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Brachycephalic breeds, or short-nose dogs, can not fly in cargo as there have been many incidents.

Most airlines have regulations about being able to fly with your dog in the cabin, but the dog has to fit below the seat and inside a pet-approved carry-on. Many people used to then make their pet an "emotional pet" but airlines recently stopped allowing this. With this said...

My French bulldog is a big one and it does not fit under the seat so it is technically impossible for me to travel with him under all the regulations imposed now. I keep hearing that now people are making their dogs service animals but I doubt a French bulldog can be a service animal...

Has anyone with a similar breed and scenario found an option for flying with their dog?

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    Where are you located and where do you intend to travel?
    – Steve V
    Commented Oct 24, 2022 at 20:35
  • I thought, this regulations only count, if you want to have the dog as luggage. Maybe it is possible to buy the dog an own ticket? So one seat would be for the dog? (I have rabbits, it is nearly not possible to have a container they can stand upright in - which is one constraint - and fit under a seat...)
    – Allerleirauh
    Commented Oct 25, 2022 at 7:28
  • It also depends on the airline - I remember someone at the local dog park who had a JRT/pug cross that had to take a longer air route cause the airline that did direct flights wouldn't fly him
    – Journeyman Geek ♦
    Commented Oct 25, 2022 at 12:55
  • I am located in Miami FL. More than having a specific trip planned, I want to know if there is a way I can use when traveling with any airlines or at least most...
    – J.S
    Commented Oct 25, 2022 at 18:46
  • Leaving this for anyone who has had this thought: please do not just "make your dog" a service animal unless you have a legitimate need. Service animals serve a vital function for people who need them, and people who fake them with ill-trained dogs make life even harder for those with properly trained service dogs.
    – shainanigans
    Commented Nov 2, 2022 at 15:53

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As you've noted it's increasingly difficult to fly with short-nosed dogs - some airlines don't fly them at all, some airlines will fly certain short-nosed breeds but not others, and some allow short-nosed dogs in the cabin only so long as they fit under the seat.

Since you are US based I believe the only domestic airlines that still allow brachycephalic breeds in the cargo section of the plane as of 2022 are Aloha Air Cargo, Amerijet, Hawaiian Air and Pacific Air Cargo. This is obviously very limited. Internationally Amerijet, Lufthansa, Etihad, Gulf Air, and Copa will fly bulldogs in cooler weather months. [1]

It might be too costly to be worth it if you are just traveling temporarily and for a short while, but there are pet relocation services you can hire that support domestically and internationally transporting short-nosed breeds - depending on your location/destination they often coordinate a mix of ground transport and pet-specific air transport.

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  • I would not consider cargo because it is dangerous for the breed. Many dogs have died in cargo which is one of the reasons many banned it.
    – J.S
    Commented Nov 2, 2022 at 16:54

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