From CNN Travel

Should cats be allowed on airplanes?

Jacqueline Swartz, CNN • Published 8th December 2022

(CNN) — At the Bogota airport, as passengers were placing their carry-ons,

laptops and purses in bins inching their way on the conveyer belt for
inspection, one item stood out: it was a cat, and its owner was putting it into
a cabin-ready case.
For most travelers, this would hardly be noticeable. Yet for me, alarm bells
rang. I am severely allergic to cats, vulnerable to allergic asthma, and a cat
was going be sharing my cabin during the six-hour Air Canada flight.
Why are cats allowed? Yes, dogs are also permitted in the cabin. Yet twice
as many people are allergic to cats as to dogs, according to the American
College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.
The culprit here is a protein found in the dried skin flakes of the animal's skin,
saliva and urine. It is microscopically tiny, as small as 2-5 microns.
"These particles are easily transported to the innermost recesses of the
lungs," explains Dr. Christopher Randolph, clinical professor of allergy,
immunology and pediatrics at the Yale School of Medicine. Randolph, who

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treats patients at his clinic in Waterbury, Connecticut, explains that the flakes
are transported by dander. "Dander is the free ride that cat allergens attach
to," he explains.
In other words, it's not fur that causes the sneezing, itchy eyes and asthma.
"People are not allergic to animal hair, but to dander, which is not related to
the length or amount of hair", emphasizes allergy and asthma specialist Dr.
Mark C. Jacobson, a former president of the Illinois Society of Allergy and
Immunology.
"There are no hypoallergenic breeds of cats or dogs," he and other
specialists keep telling their patients.
"Because dander is so small and sticky, it attaches itself to clothes, furniture,
air and airplane seats. The confined space of a plane could definitely pose a
hazard for patients with cat allergy," Jacobson says, adding that wiping down
your seat is a good idea.

Dangers of exposure
So what is a cat allergic passenger to do?
Take medications that help prevent symptoms, advises Randolph. This
includes a non-drowsy antihistamine, taken an hour before the flight, and two
puffs of a rescue inhaler (a blue puffer such as Ventolin that requires a
prescription) 15 minutes before boarding.
A mask, used to protect against Covid-19, could help prevent the dander
from getting into your airways. A HEPA air filter, which most airlines say they
use, could also help -- but not if a cat is sitting next to you.
Yet sitting far from a cat is not always possible.
On my Air Canada trip, I asked the flight attendant where the cat was located
-- only three rows behind me. Yet I was not allowed to move -- the flight was
full. Even worse, the flight attendant told me that there were other pet cases
in the plane, with either cats or dogs.
The rules are that pets must remain in their cases, and these should be
stored under the seat. The lack of room under the seat is why they are not
allowed in the bulkhead and in some premium economy and business class
areas.

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A place in first class, perhaps would be even safer. The more the seat costs,
it seems, the less chance of exposure to cats. But not all cat allergics can
spring for the front of the plane.

Different rules

Airline rules on cat transportation vary dramatically.

One thing economy passengers can do is call the airline ahead of time and
ask to reserve a seat at least five rows away from the nearest cat. The airline
might know where the cats are located, since passengers who want to take
their pets with them in the cabin must book the animal in advance.
"We try to be sensitive and move you away from cats," says Jeff Lane, who
works in the accessibility department of United Airlines. "We deal with this
day in and day out," he adds.
No other airline spokespeople contacted agreed to speak on the record.
Those who did respond to questions about their airline's policy pointed to
their website.
The pet section of an airline's website usually lists the number of pet cases
allowed on each flight. It could be two, four, even eight. This number varies,

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not only among airlines, but by the type of aircraft, and even by the
destination.
The rules are all over the place.
United Airlines allows six pet cases in the cabin of Boeing 767, 777 and 787
planes. On the Airbus 319 and 320, four pets are allowed in the cabin.
American Airlines allows seven per flight, but none on transatlantic flights.
Also, no carry-on pets are allowed to and from Barbados, Jamaica,
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Venezuela, the United Kingdom
and Ireland.
British Airways does not allow any pets in cabins, only in the hold. Air France
allows six on international flights. Emirates does not allow animals in the
cabin, "with the exception of falcons between Dubai and certain destinations
in Pakistan."
Is anything being done?
Is there any progress in at least making the public and the airline industry
aware of the cat allergy problem?
"We have been trying to raise awareness of cat allergy in cabins since 1985,"
notes Tonya Winders, president of the Virginia-based Global Allergy Airways
Patient Platform, an 82-member network of patient-based groups including
the Asthma and Allergy Network.
Winders points to the Federal Aviation Administration's Air Carrier Access
Act, which is supposed to protect people with disabilities, including severe
allergies. But the only protection the website offers is advice -- choose an
airline that does not allow cats in cabins, call ahead, and check with your
doctor.

Try your best, MrEnglishers!