This woman tried to sneak her dog onto an airplane to save $250 in fees. Here’s how it went.
Sometimes it’s easier to travel with your pet than to leave them behind in someone else’s care, especially if you’re going to be away for a while, don’t have a trusted friend or relative to leave them with, or can’t afford pet care.
Or maybe you just want to bring your cute companion along on your trip.
Whatever the reason may be, people fly with their pets all the time. There was even a surge in people traveling with their emotional support animals a few years ago. But bringing your pet along can be expensive, with more airlines charging upwards of $100 each way to bring ’em on board.
That’s why this woman found a work around.
How this traveler snuck her dog onto her flight
In a viral video that’s nearing a million views, Raijéén (@_geebeauty) explained that she was traveling with her Yorkie, Elijah, but didn’t want to pay the $125 fee to bring him on the plane.
She went through TSA with him on a leash and they didn’t ask any questions. Once she went through Raijéén stayed far away from her gate so that none of the flight agents would clock her.
When it was near boarding time Raijéén popped him into what appears to be a doggy travel purse and put a blanket on top of it to cover the four legged friend that was inside.
Elijah made it to the seat and started letting out small whimpers but soon stopped. They landed safely without ever getting caught.
“Guess what? $125 where b*tches? We [expletive] made it,” she says in the clip.
“I mean, babies sit on laps for free – why not dogs under seats?” argued commentator Bob Morris in an NPR segment about sneaking his dog everywhere from the zoo to the train to on a flight.
There is no standard set of rules for traveling with a pet, aside from the fact that in most cases, they must travel in an FAA-approved hard-sided kennel that can fit under the seat.
How much does it cost to fly with your pet?
Each airline charges a different amount to let you bring on your furry companion. Here’s the charge for major airlines:
- American Airlines: In cabin, $150 each way
- Alaska: In cabin, $100 each way, in baggage compartment $150 each way
- Delta: $95 each way for domestic flights, $200 each way for international
- United: $150 each way, but if you bring two pets you need to pay for a separate seat
- Jetblue: In cabin, $125 each way
- Spirit: $125 each way
Depending on what airline you fly, where you’re going, and how big your pet is, you could end up paying anywhere from $200 to $400 extra for a roundtrip flight just to bring your pet with you.
If you are going to bring your furry friend on board, the Companion Pet Travel site recommends you get your pet up to date on vaccines before flying, ensure they’re microchipped or have an ID tag, and are trained to be calm in a small space for an extended period of time.
If your animal is a nervous traveler, it could be helpful to get anti-anxiety meds prescribed by the vet.
Funnily enough, Raijéén has Kendrick Lamar’s summer-hit diss track “Not Like Us” playing in the background. Interpret that as you will.
@_geebeauty Because who paying $125 for a flight? We dont even pay for carry on bags #yorkiesoftiktok #boyyorkiemom #yorkie #airport #fyp #viral #airporthack ♬ Not Like Us – Instrumental Reprod. by 2legitjay – BrokenHartedMan187
Commenters warn of less well-behaved pets
People in the comments section had mixed reactions.
“My dog would start barking like a crazy person,” a top comment read.
“Your yorkie has home training. Mine on the other hand act like he has silver caps in his damn mouth” a person said.
“My anxiety would of been through the roof,” another added.
“If your dog is well behaved and quiet in the bag they won’t know,” a commenter wrote.
The Daily Dot reached out to Raijéén and Spirit for comment via email.
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