Ok...legitimate question here...no laughing please..

[goofy4tink]

So, my step-mother is on her way back to Ft Lauderdale, as we speak. Didn't mention anything about getting stopped at security, so guess she made it through ok...dang.
Anyway...she will be (I assume) flying home in May or so. And...she has a bird. When she went south in November, her dd (my step-sister) drove her, and the bird, in her car. So, not an issue. But, dear old step-mom wants to fly home...the drive is too much for her. And, she wants to take the bird with her...poor Tweety!!
So, have any of you ever flown, commercial, with a bird?? I know, a ridiculous question. But, I told her I would look into it.

 

[taylor3297]

So, my step-mother is on her way back to Ft Lauderdale, as we speak. Didn't mention anything about getting stopped at security, so guess she made it through ok...dang.
Anyway...she will be (I assume) flying home in May or so. And...she has a bird. When she went south in November, her dd (my step-sister) drove her, and the bird, in her car. So, not an issue. But, dear old step-mom wants to fly home...the drive is too much for her. And, she wants to take the bird with her...poor Tweety!!
So, have any of you ever flown, commercial, with a bird?? I know, a ridiculous question. But, I told her I would look into it.

I have never flown with a bird, but I have flown with my cat several times. As long as I had the proper vet paperwork, paid the fee and the cat carrier had to fit under the seat in front of me, it was rather easy.

Will the bird be okay in a carrier small enough to fit under the seat? I know I chose a middle seat because there was bit more room underneath.

Call the airline to find out for sure.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

Was curious if allowed at all...surprised answer is yes.

US Air:

Pets in passenger cabin
Pets

1 small domestic dog, cat or bird per passenger is allowed in the passenger cabin for $125 each way.l

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Interesting question!

My Google search turned up this as the top result: http://www.internationalparrotletsociety.org/traveling.html

It appears to be a well-reserached article by someone with experience.

Although the article does not have a date, it appears to be several years old. It still refers to three airline names that no loner exist: America West, Continental Airlines, Northwest Airlines. Airline rules can and do change. With airline mergers, there's no telling which rules were adopted by the combined airline.

Based on the article, I hope your stepmother is not planning to fly Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, or Southwest Airlines.

 

[Greysword]

This would be a great question for the FlyerTalk forums.

 

[jsilvers]

US Air:

Alaska (http://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/policies/pets-traveling-with-pets.aspx), Delta (http://www.deltacargo.com/ProductsRates/Specialty/LiveAnimals.aspx), Frontier (http://www.flyfrontier.com/customer-service/travel-support/family-pets/traveling-with-pets), Spirit (http://customersupport.spirit.com/entries/21381778-Does-Spirit-Airlines-allow-pets-on-board-), and United (http://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/travel/animals/in_cabin.aspx) also seem to allow birds.

In contrast, birds do not appear to be allowed on Southwest (http://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/traveling-with-animals/pets/index-pol.html) or AirTran (http://www.airtran.com/faq/q/can_i_...ggage+Information&rt=index_travelers_overview).

American (http://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInform...hPets.jsp?anchorLocation=DirectURL&title=pets) and JetBlue (http://www.jetblue.com/travel/pets/) don't seem to immediately make clear whether birds are allowed.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

It is not going to be cheap. Delta wants $125 for my dog to sit under the seat in front of me.

 

[JAG107]

Get the bird registered as a service animal and it flies with her for free. j/k

 

[aubriee]

Get the bird registered as a service animal and it flies with her for free. j/k

Actually, they can't ask for proof an animal is a service animal, so they wouldn't even have to be registered. still j/k lol

I don't know what kind of bird she has, but I have a Harlequin Macaw. He's a big bird, but if he's in a cooperative mood, I might be able squeeze him into a cage small enough to go under the seat. He would not be happy though and would be letting everyone on the plane know about it. Most birds can squawk loud enough to wake the dead. I know macaws don't chirp. They either mutter, coo, or scream at the top of their lungs. My house is well insulated and brick, but I know if mine is unhappy, bored, or hungry you can hear him plum outside. Those things are really, really loud when they want to be and impossible to shut up if they are in one of their moods. I'd hate to think of the noise he could/would make if unhappy in a closed in airplane. For that matter, I used to have a smaller maroon bellied conure. He was quiet for the most part, but if he wanted attention, even he could scream loud enough to be heard all over the house. He could definitely scream loud enough to disturb a plane full of people. My dogs I can make be quiet, but birds don't operate that way. You can't 'make' them do anything. They do pretty much what they want to and the more you try to shush them, the louder they get.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Actually, they can't ask for proof an animal is a service animal....
.

http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/rules/20030509.pdf

Also many airlines require written documentation for emotional support animals.

Step-mom needs to notify the airline she's flying with a bird and pay the appropriate fee.

 

[jsilvers]

http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/rules/20030509.pdf

Also many airlines require written documentation for emotional support animals.

Step-mom needs to notify the airline she's flying with a bird and pay the appropriate fee.

Note that the guidance provided at the above link is not up-to-date. The DOT disabilities rules were overhauled in 2008.

Although the current rules do not specifically address birds, they do inform carriers that:

You are never required to accommodate certain unusual service animals (e.g., snakes, other reptiles, ferrets, rodents, and spiders) as service animals in the cabin.​

14 C.F.R. 382.117(f) (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2012-title14-vol4/pdf/CFR-2012-title14-vol4-sec382-117.pdf). Thus, a claim that a bird is an emotional support animal - even if supported with medical documentation - still might be denied by an airline.

At the same time, note that if a carrier does accept that a bird (or any other animal) is an emotional support animal, the DOT rules do not allow a fee to be charged.

 

[goofy4tink]

Get the bird registered as a service animal and it flies with her for free. j/k

Well, there is kinda a story behind the bird. Step-mother has a history of really hating birds. About a month after my dad died, my step-mom was out for a walk...nothing she normally does. As she was in downtown Quincy, a little white bird landed at her feet. She tried to shoo it away with her foot. It wouldn't budge. So, some teens came over to see if they could help her. When they tried to get the bird, it flew right up into a nearby tree. Okay, it wasn't injured, so off she walked. Only to have the bird fly back down and sit at her feet. The only good thing about the bird is that is was completely white...a white parakeet. Okay, she calls her dd, down in Florida. She tells her to get a box for the bird and take it home..it's starting to get chilly in Mass since it's now November. So, she goes into a nearby liquor store..figures the bird will be gone when she comes out. Nope, the bird was sitting there, waiting for her. It hopped into the Bud box...and sat quietly all the way home...about at 15 min walk. She lets it out in my dad's bathroom where it commences to fly around, making a complete mess. She takes it to a bird vet who says it's very healthy and clips it's wings.
Now, the bird was pretty quiet. But, it would take a nutty whenever we talked about my father. And if someone said something less than glowing about him??? Bird went nuts. We would apologize and it would settle right down. It was really creepy.

So, now step-mom thinks my father sent her this white bird (making it white since he figured that was her favorite color and would probably make the bird more appealing) to comfort her. So, it sort of is emotional support. You should hear her talking to that albino bird!! IT's really too funny.

Perhaps she'll have her dd take the bird with her in the car when she moves north in late spring. I doubt she is going to pay $125 to fly the bird with her.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

For those of you now thinking "I am going to claim Fluffy is emotional support" remember that your fellow passengers are not bound by any such rules as the airlines. I have seen them make some pretty rude comments to people when it appears they are trying to claim Fluffy is emotional support.


Here's a hint.... if your pet is badly behaved and/or terrified it's not going to sell... LOL!

 

[hsmamato2]

true story: our last plane trip home from Orlando as we stood in line, the man in front of us detailed his life with his 3 pound poodle, (his baby) and how the dog hates to be left at home while he travels....then he told us how easy it was to get tinypoodle certified as a service dog (just 1000.00 and you get a certificate and a vest!) and no one is allowed to question you or deny your dog access to wherever you are going.... so.....just sayin'that's not too far off from Op's story of the the white bird that needs to travel....

 

[goofy4tink]

I know someone that paid $300, got a companion animal cert and vest. All so the dog can stay in the apt with her. Now, the dog is very good, well trained and causes no issues. But, it just shows how easy it is to get around the 'rules'.

I am not saying that my step-mothers bird needs to fly as emotional support. It is actually giving her that support but no one is looking to get it 'certified'. That's just nutty!!!

 

[CPT Tripss]

Several years old and link no longer active.

Transportation Security Administration

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1036.shtm
Policy For Security Inspection of Carry-On Birds
Standard Operating Procedure “SOP” 11

I. Passengers Traveling with Pet Birds That May Be Safely Removed
From Their Travel Container

1. Bird owners will be subject to all regulations and inspections as required by TSA for all airline passengers.

2. Bird owners shall remove only pet birds that have a physical inability to fly from their containers.

3. Once birds are removed, the container will be processed through the screening machine in the same manner as all other baggage.

4. The owner will proceed through the metal detector with the bird secured in their hand.

5. The owner will retain the bird until the container has been processed and will return the bird to its container upon completion.

II. Passengers Traveling with Pet Birds That May NOT Be Safely Be Removed From Their Travel Container

1. Bird owners will be subject to all regulations and inspections as required by TSA for all airline passengers.

2. Bird owners, whose birds have a physical ability to fly, shall not remove their birds from their containers so long as the container may be completely inspected visually. Such containers may include but not be limited to standard bird cages, containers made of wire, wood, plastic or acrylic, clear or opaque boxes or jars and any other container that allows complete visual inspection of the entire container. See examples hereto and incorporated herein as Exhibit A.

3. Bird owners, whose birds have a physical ability to fly and whose birds are not in visually accessible containers, shall be taken to a secure room where the birds cannot escape so they may be removed by the owner.

4. Bird owners shall declare their birds and present them for inspection in their containers to TSA personnel prior to entering the metal detector. TSA officials will take custody of the birds and bring through the security screening area for inspection prior to returning them to the owner upon the completion of the visual inspection.

5. TSA will inspect the container visually for security violations. TSA personnel may use devices to detect explosives on the container.

6. Bird owners will proceed through the metal detector and other security procedures as required by TSA personnel.

7. TSA will return the birds to the owner upon completion of the visual inspection and any other security procedures as required by TSA.

 

[pezheadmeg]

They make carrier size cages for parakeets that will more than easily fit under a plane seat. Mine is 6"x12"x8" and can hold the 2 parakeets with little protest. I just have the cage part but they do make covers that keep the cage fairly dark.

The question of course is finding the airline to fly the bird on. I just use mine for vet and grooming appointments.

I did in college fly home for the holidays with a Betta Fish and a Cory Catfish in a half gallon covered tank. The Pilot and First Officer were a bit surprised when I carried the tank off the plane. And yes it was in the Pre-3 oz liquid days.