Review on Sky Kennel Pet Carrier by Petmate by Regina Poe

This was the only kennel I found that best met airline requirements. It is USDA and IATA approved. We were on a military train from the States, so this is just an overview of the kennel's international characteristics and requirements. Features of the children's room: This children's room has 11 plastic bolt holes. That's the only requirement this stand doesn't meet. The kit included plastic nuts. Metal nuts and bolts are now required for every flight. This holder has 11 screw holes and 4 additional mounting holes. My airline specifically said that each hole must have a screw. So we needed 15 metal nuts and bolts for the bracket. Some airlines allow you to leave 4 mounting holes, but make sure you order screws in advance to get the right amount. We had to and have had to buy 3 sets due to delivery time restrictions. Metal studs didn't have a basic option on Amazon. But that's what you need. Screw Nuts for Metal Fasteners of Pet Carriers (Medium 1-1/4" Screws, Pack of 16). 16 packs provide more security than regret. Ready. Kennel doors must be zipped in place. Use quick disconnects, it is best. Various 8" Nylon Quick Release Zip Ties. Make sure you insist on tying your dogs yourself! I saw the keeper get it wrong and had to redo it myself. So glad I got a quick release tie .A friend did the same thing, only they didn't realize the security guard just threaded it through a hole and not your dog was untied in his belly plane after ripping open the door Which brings me to the next Feature. Has a one-piece metal door - be sure to follow this rule, one-piece metal door. Plastic is not allowed! Some large kennel doors have an F old ones in the middle of the door to make packing easier. Some airlines do not specify the type of door, and some prohibit folding. This gives the dog a chance to yank at the door, which then collapses, allowing the dog to escape. The kennel door is in one piece. Has protruding stems/side handles. This fulfills the requirement for a "spreading edge with ventilation holes that protrudes at least 3/4 on all sides”. with a handle (this has been known to fail in some cabins) and to prevent the possibility of a dog bite or contact with the hands of the people moving. This kennel specifies that the rim is to be used as side handles. Has air holes on 4 sides. Requirement: Air holes must be "on all four sides, on each side at least half". This kennel has metal bars and even better! I had a friend whose dog chewed through the space between the plastic holes during a flight. Some nurseries show in the picture that they have air holes in the back, but after ordering they find that they don't have air holes in the back on the smaller sizes. Especially cat carriers. Note. Domestic flights only require 2 vent sides but they fold and pack cages like luggage and airflow will be limited. Go with ventilation on all sides. Dinnerware - it was actually deep enough to be functional. Kennels with utensils fastened to the inside of the walls are not allowed. Airlines should be able to "reach door-mounted dishes without opening the kennel door," they do so through hoppers. On my main international flight with two connections and a 20 hour flight, the dogs were never fed or watered. Even though it's the law. My advice: freeze your water before flying so it doesn't get mixed up, or better yet, get a bottle of Lixit water to keep your dog hydrated. We have 16 ounce Lixit Small Dog Water Bottle stickers. This kennel comes with stickers, which is a requirement, but airlines have them and will use their own as well. The stickers that come with it suck and leave a terrible aftertaste. The airlines taped the paper sticker bag over the required "Live Animal" sticker in 1-inch letters on the top of the box. When he removed this he lifted the sticker lower and ruined the new kennels. My advice: take stickers and stick them where needed at check-in once the paperwork covers the entire top of the booth and use the airline stickers whenever possible. So there should be enough space in the front and back. So we needed a bigger kennel, much bigger than our previous kennel. Some will say that the rule of thumb is that as long as they can turn around, it's fine. But that's the IATA length rule. The IATA height includes the ears and the ears must not touch the top of the kennel when standing. Again, why did we have to increase the size (hell Chihuahua). Having traveled with my pets on over 6 different flights, I can say that most flight attendants are unaware of pet requirements. One of them told me they weren't even trained to the requirements and offered to let both dogs go to the same kennel (international no-no). But I had one who knew his stuff and used a tape measure. So better safe than sorry! Traveling with your pet, no matter how far, is stressful. Due to long international flights, dogs get nervous and try to escape, sometimes successfully in cheap kennels. So take this one! Airlines have different requirements and rules. Buying new ones is better than trying to modify existing nurseries. Save time! Get this kennel and all you need to buy are zip ties (preferably by hand), metal studs and some puppy pads. I understand that this is a lot more information than is needed for the review, but I know how difficult it was to get this information. Please mark this as helpful so it can help others through the difficult process of kindergarten requirements. Safe journey!