Wabbits and Airline experiences

[Bunnyboy]

So I’m taking my bunny on an airplane. All these airlines say you MUST keep the carrier under the seat throughout the entire flight and I don’t like that.

I want to keep the carrier on my lap and take the carrier to the bathroom with me to check on her etc. my flight will be about 8 hours long so…

Has anyone gone through this and with which airline? Are they that uptight? Has anyone broken the rule? Can they really do anything to you if you don’t listen?

 

[KatnipCrzy]

The rules are in place for safety reasons- your pets AND the other passengers. IF your rabbit were to escape and get into any area of the plane where it could not easily be caught- it would be an emergency as bunnies chew wires and would endanger the plane with a risk of crashing. And you would NOT be allowed the chance to get your rabbit back- the airline would have an exterminator come out for the plane and you would be responsible for the costs which would be $$$$.  I found out about some of these shipping rules when I had a friend that had some hamsters imported from Sweden and had to have a custom carrier made for shipping out of metal as he could not afford the fee that would be charged if one escaped- it was a couple of thousand dollars.

I honestly think the safest place for your bunny is in the carrier.  If you do not think your bunny can spend 8 hours in a carrier maybe look into splitting up the trip or another way to travel.

[Bunnyboy]

I’m ok with keeping her in the carrier. I just don’t want to keep the carrier on the floor. I want her to be able to see me and I want to be able to put my hand inside to give her head and ear rubs to comfort her. I don’t think she can go anywhere if she gets out of the carrier while in the bathroom as long as the toilet lid and bathroom door are closed

Splitting the trip is impossible when going across the ocean and ships have a worse pet policy.

[Beka27]

It is important that you follow the rules to the letter. As Katnip said, they are in place for the safety and comfort of everyone, including your pet. And if something goes wrong, the penalty is very steep. Airlines do not have to allow rabbits to be brought onto the cabin of the plane, and many do not. If enough bad experiences occur, it is quite possible that all airlines will stop allowing rabbits (and other pets) on-board, and this would affect the lives of many people wanting to fly with their pets. Please be courteous to the other passengers who are traveling and the staff who are trying their best to keep everyone safe and comfortable.

Make sure you find out the exact dimensions of the carrier you can bring and have plenty of hay available. You might also want to look into an absorbent crate liner so the bun won’t be sitting in pee.

[RabbitPam]

I would not open the carrier for any reason. As for moving it to your lap, it’s strictly a question of asking permission from the stewardess. If she still says No, don’t do it.
You can lean over and talk to your bunny gently in a soothing voice which will be reassuring. Also, bring small treats, like pellets or raisins to give her through the bars of the carrier. That would be comfort enough. A bunny will hunker down – probably toward the back of the carrier – and can easily sleep or rest the whole way. It is going to feel much like a rocking burrow, dark and cozy, so you may be more distressed than she is.

[Stickerbunny]

If you break the rules of an airline the pilot can and will detour the flight, land the plane and make you get off. This usually comes with a fine, or jail time. You don’t want to be in that situation.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I haven’t flown commercially with pets on board except when i was kid and it was a dog…but here’s my thoughts on that

They also say all your baggage has to be stowed and away-when the seatbelt sign is on. So I would get clarification but I’m wondering if you could put bunny on your lap when the seatbelt sign is off.
Also they say on all (Canadian) flights now-no electronics-no phones, ebooks etc-but well they say that and then people do otherwise anyways as long as the seatbelt sign is off. They even let me (i asked…) take pictures while we landed in Cuba this spring, so I would assume the ‘stowed away’ is only applicable during times when the seatbelt sign is on, therefore, takeoff, landing, turbulance etc.

But worth clarifying with the airline-don’t assume.
We had a kitten and a small dog on our flights and neither were under seats for the whole flight-then again you are talking probably us vs. canada so things may be different. But my experience in flying in the US is that they are much better at customer service. ANother option depending on where you are goign is using the pet airline-they have a vet on board, and pet attendants, it’s only for pets (you fly seperate) and the pets are in the cabin and looked after on board..http://petairways.com/

[Bunnyboy]

All valid points, thanks. I’m very concerned about Marshmallow’s wellbeing and I think the way airlines treat animals is disgusting. I read a story online where this woman took her small dog in the cabin and he was fine all the other times but started barking that time. The woman put her hand down to calm him. The flight attendant immediately started to give her a hard time and made threats. People around her didn’t like the flight attendant’s behavior either.

I took her to the veterinarian yesterday and spoke with him on my concerns. He said she’s a young and healthy so he doesn’t see her having any problems.

[RabbitPam]

Be careful what you read on the internet (she says, replying via the internet.). Like all other sources of public communication, it is the complainers and those with horror stories and poor judgement who jump on line first to spread the dread.

How many places, other than here, do you see people going on line to say lovely things about good experiences? Cautioning is one thing, but my advice in anticipating a situation is to stay away from Job’s Visitors. Misery loves company, especially anonymous downers on the net.

I think she’ll be just fine.

[longhairmike]

there was in incident in the Congo last year where a guy snuck a croc into his carry-on… well it got loose,, passengers panicked and all rushed to one side messing up the center of gravity, and the plane was no longer able to maintain a nose-up altitude and it went into a stall, spin, and crashed. the crocodile and only one passenger survived the crash.

http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/crocodile-on-a-plane-kills-19/story-e6frfq80-1225942045322

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