krista4
Footballguy
It happens, though not that frequently. The airlines actually have restrictions in some locales in terms of when they'll let pets fly in cargo, to avoid the heat issues that arise if they're waiting on the tarmac for a while. Personally I would not worry much about it - pets are transported around the country thousands of times a day with no issue. When we went to pick up our new kitty (RIP) who came from Utah, there were a billion people coming and going picking up pets shipped in cargo.I mean, I'm not sure if that's factually correct. But, the cargo hold doesn't get climate control as far as I know. So extreme temperatures seem pretty bad. And I think it gets pretty cold at 30+k feet in the winter.
In terms of flying on the plane with you, if it is certified as a "service animal" you don't have to pay the fees nor do you have to have to adhere to the limits on size. I think you have to have a doctor's note or something - not sure as I just went ahead and paid - but a service animal can be broadly defined to include emotional support. On Delta, you cannot take an animal in the cabin in first class on international flights (though can in coach) but can take them in first on domestic flights.