Southwest Airlines to allow pets as carry-ons, for a fee

[WriteDown]

Source: Dallas Morning News

Southwest Airlines Co., which brags about its “no hidden fees” policy, announced some unhidden ones Friday.

In a change of policy, Southwest will allow customers to carry small dogs and cats onto the airline for a $75 fee each way. Previously, the Dallas-based carrier did not allow any pets other than service animals, and it still won’t carry animals in its cargo bins.

Southwest also said it will begin charging $25 to carry unaccompanied minors, a service it had been providing at no extra charge beyond the air fare.

In addition, while it maintained its policy of not charging customers who check one or two bags, Southwest is raising the fee for a third checked bag or a bag weighing more than 51 pounds, up to 70 pounds. That $25 fee will go up to $50...


Read more: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/053009dnbussouthwestpets.2a83e2b6.html

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This is why SW is the only airline I continue to fly.

[Fresh_Start]

1. the fee should be paid to the people who have to sit near them

instead of to the airline.

[GentryDixon]

2. Good news.

I just drove from Utah to North Carolina because of my Peke. I always fly Southwest, and would not even consider putting him in cargo hold of another airline.

This makes it easier on me. I keep him shaved down except ears & tail, and he is very well behaved. Anyone who doesn't like it can find another seat.

[AnneD]

7. I worry about those passengers with allergies....

but my experience with traveling pets has been most pleasant and even though I had a very well behaved child, animals behave better than kids when traveling. :hide:

[michreject]

16. I would sit next to a pound full of dogs

Than one kid.

[AnneD]

17. I have been stuck on international flights with ...

screaming, out of control kids. Ten hours of hell on earth. I can understand infants and toddlers-but other children can be dealt with. I am not recommending anything harsh, but give them their own back pack with an assortment of quiet toys, puzzles, crayons, paper, silly putty, whatever and ration them out over the trip. I did it with my kid. She started learning good behaviour at an early age and took her first flight in kindergarten (3 hrs) and was a gem. She knew the behaviour I expected from her and she was rewarded for that.

[michreject]

19. In all honesty

some parents don't give a shit. Their little Angel's are perfect. If they find them endearing, so should everyone else.

[Submariner]

29. So......you have flown with the toddler from HELL too

[sofa king]

34. Oh, yes.

Auckland to Los Angeles, in front a five-year old banshee with the lungs of Pavarotti, but none of the talent.

That was back in my drinking days, so after about the third hour I made my way up to the little cabin in which the flight staff was hiding and said, "Hello, I'm sitting right in front of the monster child. I would like Tanqueray and tonics until I pass out, please."

And I got them.

About seven hours later I woke up, the little monster was still screaming, and a flight attendant who had apparently decided to quit her job was busy telling the kid's Australian parents that this kid was the worst she had seen in twenty years. She was holding out a cup with some pills in it and a cup of water. The parents refused to knock the little bastard out. I drank a couple more T & Ts, knocked myself out, and woke up on the ground. According to my friends, the ghetto section of the plane ran out of booze and they had to raid First Class in order to prevent a mutiny.

No shit, I actually saw one frazzled lady in customs point out that family to the agent and say, "those people shouldn't be allowed here."

If you ask me, kids like that oughta be riding with the pets.

[dflprincess]

32. A lot of the smaller dogs are "hypo-allergenic" breeds

My friend flies down to Florida with her poodle a couple times a year. It's always been uneventful until her last trip when she apparently had not zipped the carrying case all the way and the dog manged to work it open with her nose. Much too my friend's horror she looked up from her book just in time to see the dog trotting down the aisle. Fortunately, she hissed the pup's name and she came right back and hopped in her carrier (which was then securely zipped) before many people noticed.

[izquierdista]

3. Nickeled and dimed

I suppose if you bring some rare roast beef on board, there will be a carrion fee.

[AnneD]

4. Count me as a loyal SW Airlines fan....

It is a bit crowded at times but the staff continues to be some of the nicest in the air and try to accommodate requests. They are also very good with unaccompanied minors. My daughter's first unaccompanied trip was on SW and had a horrible delay due to weather. Luckily I had packed a 'Jethro' lunch for her so she was happy as clam with the extra sodas she got to go with it(I rarely let her have those).

She was always handed over directly to Dad. I say this because I once discovered a wandering child that had walked away from another airlines after they arrived and had to see the child to safety myself. Poor little thing just burst into tears when I asked her if she was lost. She must have been all of 6 or 7. The airport was filled with holiday travelers and she must have gotten lost in the shuffle. I have never lost my child or luggage on SW.

[tomm2thumbs]

5. and this is posted in breaking news because...

[kiva]

21. Ummm...because it's 'breaking' (new story) and

it's 'news' that some people care about--people planning on flying with their pets, parents who are sending unaccompanied children on flights. It's also a warning to the couple of poster here who insist they'd never fly with animals in the cabin, and a chance for pet lovers to support an airlines that agrees with them.

This forum isn't restricted to political news, just to current stories.

[Merlot]

6. I'm so glad they don't put animals in the cargo

I realize that larger dogs won't get to be "carry on" but am still happy about this.

Supprised they didn't charge for UNAC's. They are very time consuming.

[Hawkeye-X]

8. Therapy dogs, hearing dogs don't get charged.

In fact, I was recently on Jetblue flight with two dogs, both carry-ons therapy dogs for some convention in Denver in which therapy dogs are used, and they were flying free of charge.

Hawkeye-X

[KamaAina]

31. They damn well better not be!!

There is such a thing as the Air Carriers Access Act, basically the ADA for airlines, you know.

They also aren't allowed to do stuff like trying to charge a wheelchair user to be pushed to her transfer gate (this actually happened to my former boss! Talk about being sorry you were ever born...)

some convention in Denver in which therapy dogs are used

As it happens, I recently reconnected with a dear friend in Denver who would have been quite interested in this. Details via reply, PM, or telepathy :-) would be most welcome.

[high density]

9. This is why SW is an airline on my "never fly" list.

As if flying wasn't bad enough, now SW finds the desire to add yipping dogs to the passenger manifest. I'll pass on that experience, thanks.

[LiberalFighter]

10. I'm sure many many dogs are more behaved than two year olds or babies.

[Withywindle]

23. Word.

Maybe people who have babies are desensitized to it, but there is pretty much NO sound in the universe that's as unpleasant and aggravating as a baby shrieking. It's meant to be that way, so its parents will do whatever it wants to make it stop. Makes sense for the baby, but for the rest of us sitting nearby....dang, I'll take a car alarm any day.

I understand, they can't help it, yadda yadda--that's why I bring my industrial-strength earplugs on flights (the ones I bring to underground metal shows and always wind up *not* wearing 'cause it doesn't hurt as much as I feared). I have never heard a sound out of *any* other animal that comes close to the sheer annoyance power.

[Retrograde]

28. cat fights at 30,000 feet

There is a similar class of pet owners- "My little Pookie is so well behaved you don't even know he's there" - who are as bad as the indulgent parents. I can't wait to read about the air-rage when some mutt yaps the whole flight, or two cats start a screaming match.

I've had cats that would howl the entire 10 minutes it took to get to the vets, or decide that being put in the carrier meant it was time to throw up. I can't see subjecting anyone - even the animals - to that.

[DarthDem]

20. Must Be A Big List

Almost every U.S. airline allows pets. Southwest is catering to their loyal customers, such as me, who don't fly any other airline and might like to take their pets on a plane every now and again.

And as many people have pointed out here, those complaining have likely never been on a flight with a pet. They're almost always quiet. Quite the contrast to screaming babies and toddlers in the "hands" of idiot parents.

[JeanGrey]

24. There aren't "yipping dogs". I used to show persian cats

and flew with them everywhere, funny they never made a sound. I also flew with people with dogs and they didn't "bark or yip". Most animals are 100 percent quieter than people.

[TheCowsCameHome]

11. Screw that. Pets don't belong on board.

Scratch that airline from my list.

[LisaL]

25. Most airlines allow pets as carry ons.

I guess your list is really small.
Hah.

[LiberalFighter]

26. At one time they said people weren't meant to fly.

[northernlights]

12. I'll happily add them to my list

I have no problem sitting near somebody's dogs and would *much* rather they be in the passenger hold than suffering -- or dying -- down in cargo.

[wilt the stilt]

13. I have a pet chicken n/t

[pitohui]

15. pet birds can fly on northwest for about the same fee (actually it's $80)

i like how southwest is trumpeting how they've finally figured out how to do something others have been doing quietly and efficiently all along

the bird, cat, or dog, has to be small enough to fit in the carrier to qualify

service animals, such as seeing eye/ear dogs, can be large and don't have to fit into a carrier, obviously

hope it helps

northwest does say "household pet birds," but if your chicken is quiet (not a rooster) i doubt anyone would "squawk" -- surely one of the ornamental "furry" type bantams would be OK

i've seen pets on northwest both in first class and economy cabins, your choice, show me the first class cabin on southwest and maybe i'll fly them again...one day...since they do NOT enforce their trumpeted policy of not allowing fat people to sit on me!

[santamargarita]

14. Put the dogs with the passenger and put the parents of the kid...

kicking the back of my seat in the cargo bay!

[AnneD]

18. I had one of those on an International flight......

It got old after 2 hour. I spoke up to the child. It stopped, with an occasional accident and apology (hey I can have patience with kids).

[Withywindle]

22. Hell yes! Thank you Southwest!

It's just common sense that any pet that fits into a carrier that would be accepted as a carry-on bag (a cat or a bird or a rabbit or ferret or a small dog) should be allowed to BE carried on. Why the hell not? No way in hell should people be forced to risk their pets' LIVES by putting them in cargo.

I almost never travel with my cat (she doesn't care for it :D) but this makes me want to patronize Southwest regardless, and make sure everyone knows why. I hope it catches on.

[SteelPenguin]

27. I'd complain but.. It IS Southwest

I'm extremely allergic to cats. It's put me in the hospital more than once with allergy attacks.

But it's Southwest. There aren't seating assignments. If I don't want to sit next to a person holding a cat I don't have to. If they want to sit next to me I can ask them not to, or move to a different seat. If it's the last seat on the plane, I can hit the steward button and explain the situation and I'm sure they'd help me swap with someone else on the plane.

Rather than get all pissy about them allowing cats onboard, in the future on Southwest if it happens I'll be an adult and communicate with the person with the cat in a polite and respectful manner. I'm sure they'd sit somewhere else, or someone else would swap with me. It's better than them putting the animal in the hold which is very dangerous for them.

[dflprincess]

33. If they're holding the cat they're breaking FAA rules

with the exception of service animals (and cats aren't into service) the animal is suppose to be in a carrier that fits under the seat - which hopefully eases some of the allergy problems.

[Zhade]

30. You do realize Southwest MISSED 30 MONTHS OF SAFETY CHECKS, right?

That they were slapped with a huge fine for that? That they endangered suckers for profit and got away with it for years?

And this idea is nonsense. A person with allergies to, say, cats (like me -- I almost DIED in college because of them) will not be told beforehand that there are cats onboard. This fucks them over.

[kiva]

35. Well, since you wrote that Soutwest

MISSED 30 MONTHS OF SAFETY CHECKS all in caps, I assume you won't be flying on Southwest whether or not they allow cats in the cabin--so you just have to worry about all of the other airlines who have allowed animals onboard for years.

[Honeycombe8]

36. This is good, overall. I rode on an AA flight with woman with maltese in a carrier.

The dog never made a peep, obviously used to being in his carrier and flying.

I imagine there might be a problem sometimes with yapping dogs, but then there are problems with crying infants, aren't there?

As for allergies, I wonder about that, since a lot of people are allergic to cats. The airline said that because of the air distribution, the pet dander won't circulate around the whole plane.

I think most people would slightly sedate a cat that is traveling. I'm not allergic, but I'm guessing that there might be problems with cats and allergies. Best to take your allergy pills with you, when flying, I guess!