Flying with a dog in the hold - what's it like?

The plane is air-conditioned; it's mainly once they're on the tarmac that it gets dangerous in the summer, if the airline doesn't move the dogs straight away. I know French airports don't leave dogs out on the tarmac for long anymore because of various issues they've had in the past, but I’m not sure if that’s the case for airports abroad. It also comes down to whether it’s worth it for you, especially if you have dogs that are tricky to find sitters for for whatever reason. I know Iago can be a bit of a handful when left alone for 3 or 4 days in a new environment. I’d have no desire to see him wreck someone’s house, and I’d be far too worried about him getting stressed in a boarding kennel; Maya, by contrast, is very easy-going. It really depends on the situation—if you're just going away for a fortnight a year, there's not much point in flying them. But if it’s for more than a fortnight and it's a regular thing (though I do it less often now), it’s better to get the dog used to it from the start. Besides, it’s Christmas and a short flight, so there’s very little risk of the dog having any breathing problems even if they were left on the tarmac for an hour—which shouldn't happen anyway.

I’ve done several long-haul flights (around 7-8 hours) with dogs. I wouldn’t say I ever get a stressed dog back at the other end. I pick him up and we head straight out so he can have a wee and a drink. I think I end up more stressed than Iago in the end! One thing though: always use those plastic cable ties—they usually give them to you at the airport. They stop the animal from opening the crate, but they’re a right pain for us to get off too. Make sure you pack a pair of scissors or a lighter in your hold luggage, otherwise you’ll be in a real spot. I usually buy some myself from a DIY shop, but wait until boarding before putting them on. An ID tag on the dog, your address on the crate, and normally everything should go smoothly. I’ve noticed that things have really improved over the last few years. More than 10 years ago, they used to bring the dogs out on the baggage carousel with the suitcases, and they weren't always the first to arrive. Nowadays, they’re brought out almost first and on a separate area that isn't a moving belt. Personally, I’ve never had any trouble, whether it was with my parents' dogs, my own, or even my cat. Maya struggled a bit to go to the toilet for 3 or 4 days after the flight, but we were staying in a hotel room so I couldn't take them out much—it was just a lot of change all at once. That said, my pets aren't naturally anxious; even my cat is more bold than anything else. I suppose it’s different for animals that are naturally timid or easily stressed. I mention Iago specifically because the little lad is on his 10th flight now. His first was at 6 months old. There's really no need to worry; taking your dog in the car is much more dangerous as accidents are more likely. People don’t always put their dog in a crate, or the crate isn't as sturdy, and even if it is, it’s not always secured properly. A lot of dogs bolt or get injured during car accidents.

Like @Kikaah, I’ve heard some really negative things about pets travelling in the hold. Someone who actually works in aircraft maintenance even told me that dogs come out of there completely stressed out. They even had an instance where a dog escaped from a crate that hadn't been shut properly and ended up on the tarmac... They had a real struggle trying to get him back.