The Friday File: Last year, US airlines carried 849 million passengers, up 3.1% versus 2016. That’s not where the growth is. In 2017, the number of pets carried by US carriers reached 784,000, up 11%. Pets are generally transported for a fee ($125 each way) in the cabin or cargo hold. The same airlines also carried 281,000 service animals, up 24%, and another 751,000 emotional-support animals, up a staggering 56%!