We recently returned from a week-long trip to Atlanta. Kaiser accompanied us, as he did back in November. We found it was less expensive to carry him on the flight than to board him for the week! Airtran’s pet fee is $69 each way compared to Delta’s $150.
Kaiser is a natural traveler. He did not make a peep during the flight, however he was frequently moving around and digging in an attempt to find a comfortable position in the small carry-on crate.
We discovered many Schnauzer fans at both the San Diego and Atlanta airports. Kaiser just barely escaped the canine paparazzi. It’s a good thing we didn’t fly out of L.A.! Here are some pictures of Kaiser’s adventure.
For more travel tips check out our post on the Guaranteed On-Board travel program.
Kaiser introducing Duckie to his airplane carrier
Getting ready to board the plane
Who wants to pet me next?
Kaiser was popular at the Atlanta airport
Schnauzer Air Travel Posts:
Tags: airplane, Atlanta, flying, Kaiser, Miniature Schnauzer, pet carrier, San Diego
August 15th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Hi Kaiser! You are lucky, getting to travel with your folks. We’re glad you got to take Duckie with you for company. We’re not surprised you were a hit at the airport – hey, who WOULDN’T want to pat a cutie like you?! Schnauzer snuggles – JD and Max.
August 16th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
Hi Kaiser and your “peeps”
You look like quite an experienced traveler, Kaiser!
Did you have any problems with Kaiser not being able to stand up in his carrier and turn around? I’d like to travel with my Mini-Schnauzer on a four-hour flight and would to have her with me in the cabin and not to have her in a crate in the hold (in December!).
How comfortable was Kaiser overall? What do you think about four hours of air travel?
Best wishes,
Becky C. and Viveka
August 16th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Although Kaiser wasn’t able to fully standup he was able to turn around and switch positions without too much difficulty. He seemed fine during the whole experience and didn’t whine at all. We did give him a sedative, provided by our vet, about an hour before the flight. I think the sedative really helps keep him calm during all the commotion that an airport has.
August 19th, 2009 at 1:04 am
I can’t believe how well behaved he was! My Schnauzer is a nightmare when traveling. He’s been on several bus and coach trips, but he always tries to get up and walk around…
He always pulls me to the door so he can look out as well if we’re on a bus – which isn’t great, and I’ll be sat down all comfortably!
August 29th, 2009 at 10:47 am
Kaiser, I got to fly with my family recently too! Its so boring on the airplane – I just sleep the whole time. The airports are fun though, there’s so many smells and people watching. I love seeing my extended pack <3 Momma says its worth the price and hassle to bring me along and of course I have to agree!
September 24th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
Hi! My husband and I are flying from San Diego to North Carolina and we would like to take our Mini Schnauzer Ava along too! We think it’s so cool how well behaved Kaiser was for you all! Do you have any tips or information you could share with us? What kind of sedative did you use for Kaiser? Is he usually calm natured or just on the airplane? Our schnauzer Ava is fairly hyper and bouncy and gets very excited when meeting people and other dogs so we were worried about her on the airplane and at the airport. Also, do they have certain regulations about the kennel and how well did Kaiser fit under the seat? Sorry for all the questions…we have never flown a dog before and we know schnauzers can be high maintenance. Thanks for your help! We love schnauzers! Kaiser is adorable by the way!
Ava’s proud parents!
September 27th, 2009 at 10:21 am
Hi! Thanks for the feedback. Kaiser traveled very well for us, but I believe his good behavior was mostly a result of the sedative. He is generally active and excited around new people. We scheduled an appt with our vet prior to Kaiser’s first flight flying because we were a little nervous and wanted to make sure he felt that Kaiser would be ok. He gave us a rx for acepromazine. The first time we flew with Kaiser he wasn’t full grown, he was probably 8-9 lbs. so we the vet recommended we try 1/2 a pill for each way. We gave him the pill 30 minutes before we left for the airport and by the time we were waiting in line to check-in he was getting pretty drowsy. The first flight he slept the whole time both ways. The second time we flew with him, he was full grown, about 14 lbs, so we gave him a full tablet each way. He didn’t sleep for the entire flight, he moved around in his crate frequently, but he didn’t bark or cry. I’ve heard that acepromazine can have a reverse effect for some dogs and actually make them more energetic and anxious, so it is important to make sure the dog is calm and relaxed before you give them the pill. I would definitely recommend talking to your vet and getting their opinion as well. In response to the crate size, there are FAA size restrictions that are similar to the carry-on baggage size restrictions. I recommend checking the airlines website for that information. I also recommend setting the crate out a couple days before the flight to allow your schnauzer to explore it and get comfortable with it before the flight. Also, many airlines only allow a certain number of pets in the cabin, so it’s best to call ahead and inform them you will be bringing a pet.
Good luck flying with Ava! Let us know if you have any other questions! Have a great trip!
December 14th, 2009 at 11:14 am
Hi,
I”m taking my Schnauzer on a flight with me next week. Absolutly ill thinking about it. The soft crate I have for him is larger then the allowable size but not by too much. And it looks like my Bowie is a little bigger then your pup. I’m worried they won’t allow me on the flight and then I would miss christmas with my family. I’m trying to find information on how big the space under the seat is. I’ve booked a window seat b/c the agent said there was more room. Any ideas?
thanks
Ingrid
December 16th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Hi Ingrid!
I’m sure you shouldn’t have any trouble bringing Bowie on the flight as long as the carrier fits under the seat. They’ve never actually measured ours. What airline are you flying? We’ve flown on both Delta and American with Kaiser and haven’t had any difficulties. Here are the dimensions for pet carriers listed on American Airlines website:
Pet Carrier Guidelines
The maximum size for cabin pet carriers is 19″ long x 13″ wide x 9″ high. Soft-sided pet carriers such as Sherpa bags may exceed these dimensions slightly because they are collapsible. Animals must be able to stand up, turn around and lie down in a natural position in the kennel. Soft-sided pet carriers are accepted as long as they are constructed of water-repellent, padded nylon with mesh ventilation on two or more sides.
I’ve never seen dimensions for the actual space under the seat, but I’m sure it’s similar. It’s definitely a tight fit for Kaiser. He weighs 14 lbs and must be laying down to fit under the seat. We get a sedative from the vet so he can relax and sleep during the flight.
Hope this helps! Best of luck to you and Bowie!
Check out our recent post on Guaranteed On-Board program, we have listed crate sizes there as well.
http://goschnauzer.com/guarant.....d-program/
Thanks!
Anne at Goschnauzer.com
December 17th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
My Carrier is 20″ long 11.5″ wide and 11.5″ high. Its larger then the carriers listed. Its a sherpa product. My Bowie is 17 lbs which is under the weight limit. We have been doing test runs on a sedative to figure out the needed dose as per the vets instructions. I’m flying Westjet which is a canadian airline. Do you have to take the dog out of the kennel to get through security?
thanks for all the help!
Ingrid
December 18th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
I think your carrier should be fine as long as it’s flexible and can be manipulated a bit to fit under the seat. Yes, you do have to take Bowie out of the carrier to go through security. Best of luck with your travels!
Anne at goschnauzer.com
January 15th, 2010 at 3:54 am
Aloha!
How long were your total and individual flights? Generally they do not allow pets in the cabin of a plane leaving Hawaii however an exception will be made in our case. Our Mini Schnauzer will be just 1 year when we fly and Rosie will be apx 14 pounds. We will be going first class but I’m still nervous about the in cabin carrier. Our Rosie is 13 1/2 inches tall and most of the carriers that fit the requirements really don’t allow for her to stand. Our flight time is long with a direct flight into Chicago which is apx 7 1/2 hours. The larger soft carrier would be best but again not sure the airlines will allow. They do state a soft sided may be slightly larger but do they consider 2 1/2 – 2 2/3 inches slightly??????
Thanks for you time,
Kathy
January 16th, 2010 at 9:49 pm
@kathy
Our door to door travel with Kaiser was close to 10 hours on our past trip. This include 2 connecting flights that were close to 2.5 hours each, and then security lines, layover, etc. made up for the rest of the time.
Kaiser can’t stand up completely in his soft crate. He can move around if he wants, but he generally lays down the whole time b/c of the sedative we give him. He is definitely cramped but it’s prob not that much more uncomfortable than you sitting in your airplane seat.
Check out or other post here for carrier sizes and other flight tips:
http://goschnauzer.com/guarant.....d-program/
February 11th, 2010 at 2:59 pm
Hi!
Just wanted to let you know how the flight with Bowie went. I was very stressed out and got to the airport 2 hours before the flight. We checked in ok and then went to the security line. With no one waiting in line I thought it would be the best time to go through. WEll I had to take him out and carry him through the metal detectors and of course they went off because of his coller. It took me a few minutes to get the little guy back into his carrier and the head secruirity guard made a comment about how large my dog was for inflight travel… this made me very nervous but they let me go through. Once on the plane he settled down and no one around me even noticed I had a dog.
On another note after Christmas we had a little trip to the vet for his neutering and when I asked the vet about his size she informed me that he was definalty not a miniature and was either a standard schnauzer or had another breed mixed in there! Boy was I surprised I thought I bought a little dog!!
February 17th, 2010 at 10:38 am
Hi!
I plan to take Hans with me on Delta. It’s our first flight. He is taller and just making it at 20 pds. Do they weigh the dogs? I’m afraid he won’t fit under the seat to well. His legs are probably to long. Looking for the right soft crate any suggestions? I do plan on taking him to the vet for the sedative.
June 5th, 2010 at 10:29 am
Hello,
I am planning on traveling with my Mini Schnauzer, Peanut. Since I am traveling in the beginning of July I would like to have Peanut in the cabin with me. I have similar concerns though, because she is actually 20lbs (the vet says she might have some other breed mixed in there) and her legs are a little tall for the TINY carrier dimensions.
I have a carrier that is a couple inches above the required dimensions and she is pretty comfortable in. I’d like to use it, and from what other people have said, you can manipulate it a little because it’s soft, to fit under the seat.
Do you think I would be turned away?
Thanks.