Why Your Dog Can’t Sit in the Bulkhead (and Other In-Cabin Pet Rules People Learn the Hard Way)
The “bulkhead problem” in one sentence
If your pet is flying in-cabin as a carry-on, the carrier has to be able to stow under the seat in front of you—and bulkhead seats don’t have that under-seat space. Episode 68-1Federal Aviation Administration
That’s the whole plot. Everything else is just the supporting cast.
What happened (and why it happens constantly)
In Episode 68, you called out a scenario that plays out nonstop during peak travel: a passenger boards with a “normal” pet (not a service animal), sits in the bulkhead (first row / behind a wall), and then looks genuinely shocked when the crew says, “That’s not going to work.” Episode 68-1
You even said it plainly: the animal has to go under the seat…and in a bulkhead seat, there is no under-seat. Episode 68-1
This is not flight attendants being difficult. It’s physics plus safety rules plus airline policy.
The rule behind the rule: pets are treated like carry-ons
The FAA’s consumer guidance is clear that airlines decide whether they allow pets in the cabin, and if they do, the pet container counts as a carry-on item and must follow carry-on stowage rules. Federal Aviation Administration+1
Separately, FAA cabin-safety guidance emphasizes that the pet container must:
fit under the seat without blocking anyone’s path to the aisle, and
be properly stowed (including before departure) and remain properly stowed while the aircraft is moving (taxi, takeoff, landing). Federal Aviation Administration+1
So when a passenger is in a seat with no under-seat stowage, the crew can’t “make an exception” without creating a stowage/safety problem.
“But I see people with dogs up front all the time…”
Two things can be true at once:
Most airlines restrict in-cabin pets from bulkhead and exit rows.
The U.S. DOT’s consumer guidance literally calls out that many airlines prohibit pets in bulkhead and emergency exit row seats. Department of TransportationThere’s often an exception for trained service animals (not “pet in a kennel”).
In the episode, you mention the bulkhead exception: service animal versus “this isn’t…in a kennel.” Episode 68-1
And DOT rules govern service animals under the Air Carrier Access Act framework; airlines may require DOT service-animal documentation in certain cases. Department of Transportation+1
Practical translation: if you’re traveling with a pet-in-carrier, don’t assume the “dog up front” situation applies to you.
The airline-policy reality: you will lose this argument at the door
Even if a seat looks roomy, airlines usually base pet seating on stowage zones, not vibes.
Examples (so you can see the pattern in writing):
Delta: pets in cabin may not select bulkhead, exit row, or “no stowage” seats. Delta
American: carry-on pets are not permitted in bulkhead or exit row seats (and other aircraft-specific limitations). American Airlines
This is why your Episode 68 situation required moving people around—because the pet simply couldn’t be accommodated in that bulkhead position. Episode 68-1
How to avoid becoming “the bulkhead pet person”
Use this pre-flight checklist before you ever set foot in the airport:
1) Don’t pick (or accept) these seats with a carry-on pet
Bulkhead (first row / behind a wall)
Exit rows
“No stowage” / flat-bed / certain premium seats (airline dependent) Department of Transportation+2Delta+2
2) If you get upgraded into a bulkhead, decline it
This is the stealth way people get in trouble: the upgrade looks nice, then the boarding door becomes a negotiation. If you’re upgraded into a bulkhead with a pet, ask the gate agent to keep you in a standard row with under-seat stowage.
3) Confirm carrier sizing and pet limits before booking
Airlines cap:
how many pets per flight (often), and
what carrier sizes fit under seats.
If you’re shopping routes, the U.S. State Department’s international pet travel hub is also useful for understanding cross-border requirements (vaccines, paperwork, timing). State Department
TSA checkpoint: what actually happens (so you don’t panic)
TSA’s guidance is straightforward:
Remove your pet from the carrier at the checkpoint
Send the empty carrier through the X-ray
Maintain control of your pet (typically with a leash/harness) Transportation Security Administration+2Transportation Security Administration+2
Pro tip: if your pet is skittish, build extra time into your plan. The TSA process is not where you want to discover your cat can teleport.
Quick Takeaways
Bulkhead seats + pet-in-carrier = no under-seat stowage, so the carrier has nowhere to go. Episode 68-1
FAA/DOT guidance supports the stowage logic, and DOT explicitly flags bulkhead restrictions as common. Department of Transportation+1
TSA will require your pet to come out of the carrier for screening, and the carrier will be X-rayed. Transportation Security Administration+1
Related Reading (Backlinks)
FAA: Flying with Pets Federal Aviation Administration
FAA: Cabin Safety Pets FAQ (under-seat/stowage expectations) Federal Aviation Administration
U.S. DOT: Flying with a Pet (bulkhead/exit-row restrictions noted) Department of Transportation
TSA: Can I take my pet through the security checkpoint? Transportation Security Administration
Delta: Pet Travel Overview (seat restrictions example) Delta
American: Pets policy (seat restrictions example) American Airlines
Support the Show
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Question for you
What’s your most stressful “traveling with a pet” moment—booking the flight, getting through TSA, boarding, or the in-flight part where your animal suddenly decides it has opinions?
✍️ Written by Shawn Smith, a working flight attendant and co-host of Cabin Pressure with Shawn & G.
