Southwest changes

[tessiesevin]

I will only start to panic when I see dogs cats and other animals buckled in the seats ordering drinks. like the op said it was a matter of time before southwest starting partcipating if other airlines do.

 

[JoyG]

Southwest states they will allow up to 5 animals per flight. I might be able to get away with not having an allergic reaction to one dog (unless it's a golden retriever, that breed really does me in), but put five in the same cabin with me?!

 

[CarolA]

Southwest states they will allow up to 5 animals per flight. I might be able to get away with not having an allergic reaction to one dog (unless it's a golden retriever, that breed really does me in), but put five in the same cabin with me?!

That's a lot, but as I said... having been flying since the days before fees..........

Where are most folks taking the dogs? Seriously I have not seen that many dogs over the umpteen years I have been doing this. (And of course a Golden would NOT be in the plane LOL!) THe truth is that most hotels charge and some of the charge a HEFTY amount for pets. And LOTS of pets don't want to fly.....My dogs werethe "stay at home" type.


(By the way Sea World animals get thier own seat. Two Peguins and two birds... each in thier carrier straped nicely into thier seats!)

 

[Donnainnj]

I feel so bad for the people that have allergies that are this bad. Dh is allergic to cats and dogs, but I don't think he would have to much problem with 5 animals under the seats of rows he is away from, in a carrier the entire trip. (hopefully you could make sure you are away from them somehow) Also note any animal that would fit under the seat (must be able to stand in the carrier, and turn around) would be pretty small. The cats could be more of a problem for DH but I think less people travel with cats then dogs. I guess I will tell him he may want to take a preventative puff or two of his inhaler before we fly.
Donna

 

[JoyG]

Where are most folks taking the dogs?

A dog show?

That would be just my luck.

 

[AnitaDisneyVacation]

I think the only group of people that would be regularly transporting pets on the plane would be snow birds. Most vacationers would probably leave their pets at home for all the reasons previously stated.

 

[disneylove69]

Why wouldn't the person with the pet have to take a later flight?

Having flown on an airline where I had to take my cat (we were moving) I had to book my cat ahead of time so people should be able to ask and find out if animals will be on board. I was also required to have a certain type of container that would fit under the seat. I think a lot of people get meds for the animals so they will be more relaxed. No one even could tell my baby was on board. It sucks that people have allergies (I have a few) but people with animals should not have to work around others. Pretty much the dog has to be cat sized to fit under in a container. I wonder though if people with animal allergies would not be affected if they were a few aisles away. Sw is not assigned seating.

I believe you are RIGHT about this. I flew Southwest recently and there was an annoucement that a passenger had a peanut allergy. The flight was a peanut-free flight --- even the Southwest peanuts in their packages were removed from the flight and we were not allowed to eat anything brought onboard with peanuts.

How the carry-on restrictions would have been enforced....I have no idea. Perhaps everyone on the flight respected the importance and kept their bag of peanuts packed away!

They can't force you not to have peanut products. They just don't serve them. A lot of what we eat has some type of peanut product.

 

[kaytieeldr]

It sucks that people have allergies (I have a few) but people with animals should not have to work around others.

Respectfully, people with allergies should not have to 'work around' animals to which they are allergic.

 

[OzFan]

Respectfully, people with allergies should not have to 'work around' animals to which they are allergic.

I'm starting to find some of the responses rather funny. Since when does an ANIMAL have more rights than an asthmatic CHILD? I sooo agree with kaytieeldr.

 

[Pinnie]

I'm starting to find some of the responses rather funny. Since when does an ANIMAL have more rights than an asthmatic CHILD? I sooo agree with kaytieeldr.

What happens if your flight has a service dog aboard? Those dogs have every right to be on a plane.

pinnie

 

[OzFan]

A service animal is different. PERIOD
We have flown at least twice with a service dog. Once where the dog was working and once when a dog was in training. I have NO problem with 1 dog. The problem I have is when I can't get far enough away from them.

Animals DO NOT come before people. Even though some of our furry little friends come close, their welfare should not come before people. I will not be flying with SW again because of this. They will not only loose my business but the rest of my family as well. That is 20 less tickets to Disney they just lost (every YEAR). FULL paying fare tickets.

A drop in the bucket, but none the less...still a drop. Who knows maybe my drop will cause the bucket to overflow.

 

[M4travels]

Get over it, people. SW has decided that a person with a dog, in a dog carrier, that will fit under the seat in front of them, gets to fly. Don't like it, take another airline. Those of us who fly with our dogs now get another option. So do you. I'm loving it!

 

[kmjmom]

My DD is severely allergic to dogs. No problems with cats, but I do believe that since the carrier has to fit under the seat it will be smaller breeds. The carriers should hold most of the "flying fur" within, so I hope as long as we sit as far away as possible we should be okay. I guess we'll just have to see if there are any people with dogs when we get there. Like others have said-we'll be sure to bring the inhalers!

 

[CarolA]

A service animal is different. PERIOD
We have flown at least twice with a service dog. Once where the dog was working and once when a dog was in training. I have NO problem with 1 dog. The problem I have is when I can't get far enough away from them.

Animals DO NOT come before people. Even though some of our furry little friends come close, their welfare should not come before people. I will not be flying with SW again because of this. They will not only loose my business but the rest of my family as well. That is 20 less tickets to Disney they just lost (every YEAR). FULL paying fare tickets.

A drop in the bucket, but none the less...still a drop. Who knows maybe my drop will cause the bucket to overflow.

And which airline are you heading to? Before you go stroming off into the distance complaining....make sure you have options you can live with!
According to this thread you have also sworn off AirTran
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=27285140#post27285140

Your other options out of Chicago that I know of all allow pets!

Reminds me of the poster on here a few years ago FURIOUS that Delta changed his flight time. He then came on and PROUDLY announced how he had gotten his money back.... followed later by the "we can't afford any other tickets and won't be going on the trip post"


I find it intersting that this has been going on for YEARS on other airlines and the board has managed not to go into fits, but SW starts it and posters on here are "never flying them again" Seriously, it may mean you have decided to give up flying altogether. (And if you have flown on another airline in spite of all the "hysteria" you may VERY well have flown with a pet and NEVER realized it. There are no announcements, the small fabric pet carriers look just like a carry on... unless you see Fido's head sticking out you probably won't realize he's there. Considering I have never seen anyone go into major allergy reactions on a plane where a pet either is or was......)

 

[MAH4546]

I'll give you 10:1 odds that if you called Southwest and informed them that you are severely allergic to cats and that you cannot risk flying on their airline if there are cats that are onboard (or left dander behind from an earlier flight), that they will refund your money and you could then book on another airline.

What other airline would that be? Southwest was the only major airline to not allow pets in the cabin.

This isn't a big deal, except to people with the most severe allergies.

Pets fly all the time in the cabin and most people don't know it. Pay attention next time you fly. Pets in the cabin is very common. I fly 2-3x a week and see pets on most my flights. Admittedly, the cities I fly to/from - Chicago, LA, San Fran and Miami - might have something to do with that.

 

[OzFan]

I find it intersting that this has been going on for YEARS on other airlines and the board has managed not to go into fits, but SW starts it and posters on here are "never flying them again" Seriously, it may mean you have decided to give up flying altogether. (And if you have flown on another airline in spite of all the "hysteria" you may VERY well have flown with a pet and NEVER realized it. There are no announcements, the small fabric pet carriers look just like a carry on... unless you see Fido's head sticking out you probably won't realize he's there. Considering I have never seen anyone go into major allergy reactions on a plane where a pet either is or was......)

I'm flying AT this trip. Not due to the pet policy, but due to the fact that they offered a much cheaper flight, and the fact I had a huge credit with them from last years cancelled trip.
If I can't fly then I'll drive. My money doesn't come easy. I work hard for it, therefore when I spend it, I want what I want. I don't want to have to worry that my daughter will have an asthma attack in the air, and that I will have to be almost comatose due to the benedryl I'll have to take. Even tho the pets will be kept under the seat, it's the dander that gets to me and my daughter. It is much worse for her than me. Example: my MIL babysat my SIL's little white fluffy dog 3 weeks ago. We were at her house YESTERDAY. I broke out in hives and my daughter had to use her inhaler twice. Even the bottom of my feet had hives. Not fun.
So, if I have to, I will drive. No biggie.

 

[sorul82?]

Respectfully, people with allergies should not have to 'work around' animals to which they are allergic.

I'm starting to find some of the responses rather funny. Since when does an ANIMAL have more rights than an asthmatic CHILD? I sooo agree with kaytieeldr.

 

[kaytieeldr]

What happens if your flight has a service dog aboard? Those dogs have every right to be on a plane.

pinnie

From what I can gather - from reading/knowing Southwest's policy prior to this change, along with posts on this same subject on either the Community or Budget board, if the flight has "just plain pets" and there is a passenger with allergies, the pet-owner/s and pet/s will be moved to another flight. If the flight has a service animal and an allergic passenger, that passenger is the one who will be moved to a different flight.

Since Southwest doesn't interline, it would probably be advisable for ALL such passengers NOT to book the last flight of the day.

 

[CarolA]

I'm flying AT this trip. Not due to the pet policy, but due to the fact that they offered a much cheaper flight, and the fact I had a huge credit with them from last years cancelled trip.
If I can't fly then I'll drive. My money doesn't come easy. I work hard for it, therefore when I spend it, I want what I want. I don't want to have to worry that my daughter will have an asthma attack in the air, and that I will have to be almost comatose due to the benedryl I'll have to take. Even tho the pets will be kept under the seat, it's the dander that gets to me and my daughter. It is much worse for her than me. Example: my MIL babysat my SIL's little white fluffy dog 3 weeks ago. We were at her house YESTERDAY. I broke out in hives and my daughter had to use her inhaler twice. Even the bottom of my feet had hives. Not fun.
So, if I have to, I will drive. No biggie.

Perhaps you should have done some research BEFORE you booked AirTran

They have a CHEAPER pet policy then SW and allow MORE pets then SW!
From Airtran.com


Traveling with a Pet

We accept small, domesticated cats, dogs and birds that will fit in an approved carrier under the seat.

The pet kennel is limited to maximum dimensions of 8.5" high x 17" long x 12" wide.
The carrier must be leak proof and ventilated on at least two sides.
There is no weight restriction on pets.
The pet must remain in the carrier and under the seat for the duration of the flight.
Airfare for a pet is $69 one-way. Only six (6) pets are allowed per flight with a limit of one (1) pet per paying customer traveling on the same flight



Hmm... you are fine getting on them but not SW? You claim the pet policy is driving your decisions and you booked with an airline that has an even MORE lenient policy and had it in place when you booked!!!!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Birds? AirTran accepts birds? No offense, but ewww. Can you imagine trying to catch a bird that accidentally got loose on a plane?