Help! Flying with a cat- carriers?

[SnuggleBuggles]

Never mind! There was a totally different set of dimensions elsewhere on the website so I think I misread. Now we have one that works. Thank you!

We need to get a new carrier for ds1's cat to fly home in. I had asked him and his gf ages ago if the carrier they owned would work and I was assured that it would. Well, it is not at all in the dimensions I sent to them and now I am struggling to find one that fits Southwest's rules. It needs to be 17" (L) X10" (W) X 9.5" (H). We need this by Sunday so I was looking on Amazon. Nothing fits the sizes! I want soft sided and every one that I have looked at is too big at least 1 way. So, while ds1 keeps looking, I wanted to ask how strict they airline would be if it were a little too big. Since it is soft sided (and the cat is little), it should smoosh fine under the seat if it just an 1" too migm right? Does anyone know? I thought this would be easy.

[JustMe]

I would think that if it fits under the seat, you are fine. I am guessing that means it also "smooshes" to the required size? If so, I would definitely consider it to be fine. The rare times I have ever seen an airline measure any kind of baggage, they have seen if it fits within something, not actually taken out a ruler of anything like that.

[doberbrat]

you could call SW and ask but when I was flying w/Bourbon I had this issue and was assured that if it smooshes and he still has room to stand/turn etc then it is fine.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I would think that if it fits under the seat, you are fine. I am guessing that means it also "smooshes" to the required size? If so, I would definitely consider it to be fine. The rare times I have ever seen an airline measure any kind of baggage, they have seen if it fits within something, not actually taken out a ruler of anything like that.

you could call SW and ask but when I was flying w/Bourbon I had this issue and was assured that if it smooshes and he still has room to stand/turn etc then it is fine.

Thank you, both.