flight with cat in cabin

[deda]

Hello, I'm new in this forum and I've read with great interest all your experiences concerning pet moving. I'll move from Lyon (France)to Singapore in June 2013 with my cat and I plan to take a Lufthansa flight Lyon-Frankfurt-Singapore. As my cat is very stressed and anxious, I want to take her with me in the cabin. But I've got a problem: Lufthansa requires a bag not higher than 20 cm so that you can put it under the seat during take-off and landing - but I couldn't find this size...
Has anybody of you taken a cat in the cabin and if so, how did you handle everything (at the airport, check-in and control, water, etc.)
It seems that my cat has to stay only 10 days in the quarantine station (we've already began the vaccination and all the procedure). Landing is in the afternoon - do you know if the cat is brought to the quarantine station the same day or does she have to stay till the next day in Changi?
Sorry, I have a lots of questions... but I'll be alone with the cat during the trip as my husband is already in Singapore and I'd like to do at my best for our animal! Thanks for your answers.

[BillyB]

This has got to be a wind-up post?!

You cannot take a cat or any domestic animal, other than a guide-dog, on a commercial airliner in the cabin!

[zzm9980]

This has got to be a wind-up post?!

You cannot take a cat or any domestic animal, other than a guide-dog, on a commercial airliner in the cabin!

I've actually seen those ratty Paris Hilton dogs inside little bags on flights. I have no idea the rules on it, but I agree with your sentiment as to how it should be.

[offshoreoildude]

This has got to be a wind-up post?!

You cannot take a cat or any domestic animal, other than a guide-dog, on a commercial airliner in the cabin!

Yes you can. It's more common on US bound flights though. I've seen a couple checking in a Singaporean cat (What are they called? Singapuras?) on a flight to the USA from Changi for 'in cabin carriage'. It was in a cage. The US couple were going on about how rare the breed was and frankly she just looked like the standard 'ticked' coat alley cat you see around a hawker stall.

[BillyB]

I stand corrected - you learn something new everyday.

[zzm9980]

This has got to be a wind-up post?!

You cannot take a cat or any domestic animal, other than a guide-dog, on a commercial airliner in the cabin!

Yes you can. It's more common on US bound flights though. I've seen a couple checking in a Singaporean cat (What are they called? Singapuras?) on a flight to the USA from Changi for 'in cabin carriage'. It was in a cage. The US couple were going on about how rare the breed was and frankly she just looked like the standard 'ticked' coat alley cat you see around a hawker stall.

Did it have a full tail?

[deda]

Hi again, thanks for your answers. I've just talked to Lufthansa service center and they confirmed that cats and dogs (small size) can travel in the cabin - even if you are not Paris Hilton!!! So maybe someone in the forum has an advice/experience...

[Mi Amigo]

Blimey, one does indeed learn something new every day. Mind you, for some destinations they might be classified as a packed lunch.

[offshoreoildude]

Some good cat packaging ideas are here bonsaikitten.com/bnw.html

[the lynx]

Some good cat packaging ideas are here bonsaikitten.com/bnw.html

That's very cruel OSOD

[offshoreoildude]

Some good cat packaging ideas are here bonsaikitten.com/bnw.html

That's very cruel OSOD

Bonsais kitten is a very old meme - long proved to be a fake. Easy transport tho.

[JR8]

I've seen some pretty funky stuff going on in plane cabins*, but I can't recall EVER seeing a person taking a pet as accompanied baggage.

* An example that jumps to mind is Syrian Airways, and passengers kneeling in the aisles pumping little brass kerosene ('camping type') stoves in order to make tea!

[Mi Amigo]

I've seen some pretty funky stuff going on in plane cabins*, but I can't recall EVER seeing a person taking a pet as accompanied baggage.

* An example that jumps to mind is Syrian Airways, and passengers kneeling in the aisles pumping little brass kerosene ('camping type') stoves in order to make tea!

Did you really see that happen? I've heard many stories of such a thing, but always thought they were apocryphal. The stove would be handy to cook the packed lunch though.

[JR8]

Funny you ask. I'm in a med induced torpor these days, so that could have been my father who reported that one, though we both flew the airline and route.

He has more stories of taking sheep on board and stuff (he maxed out on Middle East routes). I've more stories of public sex and projectile vomiting over several rows of people (Asia/Americas).

What's your forte of weird in-flight experience?

[Mi Amigo]

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately?) I don't have many tales to tell, despite having spend a significant proportion of my adult life in aluminium cans at 30,000 ft.

One initially scary, but then amusing experience was back in the early 90s when we used to fly a lot on Iberia ('er indoors worked for them for a while, so we used to get lots of free / standby flights to Spain). One time I asked my young daughter if she'd like to go and see the pilot (those were the days). Since the crew knew us they were only too happy to oblige, but when they opened the cockpit door we saw tons of smoke billowing out. My panic soon abated when I saw the captain reclining (he would have had his feet up on the dash if he could have done) and puffing away on a massive cigar. Then I had to calm my daughter down as she was looking decidedly shocked.

My only genuinely terrifying flying experience (so far) was in a clapped out Continental Airlines DC-10 (not my favourite plane at the best of times), half away across the Pacific, when we hit the mother of all clear air turbulence. Or more precisely a bloody great hole in the air. Everything (and a few people who weren't strapped in) went flying and it scared the bejesus out of us all - cabin crew included. Fortunately no-one was seriously hurt, but it took the rest of the flight for the crew to clean up most of the mess.

This is why I always follow the recommendation to "keep your seat-belt fastened at all times when you are seated." You betcha.

Who's the nervous flyer on here (I can't remember) - I hope they don't ready this thread.