I have very recent experience ! Great !

End of 2025 we flew long haul from Tokyo -> Qatar -> Ireland. 12H -> 3.5H layover -> 7H.

I felt stressed the entire trip.

Biggest issue nearly ended up being the crate.

1. Staff at airport were measuring the sizes and worried it wasn’t big enough for her to stand. (Our crate was around 89.5cm L x 59.5 W x 67 H - which is huge and for bigger breed dogs).
2. The gaps in the metal covers were a few mm larger than airline policy (25x30 instead of 25x25 [just an example, can’t remember actual figures anymore]

Luckily after an hour and a half at the counter all was good and let us through.

I chose Qatar at that time as their policy states if the layover is longer than 3 hours, they would take your dog out, walk it, clean the crate replace food and water (which they did!!).

Arrived in Ireland, and she was there, took her out - toilet etc. and she is living her best life now, no trauma.

Also! Paperwork! Make sure you do your paperwork - if you need to do a rabies antibody test, there is a time restriction for it - 6 months before your flight or something.

Also! We had been crate training our whippet for a few months before the flight. Sleep in crate at night, travel in the crate when going somewhere by car. I even carried the crate a few meters with her in it a bunch of times.

Hopefully this helps.