IATA has specific guidelines on the pet carrier that can be used online and the number of pets that can be carried in each pet carrier. You can make your own container or buy a ready made container that is compliant with IATA standards.The exact IATA standards are listed in the website iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/live_animals/Documents/container-requirement1-lar37.pdf or iata.org/SiteCollectionDocuments/Documents/pet_shipping.pdf. Please note that the IATA does not personally recommend or endorse any brand of pet carrier as the best for use with airlines. It’s a far better idea to check with individual airlines to find out what they require and then modify existing containers to fit their requirements.
However, you can take a look at pettravelstore.com/categories/Pet-Carriers-%26-Accessories/Pet-Carriers/,http://sleepypod.com/air and handsnpaws.com/c=EOIfL69DHu2FGBRZ6HVPWShhW/category/carriers.airlineapproved/ to find the best containers for traveling that are compliant with many of airline standards. Even after buying a container, please check the restrictions that are listed at pettravel.com/passports_container_requirements.cfm to ensure that the container is compliant with travel standards. Please note though that you will have to personally make sure that the container is compliant with the airline you are traveling with. The average cost of a container will vary from $60-$200 depending on the accessories and styles you have chosen. Most airlines now require metal containers but please do check before traveling.
