The cargo hold is pressurized and temperature controlled, with the temp usually at about 20 degrees colder than the cabin (at altitude).
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Cargo travel is stressful for any pet, young or old. Senior pets, pets prone to anxiety, or those in general poor health are at increased risk of heart failure during travel. Please consult your vet before travel to ensure your dog or cat has a clean bill of health and is an appropriate candidate for cargo travel.
Cargo travel is stressful for any pet, young or old. Senior pets, pets prone to anxiety, or those in general poor health are at increased risk of heart failure during travel.
According to estimates released by the Department of Transportation, less than 1 in 10,000 animals were injured, lost, or killed from flying. That said, the general safety of flying your pet as cargo doesn't discount the gravity of the fact that animals are sometimes harmed by flying in the cargo hold.
The first question that arises is whether a commercial cargo plane is pressurised. If asked in one word, it's yes. Most commercial air freighters predominantly use pressurised fleets. The majority of cargo that is shipped requires temperature and pressure controls.
Your pet dog or cat is secured inside their IATA-compliant crate before boarding the flight. Most airlines ensure your pet boards and disembarks the aircraft on priority. The cargo hold has a special area for pets, and your pet's crate is secured in the plane in its designated space.
Since planes are designed to fly in this temperature, cold weather on the ground does not, by itself, inhibit flight. However, cold weather can impact activities on the ground. While less of an issue for take-off, an icy or wet ground can extremely inhibit a plane's ability for landing safely.
As long as the inside of the aircraft is kept warm enough, planes can take off and land in temperatures as low as minus 67 degrees Fahrenheit. It's often not much warmer than that outside your window at altitude. If you've ever put your hand on the wall or window when you're flying, you'll note that it's cold, sure.
Typically, cargo fire suppression systems have an initial high-rate knockdown discharge, followed by a low-rate metered discharge of Halon 1301, designed to keep the fire suppressed for continued safe flight and landing at the nearest suitable airport. Halon can be discharged into the forward or aft cargo compartment.
So, yes you can survive. Stowing away in the wheel well is almost certain death. Some cargo holds are pressurized and some are not. people have survived in non-pressurized holds and people have died in non-pressurized holds.
Falling luggage is an accident that can happen on any flight, given that almost every passenger travels with luggage of some kind. In the event that falling luggage hits you and injures you, you could take initiative and file a lawsuit against the airline to seek compensation for your expenses.
On most international airlines, pets travel in their own individual cages/crates within the cargo hold which is pressurised and heated to 'normal' room temperature similar to the passenger cabin. The ambient temperature outside an aircraft at 35,000 feet is -59 degrees celsius, animals couldn't survive that.
Actually, it's fairly often that you can hear dogs barking in cargo when you're seated in first class. Usually you can hear them during the boarding process and soon after landing.
Dogs' ears can be sensitive to changes in air pressure during flights, which can cause discomfort or pain. Providing your dog with plenty of water and a comfortable carrier can help alleviate these symptoms.
Having your pet travel via cargo instead of checked baggage would be best. When pets fly via cargo, they are not attached to your ticket, which means they can fly separately from you and be more easily tracked and monitored.
Usually dogs are only allowed to fly in the cabin—known as carry-on pets—if they can comfortably fit in a carrier that you can stow under the seat in front of you. A small number of airlines, including JetBlue, Alaska Airlines, and Etihad Airways, allow passengers flying with dogs to buy an extra seat for their pet.
In most cases, if the layover is under 3 hours and if your pet is traveling in the cargo hold as checked baggage or air cargo, it will be transferred from one airplane to the next as long as you are staying on the same airline.