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Lora McLaughlin Peterson shared a helpful step-by-step guide to taking pets on a flight as carry-on luggage
A TikTok influencer has revealed a nifty hack for bringing pets into an airplane cabin.
If you buy a plane ticket for your dog, you can place the animal in a ventilated carrier (which also has room for cats) that fits under the airplane seat, a recent TikTok video by Lora McLaughlin explains Peterson. “These guys count as one of your carry-ons,” she reveals.
The 52-year-old globetrotting mother of three tells MailOnline Travel that most of the larger airlines in the US allow non-guide animals – “ticketed dogs that are common pets” – to travel in the cabin with their owners as carry-on luggage – on luggage.
Los Angeles native Lora, who has been flying with her pets for seven years, reveals that airlines charge around $125 (£110) for a one-way airfare for each dog.
The TikTok video shows Lora measuring her ventilated travel basket to make sure it’s the right size for the cabin
Lora’s dogs Tippy and Tiger are “seasoned cross-country skiers at the moment.” She says, “They really should have a pet frequent flyer program!”
Former CBS news correspondent Lora and her family book the plane tickets for their dogs when they book their own plane tickets. She explains, “There are capacity limits for ticketed dogs and their carriers 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 ahead of her Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles to Atlanta.
Lora reveals, “Over the years we’ve had flights changed on rare occasions 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 zips her dogs into their respective carriers ahead of a Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles to Atlanta. Dog carriers only fit on certain planes, Lora reveals
The airlines charge about $125 (£110) per dog for a one-way ticket
Then the footage shows Tippy and Tiger being zipped into their respective carriers before being driven through the airport.
Rules apply once the dogs reach the security gates. Lora explains, “You have to take them out of their carrier and hold them as you go through the metal detectors while their [carriers] carry on with your bags.’
The social media star, who has built up a huge following as a ‘hacking expert’ and currently has 187,000 followers to her name, warns that you shouldn’t take dogs out of their carriers while flying.
What happens if the dog needs the bathroom mid-flight? Luckily we never had that problem. We limit their food and water before a flight so they don’t feel urgency,” says Lora.
However, she notes that airports provide designated locations for “pet shelters” that they use before takeoff and after their flight lands. She says, “It’s something we’ve never noticed before, but once you get into this ‘animal travel world’ you suddenly start noticing all these little things that you would normally walk past.”
The realization that smaller dogs could fit in the cabin dawned on Lora when she had bigger dogs. She explains, “They’re supposed to be traveling in cargo, but we noticed we’d see smaller, non-guide dogs in the cabin. One of the reasons we went with small dogs is to make traveling easier for both the dogs and us. It was very difficult for our bigger dogs and for us to put them in the load.’
How is the dog’s journey? “They’re fine as long as they can see us. They also like the attention they get from other travelers. It’s really cute,” says Lora.
In the video, Lora’s dogs are wheeled through the airport in their suitcases. At security, dogs must be taken out of their carriers and restrained while you go through the metal detectors, Lora reveals
On the left, Lora slides the dog basket under the airplane seat. The dogs “love the attention they get from other travelers,” Lora reveals
“Most people are surprised that you can buy a plane ticket for your pet,” says Lora
In general, the dogs get ‘very positive’ reactions from other travelers. “Pets can be calming, so most people are happy to see them and ask to pet them or even hold them,” she says.
The response to TikTok was one of surprise, Lora reveals.
“Most people are surprised that you can buy a plane ticket for your pet and are very interested in traveling with their furry friend,” she says.
This is one of the many travel hacks Lora has up her sleeve – her viral ‘one-step pack and unpack travel hack’ TikTok video shows her filling a wardrobe divider with folded clothes and lowering them into her carry-on bag. When she gets to her destination, she just takes out the divider and hangs it up, she reveals.
Visit her to see more of Lora’s videos TikTok, Instagram or YouTube Pages.