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A video of a woman on a plane who was seated next to the "best" passenger has gone viral on TikTok.
The clip posted by Yolanda Diaz (@yolandaadiazz) shows a woman on a plane smiling with her hand placed over her mouth. A dog is later seen sitting between a person's legs at the bottom of a plane seat. A hand is seen caressing its face.
A message overlaid across the video reads: "Absolutely crazy that out of everyone on this flight, I am the one lucky enough to be surprised by this girl."
A caption posted with the video, which has had almost 500,000 views since it was shared on November 11, reads: "Her name was bear & it was her first time flying. the best girl."
@yolandaadiazz Her name was bear & it was her first time flying ♥️ the best girl
♬ original sound - Breanna Frederick
Can Dogs Travel in Plane Cabins?
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) says that a total of 311,149 animals were transported by airlines in 2020.
"Airlines are required to recognize dogs as service animals and accept them for transport on flights to, within and from the United States," the DOT adds. But what about pets?
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says individual airlines are allowed to decide whether their passengers can bring pets on board. Passengers should contact their carrier before traveling to confirm the airline's policy on pets.
If your airline doesn't allow you to bring your pet on board, it will need to travel in the cargo hold.
The International Air Transport Association says: "Do not worry, cats and dogs actually travel better this way because it is quieter and they will rest in a darkened environment. Despite all the fears about airline pet cargo travel, millions of animals are carried safely every year."
The FAA says: "If an airline does allow you to bring your pet into the cabin, we consider your pet container to be carry-on baggage and you must follow all carry on baggage rules."
Your pet container must meet the following requirements, as outlined by the FAA:
- Be small enough to fit underneath the seat without blocking any person's path to the main aisle of the airplane.
- Be stowed properly before the last passenger entry door to the airplane is closed in order for the airplane to leave the gate.
- Remain properly stowed the entire time the airplane is moving on the airport surface, and for take off and landing.
- Owners must follow flight attendant instructions regarding the proper stowage of their pet container.
Several TikTok users were delighted by the canine passenger in the latest viral clip. Meangirljewels wrote: "This is literally the equivalent to winning the lottery."
User shonajoanna asked: "Why does this never happen to me?"
Nicole López commented: "This would cure my flight anxiety."
Bri posted: "omggg [oh my god] my dream is to fly on an next to a dog."
Jamie Anderson wrote, "I would burst into tears," and Leonor van der Bij posted: "I would die."
ThatssoDee commented: "I'd prefer any animal beside me than a kid."
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About the writer
Soo Kim is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. She covers various lifestyle stories, specializing in Read more