldn’t be too spacious either. Is that fair? The goal is to make the pet feel cozy without too much empty room to roam around in the tight quarters of a plane cargo hold.

3. What features make a good air travel crate?

   Strong latches, ventilation holes, handy handles and a plaque with contact info are some key aspects. Appears a leak-proof tray or pads are also kind of important for obvious reasons. Sturdy construction seems to be essential too for the pet’s protection.

4. How do I prepare my pet for a trip in a crate?

   Getting them used to the crate at home beforehand through training and treats is a good idea. Spend time with them in it, gradually making it a positive experience. Leaving familiar toys or clothing with their scent inside can offer comfort as well.

5. Do airlines have size restrictions for travel crates?

   Yes, different carriers have varying guidelines for dimensions. Checking baggage allowance limits is important too. A decent crate should just meet minimum space needs – going any smaller would be kind of inhumane in my opinion though, right? Better check rules ahead of any journey with an animal friend.

   

6. What can go wrong with air travel crates?

   Unfortunately, delays and mishandling do occur sometimes despite best efforts. Strong, well-secured containers aim to minimize risks. Anxious pets may try escaping too if scared. But mostly, quality crates and prep seem to give flying pets the best chance of staying safe.

7. Should I consider alternative transport options?

   If the pet is too tiny, large or fragile for cargo, you might look at flying cabin-class with them. Likewise, driving or taking a train may seem better for very long trips or anxious animals. But is sacrificing time always worth sparing possible air stress? It really relies on the individual pet’s needs.

8. What else should I pack or do to make the trip smooth?

   Extra food, water, favourite toys, bedding or a written care sheet for handlers could help. Microchipping is also a smart idea just in case of any mix-ups. Maybe tranquilizers prescribed if travelling worsens anxiety too – but use carefully. Overall, research and prep appears key for stress-free flying fur kids.