Cats, air travel and security??

[goofy4tink]

I'm hoping someone here will know the answer to this one....I am flying to Tampa in early Dec to bring my ds his cat. I have read that you have to remove your cat from it's carrier as you go through security. This is not a good thing for the cat!!! She is so skittish I'm not so sure I would be able to get her back in the carrier. Flying her cargo isn't an option since it will be too cold here in Boston. So, she has to be in the cabin with me....I am so NOT looking forward to that flight.
Have any of you had any experience with this?? I would hate to get to Logan and have to take the poor thing out and then have her run away. Thanks for any and all insights.

 

[jbdreamer]

Wow! Good luck with that. My cats freak being in the car. I can't imagine a plane with a bunch of strangers! I wonder if you could ask your vet for something to call her down with? Maybe a sleeping pill?

 

[goofy4tink]

Wow! Good luck with that. My cats freak being in the car. I can't imagine a plane with a bunch of strangers! I wonder if you could ask your vet for something to call her down with? Maybe a sleeping pill?

Nope, they don't sedate them anymore!!! I'm hoping to sit as far back in the plane as I can....damage control if you know what I mean.

 

[Feralpeg]

You may want to check with the airlines. We flew our two cats and dog to Orlando from Kansas City a year ago. We had to use a pet transporter company registered with the airlines. We could not just carry out cats on board with us (the dog is big). The airline didn't permit it. Since 911, the rules on flying pets has changed. By the way, most airlines will not let you sedate an animal before a flight. It increases their chances of having respiratory problems. Good luck!

 

[RadioNate]

I think I left mine in the carrier and ran it though the machine. Is that horrible?

The only time I did have mine out of the carrier he was so freaked he clung to me.

You'll need a vet certificate for air travel so have them provide a seditive incase the cat needs it. My very skittish, scardey cat was great to travel with.

If they do make you take it out I imagine you've have to hold it through security. Hopefully after the commotion of the airport she'll want to go back into the carrier. I know my cat freaks when I put him in for the vet but after the appointment he can't wait to get back into the thing!

Good luck!

 

[simba928]

Good luck! I know I could never fly with my cat. If she sees me, but can't get to me, she will meow and meow until I get to her. She would meow insanely loud the entire plane ride. When we took her to the vets, I had her in the carrier sitting next to me on the chair. She could see me perfectly fine. She started to meow, so I stuck my fingers through the holes so that I could pet her. She still meowed. It broke my heart not being able to take her out of her carrier and "rescue" her. LOL.

 

[chrissyk]

I can actually answer this question, since we flew out of Logan many times with our cats last year. First of all, you're probably going to fly JetBlue, right? You need to call ahead to book the cat and to pay the $50 for her ticket. They only allow 3 pets per flight, so definitely call ahead. You don't need a health certificate to fly her JetBlue (or at least we didn't last year), but you do need to take the cat out of the carrier at security. They then run the carrier through the security machine, and you can put the cat right back in.

Anyways, we always sedate one of the cats before she flies, as she gets motion sickness and is quite noisy if not sedated. If the flight is not full, ask the flight attendants if you can move the carrier up to the seat next to you (if it's empty). The flight attendants were always very nice about that for us. Lastly, you'll need a collapsible carrier that can fit under the seat in front of you, and you can't sit in the middle seat because of some box thing that prevents you from being able to put the cat under the seat in front of you there. Hope this helps!

 

[luvflorida]

Funny you ask this because my family and I just got back from a trip to Arizona and on almost every flight we were on there were cats and dogs! One flight had two cats traveling together, one flight had an adorable little terrier type dog, and another flight had a small, white poodle on it.

We flew out of Logan airport last week and there was a woman on our plane who had two cats in a carrier, sort of a soft bag type thing. When she went through security she took both cats out of the carrier and carried them through security. The empty case went on the conveyor belt. I don't know if she took them out because she felt it was easier that way, (I know some people would rather their pets didn't go through the x-ray tunnel), or if security made her take them out. The dogs we saw walked through security on leashes.

The woman carried the cats in their carrier onto the plane and they traveled at her feet. The small dogs we saw traveled the same way. All of the animals were very quiet and if we had not seen them prior to getting on or off the plane, we never would have known cats and dogs were traveling with us!

I just realized this doesn't answer your question, but maybe calling Logan airport would get you your answer. Good luck and I hope you and the kitty have a good flight!

Haha- Chrissyk must have been typing while I was typing. She answered your question!

 

[Feralpeg]

Gee, I must have flown the wrong airline. Good to hear they have lightened up some!

 

[chrissyk]

You may want to check with the airlines. We flew our two cats and dog to Orlando from Kansas City a year ago. We had to use a pet transporter company registered with the airlines. We could not just carry out cats on board with us (the dog is big). The airline didn't permit it. Since 911, the rules on flying pets has changed. By the way, most airlines will not let you sedate an animal before a flight. It increases their chances of having respiratory problems. Good luck!

Wow, we didn't have any of these issues when we flew our cats multiple times with JetBlue last year. It's a bummer that they put you (and your pets) through that!

BTW, we can't not sedate our cat when flying. She would become violently ill from the motion. I have no idea why...same thing when riding in the car, unfortunately.

 

[sunkissed212]

I flew home with my moms cat last year from Phoenix to Detroit. I did have to take Snick out of his carrier when we went through the security. I actually put a leash on him and held on to him and then a few of the security personnel that were helping out helped me get him back in the carrier. It was a bit tough and I was covered in tan cat hair afterwards but i certainly didn't want to put him through the xray machine. It worked out fine in the end.

 

[goofy4tink]

chrissyk...I'm either flying Song or JetBlue. They are pretty similar in their regulations. Well, looks like a harness for the poor girl. Maybe I should get one now...I know...I'll get one and take it with me to the vet for her shots/cert. I'll let the vet put it on her. Then put a leash on her the day we fly. I'm going to kill my ds when I see him!!! Darn kid...why couldn't he just take the darn cat with him.....who cares that the couple he was living with while he found a job/apt already have 3 cats, or that he drove down and his car was chock a block full of electronics!!!!
Thanks for the help all. I knew someone here would know the answer. Maybe the vet can give me something to calm her down also. Ohhh, I am going to be the most hated person on the flight...I'm thinking of a late afternoon flight..maybe it won't be full.

 

[Tina]

You may want to call the airline or the airport and ask if you can can have the carrier searched/inspected in a separate room or confined area so you don't lose the animal in the airport.