Lora McLaughlin Peterson shared a helpful step-by-step guide to taking pets as carry-on on a flight
A TikTok influencer has revealed a handy hack to get pets into an airplane cabin.
If you buy a plane ticket for your dog, you can put the animal in a ventilated carrier bag (which also fits cats) under the plane seat, explains a recent TikTok video by Lora McLaughlin Peterson. “These guys count as part of your hand luggage,” she reveals.
The 52-year-old world-traveling mother of three tells MailOnline Travel that most major airlines in the US allow unaccompanied animals – “ticket dogs that are regular pets” – to travel with their owners as hand luggage in cabin baggage.
Los Angeles-born Lora, who has been flying with her pets for seven years, reveals that airlines charge around $125 (£110) per dog for a one-way ticket.
The TikTok video shows Lora measuring her vented travel basket to make sure it’s the right size for the cabin
Lora’s dogs, Tippy and Tiger, are “currently experienced cross country runners”. She says, “You really need to have a regular pet program!”
Former CBS news correspondent Lora and her family book their dogs’ plane tickets when they book their own plane tickets. She explains: “There are capacity limits for ticket dogs, and their carriers will only fit on certain planes.”
In the TikTok video, Lora can be seen measuring her pet carrier to make sure it’s the right size for the cabin before her Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles to Atlanta.
Lora reveals, “On rare occasions over the years, we’ve changed flights because the dog carrier didn’t fit under the seat.” She notes that dogs “must weigh about nine pounds or less” to be allowed in the cabin.
In the video, Lora packs her dogs into their respective carriers before a Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles to Atlanta. Dog bags only fit on certain planes, reveals Lora
Airlines charge around $125 (£110) per dog for a one-way ticket
Then the footage shows Tippy and Tiger being zipped into their respective vans before being driven through the airport.
Once the dogs reach the security gates, rules apply. Lora explains, “You have to take her out of her carrier and hold her while you go through the metal detectors [carriers] carry on with your bags.’
The social media star – who has gained a huge following as a “hacking expert” and currently has 187,000 followers – warns against taking dogs out of carriers during flights.
What happens if the dog needs to go to the toilet in the middle of the flight? Luckily we never had that problem. We limit their food and water before a flight so they don’t feel any urgency,” says Lora.
However, she notes that airports provide designated “shelter” spots that they use before their flight takes off and after it lands. She says: “It’s something we’ve never noticed before, but as soon as you get into this ‘animal travel world’, you suddenly notice all these little things that you normally pass by.”
The realization that smaller dogs fit in the cabin dawned on Lora when she had bigger dogs. She explains: “They were supposed to travel as cargo, but we noticed that we would see smaller dogs in the cabin that are not guide dogs. One of the reasons we traveled with small dogs is to make travel easier for both the dogs and us. It was very difficult for our bigger dogs and for us to get them into the load.’
How is the dog’s trip? “They are fine as long as they can see us. They also like the attention they receive from other travelers. It’s really cute,” says Lora.
In the video, Lora’s dogs are driven through the airport in their suitcases. At security, dogs must be removed from their carriers and restrained while going through the metal detectors, Lora reveals
On the left, Lora pushes the dog basket under the airplane seat. The dogs “love the attention they get from other travelers,” reveals Lora
“Most people are surprised that you can buy a plane ticket for your pet,” says Lora
In general, the dogs receive “very positive” reactions from other travelers. “Pets can be comforting, so most people are happy to see them and ask to be pet or even hold,” she says.
The response to TikTok has been surprising, reveals Lora.
“Most people are surprised that you can buy a plane ticket for their pet and are very interested in traveling with their furry friend,” she says.
It’s one of many travel hacks Lora has up her sleeve — her viral TikTok video, Pack and Unpack Travel Hack in One Step, shows her filling a closet divider with folded clothes and stuffing them into her carry-on. When she arrives at her destination, she simply takes out the divider and hangs it up, she reveals.
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James is an author and travel journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a love for exploring new cultures and discovering unique destinations, James brings his readers on a journey with him through his articles.
