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NBR: Have you traveled with dogs as check-on luggage?

DragonflyDreamingDragonflyDreaming member
edited September 2014 in March 2015 Moms
Particularly for international flights? Would love to know your ideas and tips/tricks for a good flight (it will be long, like 16+ hours, with a stop over. I can take her out at our layover, to stretch her legs I think).

So here's the frustrating part (mostly a vent, but opinions/ideas welcome!). She is 37in long. She's 90lbs. We got her a sky kennel that is 48" long (made for dogs 90-120lbs), but just found out its too big for the airline I was planning to use (Lufthansa) by an inch or two on the other two sides. The next size down is 40in long. It would be a tight fit and I'm not sure how much 'extra' space they need. (Airline websites and even the people I call are really vague on this requirement).

Which leaves me with a couple options. I can use the next size down (that I feel would be too small, but maybe this is acceptable?), fly lufthansa with my husband as planned. He'd be able to help me with luggage and the dog, and be company for the very long flight. Or, I could try for KLM airlines which the kennel seems to just fit the requirements. But would have to leave 3-4 days after my husband (their seats are sold out on the day he's leaving). He can't change his airline since work has said that lufthansa is a cheaper flight, he'll have to take that. But this would mean that he's working when I get back (as opposed to having a couple days together before he starts work), that I would have to handle the dog/airport thing on my own. The kennel and dog are huge and can't leave things sitting around at an airport so no idea on how to logistically do this with two large check on bags, a kennel I could easily fit in, and a couple carry ons.

So, does anyone have any thoughts on kennel size and airline travel? We LOVE my dog. It sucks that she has to be kenneled for the entire flight. :( But I also don't want to make a stressful trip of moving countries even more stressful.

Sorry this was long! Mostly a vent and sorting my thoughts since a decision needs to be made in the next day or two ... can't believe it's less than two weeks away!
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Re: NBR: Have you traveled with dogs as check-on luggage?

  • DragonflyDreamingDragonflyDreaming member
    @JM0848‌ I had asked if there was any way I could get the kennel on the flight and the lady at the time was very 'no, it can't handle anything bigger for pets'. I actually might try calling back and specifically asking to pay for oversize. That's a good idea! We had heard good things about Lufthansa and klm for large dogs (few airlines will actually take large dogs). But I love hearing that again. :)

    I brought her over to Petsmart and got similar kennels (same size) and had her stand in the base (it was only the bottom half, though. In the smaller kennel, she could fit standing, pretty easily. But no spare room if standing straight. She could lay on her side comfortably and sitting she would clear what I estimated to be the top.

    Hubby is in a new position with a new boss (hes already been over there for two weeks and is doing a return to Houston next week for the holidays they have there). So he's coming back so we can get organized, and the plan was to travel there together. He has described his new boss as a 'strict German' who does not take well to doing, any, personal stuff on work time. Even getting his visa requirements done (which can only be done during work hours, and is a requirement for work) got him a lot of dissaproval. :( So I don't want to put him in that position with his new boss. A driver would pick me up and he said that once he landed, the culture is very different and they even carry your bags for you, so I should be fine with Puppy. Still just stressed about it all though!

    How did your dog handle the travel? Did you put an ice pack in, or some sort of cooling mat? And do they let you put a soft toy or something in with them?
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  • DragonflyDreamingDragonflyDreaming member
    edited September 2014
    We have a flight with a stop over in Germany (on either airline, I believe). They said there's an area at our layover we'll be able to take her out and let her potty and stretch her legs. Our final destination is Qatar. It's going to be pretty hot at that point and that's where I was worried about her over-heating. I don't actually know the length of each leg of the journey.

    And yep, we're using the 'Giant' size sky kennel (the largest made by petmate). The thing is taking up almost my entire room. (And it's not even put together yet). The next size down (extra large) is what I'm debating swapping to. What kind of dog do you have?

    I have read that we need to replace the plastic parts with metal. And put zip ties in all four corners. I think those are standard requirements on all the intl flights I was looking at. Shirt is a good idea, too :)

    Are you in Germany, then?
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  • DragonflyDreamingDragonflyDreaming member
    I called the lufthansa airlines and no luck on the oversize. She'd have to be shipped cargo which is a HUGE difference in cost (thousands vs hundreds). We also remained her (not an easy task) and came up taller and longer by an inch or two. So the smaller sized kennel will not work. So it's cargo with lufthansa for ... thousands ... or check on with KLM for hundreds. Guess I'll probably end up having to go a week or so later than hubby on KLM.

    We are talking about trying Germany for Christmas if all is going well with pregnancy! (And my ob/gyn there is ok with travel ... I'll need a note and the one here said not to travel by plane after new years based on my due date). Do you like it there? Any special places/things to see? I'm on phone and don't know how to pm on here! (Which I was trying to do for these questions! )
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  • DragonflyDreamingDragonflyDreaming member
    Oh, and doha is (at the moment) highs of 100 and lows in the high 80 s
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  • DragonflyDreamingDragonflyDreaming member
    @EmpireRecords24 pm sent! Thanks. :)
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  • younglifeyounglife member
    I had an 8 hour flight with 2 labs. One was great no problem. The other was a train wreck. She threw up at the airport and pooped all over her kennel in flight. A flight attendant came up to me during boarding and told me one of the dogs was melting down. It really wasn't helpful because I couldn't see her or do anything to help.
    I had some major issues. Our large black lab that was having a hard time at the TSA screening wouldn't get back in her kennel. LAX is always a mess though. Be aware you have to take the pup out so they can search the crate. This never occurred to me and I needed help to get her into the crate. They did give me a wheeling cart to move the kennel through the airport. I called the airline weeks before the trip about brining the smaller lab who was a 13 week old puppy as a carry on. They said yes then when I went to check in they said she was too big. My brother rushed to a pet smart to get me a kennel. The young pup had no issues and probably slept most of the time.
    I put a puppy pad, and toy in their crates. We had a water dish attached the inside of their crate doors. Allegedly the airline would provide them with water
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  • jess412lovejess412love member
    I have no advice on this, but I do want to say I'm hoping everything goes as smoothly and is as low stress as possible for you and your fur baby :D
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