We will be flying from PHL to MSP in July (about a 3 hour flight) with our small, 15 lb bichon mix dog. I have a carrier that he is already used to and does great in, and the length and width are to standard, but the height is just a little above what they require. It is a soft sided carrier so it does squish down, and I've even tested it in a 10" space (that's the height requirement) with the dog in it to make sure it fit. I was just wondering if anyone else had flown on US Airways Express specifically and could tell me about your experience - if they were very strict about the size of the carrier, or if they didn't care as long as it fit, etc. The aircraft we will be on is the Embraer 170/175. Thank you! :)

I'm preparing to move across the country with my two cats. Since I'll be flying alone, I can only take one of my kitties in the cabin with me, so I've been looking for a really good carrier for my other cat who I'll have to check as luggage. The Cabrio pet carrier (http://www.bigappleherp.com/Pet-Cargo-Cabrio-Multifunctional-Pet-Carrier) seems to meet all of my standards. I've heard that they're IATA approved, but I'm not sure if they meet the FDA's reqs. So do you have any experience with this specific carrier, or can you recommend other excellent airline approved carriers?

In june i'm going to take my dog in the cabin with me (short flight from DFW to chicago...) i'm flying american airlines, and i bought a kennel that meets their standards. however, one of the restrictions is that the dog must be able to stand up. my dog can turn around in the kennel, but shes a bit too tall to stand up. she seems comfortable in the kennel.. there was another one at the store that was a little taller (maybe 2 inches), but it was over the airline's restrictions. questions: how strict is american airlines? would i be able to take a little bit bigger carrier? if i took the smaller carrier, would they not let me take my dog onboard since she can't really stand? i've never flown with a pet so i have no idea! thanks guys

I'm planning on taking a trip next month and would like to take my dog with me. So I'm looking for a quality carrier. I haven't booked my flight yet, but will most likely be flying Delta. I contacted the airline, they said that the carrier size limit is 12x12x18. I have a PetFlys carrier that is 12x9x19, so it's 1 inch away from fitting their size limit. Can anyone that has flown a pet before tell me if they are really strict on the size? Do they measure the carrier, or just eye-ball it? Since I'm unsure about the PetFlys carrier being accepted, I'm looking for a carrier that *will* fit thier standards. Has anyone used either the Sherpa-Delta ( http://www.sherpapet.com/products/detail.php?proddetail_name=Delta%20Bag&proddetail_post=Y ) or SturdiBag ( http://www.sturdiproducts.com/4111/xcart/home.php?cat=1 ) carriers? I can't find many reviews about the SturdiBag. The Sherpa-Delta has mixed reviews, people either love it or hate it. I'm open to other brand suggestions as well.