WHAT is a Airline Approved Pet Carrier or Kennel? Read our Unbiased Reports & Reviews on some of the Top Selling “Airline Approved” Pet Carriers & Kennels
I have decide to start this page to try and guide pet owners who are shopping for an “Airline Approved” Pet Carrier or Kennel. At DryFur.com we do NOT sell or benefit from the sell of any brand or style of pet carriers / kennels, so you can be assured all the following information is completely honest & unbiased.
Lately, I have had countless calls from dog & cat owners with questions such as “What size DryFur Pads do I need for our newly purchased “Airline Kennels”. Which leads me to ask “What exact Brand & size of Kennel did you purchase?” I am amazed at some of the answers I receive. At least half of them have purchased kennel brands and styles that I know for certain are not “Airline Approved” or even accepted by any airline for use in cargo or as checked baggage. Upon further investigating I can see why these pet owners are so confused. Many of these products are currently listed and promoted by MAJOR Pet SUPPLY Companies as “Airline Approved”. Don’t just take my word here is a good example of actual Airlines Kennel Rules with pictures
I am not exactly sure how or why this is the case, my guess is that many many years ago these carriers and kennels were considered “Airline Approved” but as safety issues have progressed & changed in the airline industry so has the rules and requirements for Pets who travel on airlines. And many of these Pet Stores & Catalogs have just not kept up with the new rules and further have not bothered to changed the descriptions of their products, in their retail stores, catalogs or online.
EXAMPLES OF AIRLINE APPROVED CARRIER KENNELS
Vari Kennel & Sky Kennel APPROVED
THE NO. 1 Safest and always guaranteed to be “AIRLINE APPROVED” Pet Carrier / Kennel for airline travel in the cargo area of the plane or as Checked Baggage is Sky Kennel or Vari Kennel (they may still need slight modifications if they lack ventilation on back wall or Cable Tie holes around the door) For a more detailed look at Airline Kennels features and history visit our Blog.
ATTENTION: 1/1/12 British Airways has just announced they will no longer accept a size 100 for any pets. They are now requiring all pets to travel in a 200 or larger even a small pet.
Sherpa, Sleepy-Pod Air, Sturdi-Bag APPROVED
THE NO. 1 Safest and always guaranteed to be “AIRLINE APPROVED” Pet Carrier for airline travel in the passenger area of the plane as carry-on is Sherpa, SleepyPod AIR & Sturdi Bag.
For Those Looking for a New Airline Approved Kennel, I have recently found a great resource at a Small Online Store, all their Kennels are guaranteed to be 100% Airline Approved by ALL Airlines and have all the features required for Domestic and International Flights plus they come with our great Airline Safety Kits.
EXAMPLES OF (NON) AIRLINE APPROVED CARRIER KENNELS
The pet carriers & kennels listed below are not approved or accepted by most airlines yet are promoted as “Airline Approved” or “meets the requirement for Airline Travel” by many reputable Pet Supply Companies Including Drs. Foster & Smith, Petco , PetSmart & MANY OTHERs even by the manufacturer Petmate-Doskocil so please be aware and check with your airline before purchasing a New Airline Travel kennel for your pet and check with your airlines kennel rules.
Now there is other pet carriers & kennels that will be accepted by airlines for travel in the cargo area of the plane as long as they DO NOT have any of the following features:
NOT Approved
Double Doors Top Loading
Meaning one wire door in the front of the carrier and one wire or plastic door on the top of the carrier. American Airlines and Delta Airlines site clearly states no top opening kennels allowed.
NOT Approved
Dial Latch Attachments
Meaning no nuts and bolts to keep the top and bottom of the carrier together, instead they have round plastic dials that often fail. Some airlines do still accept this type of carrier but many do not. For example United Airlines clearly lists with a photo on their pet travel kennel requirements page this type of kennels will no longer be accepted.
NOT Approved
Snap Latch Attachments
Meaning no nuts and bolts to keep the top and bottom of the carrier together, instead they have plastic latches that snap together and often fail to stay snapped closed. This pet carrier kennel is also listed on United Airlines pet page as will no longer be accepted. Please See our page on Kennel Modification for tips on how to secure this type of kennel for airline travel.
NOT Approved
Plastic Pegs
Meaning no nuts and bolts just small plastic pegs that are inserted into the holes and then turned to the right or left to keep the peg in place. Some airlines still accept these types of pet carrier kennels, many do not their rules will read “all plastic attachments are not acceptable”
Although these type of kennels can be refused they are easily modified by removing the plastic pegs and adding Metal bolts & wing nuts. As long as the door is metal grate and not plastic. *Not approved, Unless you replace plastic pegs with our Universal Hardware Kit
ATTENTION: United Air, Delta, Alaska Air & Horizon ALL require kennels to be secure with metal nuts & bolts, kennels with plastic attachments are no longer accepted by these airlines. Modify your kennel before flying with our exclusive ONE SIZE FITS all kennel hardware kits.
NOT Approved
Plastic Doors
Meaning doors completely made with plastic. Doors must be a metal grate. Plastic lock housing & grips are acceptable. NorthWest Airlines List plastic doors and wire top opening kennels as not acceptable. As well as any kennel missing even a single attachment.
NOT Approved
Collapsible or Foldable
Meaning crate is able to fold down after use. This type of carrier was banned from airlines many years ago and is still advertised as “Airline Approved”. Alaska Airlines first rules reads the Kennel must be NON COLAPSIBLE. *There is one exception to the fold-able rule. The Solid Aluminum Zinger used by many Show Breeders is allowed by airlines even though it does have the ability to be folded.
NOT Approved
Plastic Wing Barrel Door Latches
Meaning door comes out completely when all 4 latches are turned to the open position. Plastic latches can accidentally get turned in open position releasing the door and the pet. Door is also unable to accept Releasable cable ties. Also has plastic pegs which are also not Airline approved.
NOT Approved
Wire Metal Crate
Meaning made entirely of metal grate. Lower walls and floor of kennel must be solid and leak proof.
The above kennels and carriers are the most common carriers out there with the misconception of being “Airline Approved” if you as a pet owner have any other stories of being rejected at the pet check in counter with your “Airline Approved” kennel please email me I will gladly add them to the list. I hope this helps to be sure your pet is not left behind. Any questions or comments please feel free to call, email or post below. For more information visit DryFur.com
I am so pleased with the products I received…and they got here so fast! It took about two days to receive the products and I ordered on a Friday!!!! Lisa is awesome. Thank you for caring about the pets and making suggestions that you know will make their travel experiences comfortable and successful. I will recommend you to other military families traveling with pets because your suggestions and products helped us tremendously!!!
God Bless,
Mike and Angie
US Army Korea
So glad I found this info before I shopped! I almost fell into the “trap” of buying a kennel that is listed as approved but obviously by your info and the info found on United Air site, it was a fake. Thanks saved me a few bucks and headache.
Hi,
We just bought the Petmate Pet Taxi Fashion for our four month old kitten’s upcoming air trip with us (must go in cargo hold on Emirates Airways).
I bought it off of an “airline approved” list at Amazon.
What do you know of it and its airline approvability?
We are stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Tunis and are transferring to the U.S. Embassy in Muscat, and getting things sent to us requires an extra two weeks!
Thanks for all your advice!
http://www.amazon.com/Petmate-Taxi-Fashion-Small-Light/dp/B0002VAZUM
If it is the above one, it is questionable? The snap latches are not approved by United Airlines and a few other major airlines. Not 100% sure about the Airline you are using.
If you go to this page for United Air http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,1049,00.html they show this exact snap latch with a picture and it is clearly marked not accepted.
If your airline does accept please use cable ties to secure and ensure the snap latches stay snapped closed during the flight, I have seen too many of them pop up/open when the carrier is being set down next to things, it catches on the latch and snaps up which leaves the latch opened. Then when the carrier is picked up with the weight of the cat the carrier falls apart, follow this diagram http://www.dryfur.com/dial_latch.htm
The 4th picture on this page were it says reinforce with Cable ties. This should help good luck and have a safe trip.
IMPORTANT if your airline does not accept this type of kennel you may want to visit our Custom and Modified Kennel page and get some tips on how to add Metal Hardware to this type of kennel.
this is really great guys. i just purchased the pet taxi myself bcause of the airline approved label on the tag. ill try the modification and hopefully delta will give it a go (fingers crossed). ill update this post once I am able to fly withmy cats using the pet taxi
I am so glad to find this site. I am selling dog kennels, and have some that are supposed to be air approved. I will review the ones I have and up grade. Nothing gets a vacation or trip off to a ruff start as not having ,your pet properly prepared.
I have had recent experience not mentioned above with AA they now have on their site:
“If a plastic kennel is made such that the hand releasable cable ties can not be used the kennel may not be accepted.”
This looks like new requirement listed on this page http://www.aa.com/intl/be/agency/travelExperience/pets.jsp under kennel securing / sealing rules.
Thanks Steven for the report. It is getting tough keeping up with all the airlines separate rules and requirements. I will add an area soon to the above that addresses this issue. Also if anyone else is traveling via American Airlines be sure and visit this page on how to modify your kennel it gives instructions on how to add you own holes around the door to accommodate the cable ties. Also be sure and check out our pet airline travel store where we sell special hand releasable cable ties alone or in our Deluxe airline kits.
Went this morning to send some cats to a friend via Delta. I had new Petmate carriers reinforced with ties since I do not entirely trust the snap/clips. I was told that since last week the rules for ALL AIRLINES have changed and only those carriers with screw type fasteners will be accepted for shipping by air. It cost me about $54 for each carriers from the airline. I will be checking with other airlines to confirm this information but for those breeders shipping in the near future I suggest you check with the cargo desk (not reservations – they do not seem to be fully informed) before you go to the airport.
Other than the Petmate Vari Kennel and Sky Kennel, is the Pet Cargo Cabrio IATA approved? If so what would you recommend for my cats to travel in from Malaysia to Australia ( a nearly 8 hour flight)? They will not be allowed in the cabin and so will have to travel in the temperature controlled baggage compartment.
I’d be most grateful for your advice.
Many thanks,
Shehara
It maybe acceptable in your part of the Country but it is absolutely not IATA or airline accepted for pets traveling aboard in the cargo area here in the USA.
For 3 reasons:
1. The door is plastic.
2. The Carrier has a second top door
3. The Carrier is held together with plastic latches or hinges
It is a beautiful carrier and has tons of very cool features the designers spent a fortune on research and development but forgot to check the airlines own websites for cargo kennel rules. I see on this page http://www.hagen.com/uk/cats/addinfo/pet_cargo_cabrio.cfm They have disclaimer saying always check with your airline for carrier kennel rules…..
Thanks very much for your advice. So sorry for my late reply. Thank you so very much, it has been difficult to get any opinion at all from anyone on the subject. Even the veterinarian and airline don’t seem to know much.
Just one more question if you don’t mind me asking. Of the Vari Kennel and Sky Kennel which one is more dependable? I’ve read some user reviews mentioning the Vari Kennel has issues with its locks and so on, but most of the negative reviews referred to dogs breaking free, and the Petmate site specifically mentions that Vari Kennels are for cats whilst Sky Kennels are for dogs. Is this a possible reason for the hitches associated with the Vari Kennels, or are the Sky Kennels more dependable?
Most Sky Kennel and Vari Kennel are made from the exact same molds, plastic and from the same company, PetMate or Doskocil In TX. So they are = but the size 100 and 700 are slightly different they are still being made with stronger stiffer plastic. They have not been re-design yet. But the 200-500 Vari Kennel and Sky Kennel are pretty much identical. BUT please always use the hand releasable cable ties in our kit to secure the door before giving the pet to the airline personnel. The 200-500 all have pre-drilled holes around the door for this purpose.
I bought this crate (http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3674772) It doesn’t match any of the above descriptions. Do I need to modify this kennel?
Yes you would, but I would suggest you go back to PetSmart and exchange it for their (House Brand)
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3195394
this is their own brand and it has all the bells and whistles of Sky kennels for 1/2 the price.
1. metal bolts
2. cable tie holes around the door on all sizes
3. ventilation on all 4 sides on all sizes
Overall it is a very good deal and no modifying needed.
The kennel you purchased will not be accepted at this time by United, Alaska Air, NW or Horizon (possibly Delta) because it does not have metal bolts, It will be rejected by American Air if it does not have cable tie holes around the door. So it has a few feature that would need to be addressed or modified.
Do you happen to know if the PetCo Classic Kennel (500 size) has cable tie holes?
It is not clear from the photo or description whether it does or not. http://www.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?sku=1080253
I need to order a crate online sent to someone else to have a puppy shipped to me and don’t have a PetCo anywhere nearby. I was going to call PetCo and ask, but sales people aren’t always accurate, so I thought maybe you had encountered this crate at some point. Thanks.
The Petco brand you mentioned does not normally have cable tie holes. At least not the version I have seen in my area (Portland Oregon) but they could vary slightly from west coast to east coast depending on the factory they come from and plastic mold used to produce this item in your area. But I would bet they do not.
You can drill your own, but if this is difficult or impossible for you to do then I would stick with a Vari Kennel 200-500 only, Sky Kennel 200-500 only or PetSmarts House Brand Kennel has cable tie holes on all sizes. Their house brand like Petco is made by PetMate the same makers as Vari and Sky but the plastic molds are used for their kennels only with their name embedded in the mold. PetSmart was very smart in that they made sure their mold had more bells and whistle than Petmates own Kennels have and they cost less than Petmates brand. You can find them here online http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3195394.
I think the Medium Intermediate is = to Petco’s series 500 but is cheaper and definitely does have cable holes pre-drilled around the door.
Thanks for visiting!
Thank you for the reply. I’m in the west too (Idaho), so whatever is in Portland is probably here too. I did call the nearest Petco (130 miles away), the salesperson said that it did have cable holes, but frankly he might have been looking at the wrong model. That always seems to be the case when I call around to pet stores asking questions. I thought the Petco one might be a little better because the two halves fit into each other more so than the Petsmart brand kennel, but it is not worth giving up the tie holes. Thank you very much for your help.
I am having my dog shipped to me overseas. I can not physically inspect the kennel, so I am trusting friends to do this for me. We have decided on Petmate Traditional Vari Kennel Giant Portable Kennel due to my dogs size. She is coming to Japan. Do you know if this needs to be modified at all, like holes for cable ties or anything else?
I am enjoying all the info on your site and shared it on facebook as well and ordered some LIVE ANIMAL stickers. Thank you in advance.
It does depend on the mold used at the factory it is made at. They vary from factory from factory… BUT all of them I have seen 700 series (Giants) made by Petmate do not have cable tie holes around the door. Petmate revised the 200-500 series and added cable tie holes around the doors and added a fluid mote in the floor and rounded corners with rounded door.
If yours has square corners and square door it is the old style and it will need to be modified by drilling holes for the cable ties. Very easy to do.
Please See this page http://www.dryfur.com/shipping_container_guide.htm scroll to the bottom for more information on the Kennel 700 Giant by PetMate. Hope this helps thanks for posting and visiting!
Thanks. She is going to be in the 700 series and I’m going to purchase it brand new, just to be safe. I guess I will have someone modifiy it before they ship her to me. Thanks so much for all your info here.
Hello, I am so confused with trying to find a carrier for taking my toy pom on board with me. I want to buy a sherpa, but I am confused with the measurements, as some sites show the medium as being 18 long and some say 17 long. United airlines says the measurements have to be 17x10x10 and I don’t know if an inch for a soft sided would be a big deal, and do I really want to take the chance? The small just seems so small, even though she would fit in it, there wouldn’t be any extra room. Please help!
Hi Shannon,
I think the Original Sherpa Small is 16″ and the Medium is 18″. I am pretty sure they would allow an extra inch, but I am like you… I would hate to be wrong and have them refuse your Pom for travel.
Another option: If you want to have the best of both… Meaning enough room for your pet to stretch out, yet still fit within United airlines under 17″ length rule…you might want to check out the SleepyPod Air. It is 22″ long but when you compress one end it becomes 19″ and when you compress both ends it becomes 16″ in length. That way if they give you a hard time you can compress it down in size and then once on the plane you can fudge a little and let it out, on one of both ends.
Or you might want to check out the American Airlines Sherpa Bag it is kind of Ugly red white and blue and all their logos on it…. but it does at least have the correct length of 17″. Hope this helps!
Good luck and thanks for visiting and posting at DryFur.com
Hello,
Does anyone know if a handle is required on the top of the carrier? I currently live in India and have only been able to find one carrier that everyone tells me is a flight cage. However, I know from experience that people here will just tell me what they think I want to hear
It seems to meet all the requirements and even has handle-type groves on the 1 inch rim that runs around the side, but there isn’t a handle on top. My dog is about 25 lbs and I can’t imagine picking him up in a carrier by a handle but maybe it’s required.
Also, there are only ventilation holes on 2 sides plus the door. Is this ok?
I’ll be flying United and Lufthansa. Both airline websites are a bit vague on the finer details of the carrier. I don’t want to show up at the airport and get turned down!!
Thanks!!
Hi Burgen,
I not sure about India but I can tell you that in the US no on top handle is required and all the most common kennels here in the US do not have top handles if it is over a 200. The only ones that have top handles are the series 100 and 200. The 300-700 have no handles. But many of the Kennels size 300 and up have side handles, for a 2 person lift. The page I have listed will detail all the features like the side handles with photos.
In regard to ventilation here in the US the rules reads ventilation on 2 sides plus door is acceptable for domestic travel only, If the pet is traveling internationally 3 sides plus door are mandatory. But you can drill holes if you need to very easy see our page on Modified and Custom Kennels for instructions. Thanks for visiting DryFur.com
Firstly, thank you so much for this website.
I am moving my two cats, both about 10 lbs, 20in long and 14in tall, to Hawaii. They are flying through Continental. Could you recommend an acceptable kennel at a reasonable price? I am really unsure what kennel size to get. For example, I was looking at this one: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3195394 but small or medium to meet the airline’s criteria?
Same with Sky Kennel or Vari Kennel, small or medium, you think?
Thanks for any help!!
Meagan
Hi Megan,
The kennel you have linked is a very good kennel. These kennels have all the features needed for airline travel. Pre-drilled Cable tie holes around the door, metal bolts, ventilation on all 4 sides…The only thing I do not like about the PetSmart Brand kennel is the doors are tiny which is not really an issue for normal travel but for airline travel this is an issue for trying to fit a normal food and water cup on them. You still can but it is kind of tricky and they might need to be staggered on the door instead of side by side, and I think the small one you will need to buy a double diner type water feeder. like this: http://www.jbpet.com/vari-kennel-pet-carrier-cups,1419.html
As far as size I would recommend the Medium, but I will double check and reply again tomorrow once I get to my cat boarding kennel since I have that exact same kennels and I have a size Small and Medium and I will see how one of the 10lb cats fit in each..
Thanks for visiting DryFur.com
Thank you so much for your quick reply!
I was told I needed to get two containers to attach to the door, one for water and one for food. If I purchase the double diner cup that you linked, could I just get one for each kennel? (Water would go on one side and food in the other.) So, that would suffice the requirement for two?
Thanks for double checking on the sizes- sm vs. med!!
Meagan
Hi again Megan,
So I have both sizes in front of me and the Small would be fine for the average size cat which yours seem to be by the measurements you gave earlier. The Medium works great too and would give them a bit more room, if you are traveling in the heat of Summer maybe go with the Medium for more ventilation which will help keep your cats cooler. But if you are traveling during lower temps the Small will help keep your cats warmer and more cozy…
As far as the bowls or cups yes the divided cups are acceptable by all airlines, they even have them for sale at the cargo offices that I have seen in Portland PDX. Hope this helps and thanks for visiting and posting!
I just bought a veri kennel for my BC. I wondered, is there any need to zip tie the metal side piece in place? Has there been any cases of it coming out?
Thanks in advance!
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
You can drill holes and zip tie if that makes you feel more comfortable. I am sure there has been some cases in all, but I have not seen any listed on the Official Airline Incident reports, so that would mean if it did occur it did not cause injury, loss or death so no report was made on the occurrence. ( I have read and studied every report since May 2005 )
Thanks for visiting DryFur..com!
Hello,
I wonder if you could answer my question regarding the required sizes of kennel for a small cat (19″ long from nose to root of tail, and 15″ tall) whom we will need to ship from USA to UK.
I have been reading lot of different things with regards to the required kennel sizes from airline websites, the IATA website, and from other sources..and I’m getting a bit lost.
I bought the Sky Kennel 100 last week, and upon receiving it I am now concerned it wont be long enough for our cat (according to the IATA requirements). The inside measurement of the Sky Kennel 100 is about 17.5″ long. According to the IATA, our kennel would need to be 22″ in length inside, for our cat. But according to someone I spoke to at Delta, they said that the 100 size sky kennel would be fine for our cat as long as the cat can move around in it OK and is comfortable.
I looked at the medium Vari kennel 200 and I just felt that it is way to big for a smallish cat, and would suit a small dog.
However, I don’t want to take any chances.
I would be very grateful if you could advise me of whether the 100 Sky Kennel will be OK or not?
Are the airlines very strict in adhering to IATA guidelines when it comes to measuring cats and kennels? Do they get measuring tapes out?!?
Thanks so much for your help, and thanks for all the extremely useful info on your website. I’ve learned a lot about what I need to do to prepare.
Leo
Hi Leo, I tried to email just to verify before replying that what you consider a “small Cat” was indeed a small cat. If you can check the weight documented on one of your last vet visits and your cat weighed between 8-10 lbs that is a small cat and I would guess that the 100 would be fine as your airline has said. The good thing about cats is they usually get “smaller” when they are nervous meaning they tuck their feet and go into a lying position and no the Airline does not pull them out and measure them. But if your cat is bold and nothing really phases him and when he is in his/her carrier he stands ups and makes eye contact etc..then you will want to be 100% sure he has a 3-4″ clearance to the roof of the carrier. That is the only reason I have seen a cat be refused at the checkout counter is for height. It was at Delta and he was a very friendly (medium) male cat who was standing in his crate his ears almost touched the top. Delta made the client purchase one of their crates that was a bit larger. (this was at cargo office) His brother who was the exact same size of cat was scared and all curled up and they didn’t say anything about him??? So pay special attention to the height and be sure your cat has plenty of ear room and if so the 100 would be fine…
Thanks for visiting DryFur.com
Hi,
And thank you for your reply.
I have now got both the Sky Kennel 100 (Small)and the Sky Kennel 200 (medium) so that I can compare them. I can’t help but feel the 200 is still too big for a 10.2 lb cat, but I realize requirements are different when it comes to pets immigrating on planes, and not just taking them to a vet appointment.
I take it the medium 200 kennel is popular for other small/medium cats?? It just seems HUGE for a cat!
I did have one other concern about the bigger kennel: is there any way to prevent cats poking their paws through the bigger gaps in the front door? I noticed that the front door has bigger gaps than the small 100 kennel..
Thank you so much for your continued help.
Leo.
My thoughts were the 100 would be fine, unless your cat is way too tall? But as far as the 200 they are nice because they have been re-designed and have pre-drilled cable tie holes around the door. But in regard to the gaps around the door.. I am not aware of any methods on how to modify the gaps. I am not sure I would worry too much about the gaps, so far I do not remember any incidents caused from this issue. If I was you I would lean towards the 100. Just be sure and drill your own cable tie holes around the door if you decide to keep it and do not plan to return it.
Hello again,
I would much prefer to use the 100 kennel, but I was worried that it would still be too small..When my cat sits in it, his ears very nearly touch the top. I measured him and he is 15″ tall, and the kennel is supposed to be 15″ tall. So, overall, using the 100 kennel, there isn’t any room to spare heightwise or lengthwise, but he has enough room widthwise. It’s a difficult one to decide, it seems either kennel is slightly too small or slightly too big
I may, like you say, lean towards the 100, and if the airline requires the bigger 200 one then I can just switch him over to that one. Thanks for all your help again. Leo.
That is the perfect plan to have a backup…I am sure you will be fine. Post back once you get settled if possible thanks!
I’m wondering if the SleepyPod Air would be ok for a cat to be checked in as extra baggage? I have a move from Hong Kong to the US coming up and I think my cats would prefer a comfortable and dark SleepyPod over a big plastic crate. I also have domestic flights and car travel once in the US and would love to get one crate that would work well for all of them.
Any advice is greatly appreciated!
Candice
SleepyPod Air and any soft bag type carriers are only acceptable and SAFE for use as carry-on pets that travel in cabin under the seat in front of you.
You would never, even if they allowed it, want your pet to travel in cargo with a soft carrier as they could be harmed or worst if other heavy luggage was to shift during turbulence. If your cat is traveling with you in the cabin the SleepyPods are great but for travel as Excess or Checked baggage you will need a hard plastic crate for your cats safety.
Thanks for Visiting DryFur.com