<p>Just returned home from taking my daughter to college. I had a MISERABLE flight home due to the fact that the passenger next to me was traveling with a small yapping dog in a carrier. And when I say “yapping”, I mean high-pitched, grating, horrible yapping for the entire 2 1/2 hour flight. My nerves were incredibly raw by the end of the flight. For the record, I am a dog lover, and have 2 wonderful dogs. Also, I am not a cranky passenger. Babies crying? Bumpy flights? Surly flight attendants? I take these things in stride. But this was just awful. The strange thing was that no one but me seemed annoyed. I made a comment to the other passenger in our row (“my goodness, I can’t wait until this flight is over!”) which was returned with an icy retort: “What do you expect that poor woman to do?” Well, I guess I expect her NOT to bring an uncontrollably yapping dog on an airplane! The flight attendants fawned all over the woman and her dog. I got up during the flight and privately asked the flight attendant what the airline’s rules were about dogs on airplanes and was coldly told that the woman paid $100 for the privilege of bringing her dog aboard and was “entitled to the courtesy and understanding of other passengers”. Has anyone else had this experience and how have you handled it?</p>
<p>Maybe the dog is “normally” a pleasant animal but not suited for flying or on its first flight? I don’t know.<br>
You may feel better by writing the airline expressing your displeasure and letting them know the flight attendant was not helpful in resolving your issue.
It’s sort of like the crying baby - you learn to deal with it since you can’t get away from it and turn up the volume in the headphones.</p>
<p>The airline won’t do anything, especially if they are taking money to allow people to bring dogs onboard. Noise-cancelling headphones are your best defense.</p>
<p>^ I agree here. I had to transport my cat on an airplane when moving across country years ago. The airline tried to persuade me to carry the cat onboard, even though I was hesitant because of his disposition and my fear of passenger allergies. Ended up not bringing him on board and he was fine.</p>
<p>I have often wondered about this.I love animals but don’t want to listen to them yap for an entire flight. Also what if you are allergic and seated next to someone with any animal? I assume the airline has to find someone willing to switch seats?</p>
<p>I wonder about this, too. We have a family member who is severely allergic to cats. Just having a cat in the passenger compartment (not only right next to him) will cause a reaction. He is miserable when he gets off a flight like that.
He has never complained but we have often wondered about how the airline expects allergic people to deal with these situations.</p>
<p>^ I brought this up to the rep and I do not remember much of a response. I really think they were interested in the fee. In fact, I paid to carry on and then later called back and switched.</p>
<p>I always take ear plugs on planes.</p>
<p>Benedryl is a wonderful solution for those dogs…if it was yapping like that, it was probably not happy either. I feel bad for the dog as much as I do for you. It would have been happier with meds (like benedryl) to make his trip more comfortable.</p>
<p>Wasn’t there a thread about this not too long ago? There have been problems with dogs being shipped in the cargo area, especially in this heat. They probably prefer dealing with annoyed passengers than the owners of pets who don’t survive the transport.</p>
<p>I actually carry ear plugs in every jacket pocket I have, everywhere I go. It has saved me so much stress. That would be awful, just awful. We brought one of our little cavaliers on a long cross country flight once, and though we paid the fee, we disguised the bag we put her in so nobody knew we had a dog. We took her out and put her on our laps for both three hour legs, she laid there and was happy the entire time. Had she been in a carrier, she would have barked constantly in distress, so I figured it was the most considerate thing to do. We laid blankets on her and when the flight attendants came by for drinks, we’d distract them by talking. Almost got caught once when a passenger sitting across from us yelled, “Oh my God, there’s a little dog there!”</p>
<p>Next time you have an awful situation like that, go ask the flight attendant if there’s an empty seat somewhere, anywhere. Tell they you’re desperate, and they usually can find you a middle seat. That’s better than putting up with a yapper.</p>
<p>I just returned from taking my child to school. There was a cat in the row in front of me. The cat was, shall we say, a nervous flyer. The entire plane smelled like a litter box for the 4 hour flight! That was the worst flight I have been on.</p>
<p>My son is severely allergic to cats. I would blow a gasket if there was a cat in the passenger area.</p>
<p>Hope you at least negotiated for free unlimited cocktails, unless you have what seems like an endless supply of them already on Southwest!:)</p>
<p>Luckily I have never sat next to any animals on a plane ride but how exactly do the flight attendants deal with potential allergies? </p>
<p>I have been on one 15 hour (!!!) flight with a baby that cried for ~10 hours that was 2 rows up from where I sat. I did feel bad for the baby and for everyone within audible distance of his cries. I always wondered why parents want to bring a baby on such a long flight. If the baby is uncomfortable in a car, chances are the baby will be just as uncomfortable on a plane, no?</p>
<p>I also have a Cavalier! I am sure she would be absolutely miserable in a carrier. Plus, I don’t think she could manage a 2 1/2 hour flight, plus the hour going through security and waiting in the gate area, etc. without a potty/water break. When I take her on car trips we stop every couple of hours for a break.</p>
<p>I hadn’t even thought of allergies. I am mildly allergic to cats, but my daughter is severely allergic – hives, wheezing, etc. I suppose people could have similar reactions to dogs. Given that that’s a possibility, how in good conscience can airlines allow pets in the cabin? I love my animals, but please – the health and comfort of other people is more important.</p>
<p>And I did ask to change seats. The flight was completely full and apparently no one was eager to sit next to a yapping dog.</p>
<p>The idea of headphones/earplugs is a good one. I love to read on planes, and have always been able to tune out surrounding noise. Crying babies don’t bother me. I feel sympathy for them and their parents and remember (fondly?!) the days when I had to travel with small children. But no one needs to travel with an unhappy, yapping dog.</p>
<p>Never fly without a good set of noise-isolating canalphones</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Devils advocate here. Maybe the family was relocating? Maybe this yapping dog doesn’t usually yap (my kids didn’ usually cry…but the did on planes). Maybe this dog is like a “family member” to the woman…yes I know it’s a dog…but YKWIM. </p>
<p>I’m allergic to wool…if the person next to me is wearing a wool sweater and it touches my hand or arm…I break out in a rash. Does that mean that no one should be allowed to wear wool on planes?</p>
<p>Well, the owner should be desperately trying to shut the animal the heck up, not to just ignore the problem.</p>
<p>I think making dramatic claims about allergies is a good solution, and just refusing to sit there, even if there is no other empty seat.</p>
<p>A related story:</p>
<p><a href=“http://allergicliving.com/index.php/2010/06/30/allergies-airlines-asthma-to-cats-a-disability/[/url]”>http://allergicliving.com/index.php/2010/06/30/allergies-airlines-asthma-to-cats-a-disability/</a></p>
<p>I have no problem with crying babies, I am just so happy it is not my problem.</p>
<p>This is how the owner tried to get the dog to be quiet, “SSHH, SSHH sweetie! If you’re quiet I’ll give you a big treat when we land.”</p>