3 Responses for "Sherpa Ultimate Pet Dog Cat Carrier Crate on Wheels Large 20″ X 11.75″ X 11.5″"

1. J. Cartwright "jcart" January 12th, 2012 at 3:29 pm 1
   62 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

   
   Not all airlines accept this carrier, October 25, 2009

   By 

   J. Cartwright “jcart” (Girard, OH USA) –
   
     

   This review is from: Sherpa Ultimate Pet Dog Cat Carrier Crate on Wheels Large 20″ X 11.75″ X 11.5″ (Misc.)

   This review is for the MEDIUM size carrier, but if you’re looking for an “airline approved” carrier, you should read it.
   First of all, there is no such thing as and “airline approved” carrier. Here’s why. Airlines are capricious about what carriers they will allow, this varies from flight to flight, and it has nothing to do with their written policies or the kind of plane you’re in. If the flight attendants decide it doesn’t fit under the seat, and they vary in their opinions about this, you can’t fly with it. I had taken my dog in his wheeled Sherpa (medium) carrier on 15 trips in the 18 months I had the carrier, on US Air, AirTran, United, and Frontier (before Frontier quit allowing in-cabin pets). Most of the trips were on AirTran. But on an AirTran flight last year there were four people with pets on the plane, all with the same size Sherpa carriers (mine was the only one with wheels, and btw the wheels don’t make the carrier that much taller, and the carrier will squish down a bit if necessary). One of the flight attendants decided the carriers were all too big and ordered the four passengers to put their pets in an 8″ x 17″ x 12″ hard-sided plastic box. Three of us complied, but one couple elected to get off the plane rather than subject their pet to such a cramped carrier.
   I love this Sherpa carrier and so does my dog. At home, I leave it out, and he goes into it often. It’s his “safe place”. But I haven’t taken him with me on a flight since that happened (and I haven’t traveled AirTran either).
   The only other problem with the carrier is that one of the wheels broke off and there seems to be no way to fix it. But since I can’t use it for flying anymore, that doesn’t matter.
   Other than that, it’s just a great carrier, and the wheels worked fine for me (when they were all attached). I could easily pull my wheeled carry-on alongside the Sherpa with the same hand. The carry-on helped keep the Sherpa on track. But even by itself, the Sherpa was very easy to pull and turn as long as you kept its low center of gravity in mind when turning. You get the hang of it after awhile.
   I’d get a guarantee from the airline that you can bring your carrier on board before I booked my seat. But unfortunately, once on board, you’re at the mercy of the flight attendants. What they say goes, and since 9/11 and the Patriot Act, some of them have turned into Air Nazis.

   Additional Note: I just now discovered on the Sherpa Pet Group web site that Sherpa has begun a “Guaranteed On Board” program, a partnership between them and several airlines. If you fill out the form on their web site, and take it with you when you travel to present to the airline, supposedly Sherpa will pay for your flight if you are denied boarding with their carriers (small and medium size carriers only on all airlines except Northwest). They don’t say how you are supposed to get home if you are denied boarding though. This isn’t Sherpa’s fault. Obviously, they are doing all they can to remove barriers to in-cabin pet travel. [...]

   Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 

   Was this review helpful to you? 
   

   
   |

    Comment (1)

2. kw January 12th, 2012 at 4:01 pm 2
   13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

   
   Great but buy one without wheels!, August 1, 2009

   By 

   kw (houston, tx) –

   This review is from: Sherpa Ultimate Pet Dog Cat Carrier Crate on Wheels Large 20″ X 11.75″ X 11.5″ (Misc.)

   I purchased this bag to move my cat internationally. Overall I’m pleased but I’d buy another model if I had to do it again.

   Best feature: well made, and love the roll-down sides, good when you don’t want to call attention to the fact that you’re carrying a pet, or if your animal is spooked.

   Worst feature: the wheels! What was I thinking? Another friend bought the same thing and we both regret the stupid wheels. Fortunately, about 30 minutes with a screwdriver and you can take them off. 1) The wheels add about an inch of height to the bag. With limited underseat storage, wouldn’t you want that inch to go to your pet? Many airlines limit the size of the carrier, and you might be using this on multiple airlines so you don’t want to buy something that blows the limit! 2) No, it’s just not practical to wheel your pet. It doesn’t roll that well, and you feel better with the animal being carried. As I mentioned before, I took the wheels off and then it was great, but why pay for a feature you’re not going to use?

   A hint: you can buy liner pads to go inside your carrier, good if you think your pet might have an accident!

   Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 

   Was this review helpful to you? 
   

   
   |

    Comments (4)

3. Kalamazoo January 12th, 2012 at 4:36 pm 3
   19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

   
   Love the Wheels for Airplane Travel, August 15, 2009

   By 

   Kalamazoo (New York City) –

   Amazon Verified Purchase(What’s this?)

   This review is from: Sherpa Ultimate Pet Dog Cat Carrier Crate on Wheels Large 20″ X 11.75″ X 11.5″ (Misc.)

   I’ve travelled on several airplanes with my two 16-lb pups and by far, it’s easiest when you have something to wheel them around in. They’re just too heavy to be carried by shoulder strap or in your hand (my husband can do it but I tire out quickly). The trip for them is also a little less jerky since they glide along the floor smoothly.

   These are expensive bags but they’re worth it. They have a good sturdy construction that doesn’t bend out of shape (like the cheaper version of this bag does), and the base of it also stays nice and sturdy and straight (the cheap one I got broke in the middle and my pup started dragging on the ground–no good).

   My dachshund-mix pups were too big for the medium size but they fit right in these and actually look comfortable inside. I also like that the sides can be put up or down, depending on whether you want your pet to see out or if you want to keep them nice and calm in total darkness (or warm if it’s drafty). The pockets are also handy for your stuff (given that this one bag is all you can carry on, in addition to one “personal item” like a purse).

   Although these were pricey, they’re really worth it. Especially if you plan to travel on a plane with your pet more than once. To be upfront I have yet to take them on the plane with these (so I don’t know how well they’ll fit under the seat), but with my experience I think it should be fine, since with a soft carrier you can squish the bag down a little to fit.

   It’s also good to have something with the brandname Sherpa on it–one flight attendant who was checking me in almost didn’t let me on the plane because my old carrier wasn’t “Sherpa.”

   (Tip for making sure your pet is happy in the carrier: feed it and give it treats in the carrier so he/she builds positive associations with being inside the bag before the trip.)

   Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 

   Was this review helpful to you? 
   

   
   |

    Comment (1)