Pets in Cargo Flying International to UK

Hi Aarti,

Actually Delta will let you carry one or two if they are small and fit in the same carrier, I read it online and talked to them today, problem is the third cat will probably have to go with my husband in a truck across country for four days, I just don't like that, I know he'll take good care of her but she won't enjoy it at all!

Emily

I am flying from Calif. to North Carolina

THere are many airlines that will let you carry pets in cabin.. I know for certain that Delta and Northwest allow it because i fly them regularly on international flights. THe important thing to remember is that they only allow a certain number of carry-ons per flight. For example, Delta only allows 2 carry-ons (for the whole cabin) in Coach and then 1 for Business and i for Business Elite. The key is to check the websites. Don't rely on word of mouth and as soon as you know you are traveling with a pet make the reservation so you can get your pet on the plane as a carry on.Its allow about planning.

True it is about planning, I've been talking to Delta and feel good about them, I'll probably book with them, in order to not have a problem you have to book over the phone (they only allow two people to carry on pets and if there are others who already booked you could be turned away when you show up!) that costs an extra 25.00 but it's worth it!

Emily

True it is about planning, I've been talking to Delta and feel good about them, I'll probably book with them, in order to not have a problem you have to book over the phone (they only allow two people to carry on pets and if there are others who already booked you could be turned away when you show up!) that costs an extra 25.00 but it's worth it!

Emily

Hi Emily,

Thanks! The problem is most airlines don't allow pets on long flights. I wish I didn't have to move back home to India but its too late for that now. LOL! My flight is 15 hours! I was petrified of putting my little kitten in the cargo for that long with nobody even looking to see if she was okay. No matter what airlines say, the staff doesn't care about your pets. Especially Indian authorities. Its horrible, some of stories I heard from my friends who are flight attendants. But thanks for the suggestion though.

-Aarti

Hi Kelly thank you for this posting, it has settled my mind a little. i am due to bring my cat from USA January next year and i am so worried about it. any information you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
i am flying him from Atlanta GA to Gatwick london then driving him up to scotland.

I have just received a quote to fly my two cats from Tampa to the UK of $3995 !!!! This company are the only ones acceptable by defra from Tampa and they fly via Gatwick - Im not even sure if this includes the trip to Scotland. I'm aghast! I have had quotes of £800 for the two of them to fly out - is this a rip off or what?

Christine in United Kingdom said: I have just received a quote to fly my two cats from Tampa to the UK of $3995 !!!! This company are the only ones acceptable by defra from Tampa and they fly via Gatwick - Im not even sure if this includes the trip to Scotland. I'm aghast! I have had quotes of £800 for the two of them to fly out - is this a rip off or what?

Hi Christine,

Is this a quote from a "pet travel agent" or from the airline? Some airlines (Zoom was one before they went bankrupt) require customers to use 3rd party agents, and yes, the agents do charge much more.

See if you can find an airline that will let you take care of the arrangements yourself, since in that case you're usually charged only a "live animal freight" cost. Still, $800 for both cats together seems too low to be believable. I flew one cat from Toronto to Heathrow in June on Air Canada, making all the arrangements myself, and it came to about $1000. If there aren't any other options from Tampa, could you fly out of another airport in Florida?

Good luck!

Jennifer in London, United Kingdom said: Hi Christine,

Is this a quote from a "pet travel agent" or from the airline? Some airlines (Zoom was one before they went bankrupt) require customers to use 3rd party agents, and yes, the agents do charge much more.

See if you can find an airline that will let you take care of the arrangements yourself, since in that case you're usually charged only a "live animal freight" cost. Still, $800 for both cats together seems too low to be believable. I flew one cat from Toronto to Heathrow in June on Air Canada, making all the arrangements myself, and it came to about $1000. If there aren't any other options from Tampa, could you fly out of another airport in Florida?

Good luck!

Hi Jennifer - thanks for your reply
It is actually 800 pounds that I have been quoted to fly them out,not dollars and that is with them both in one container. The quote of $4000 dollars is from a pet transport company who will only fly them in separate containers and seems to be the only one operating from Tampa. I think the next airport is Fort Lauderdale but Tampa is just up the road!
How easy is it to arrange the flights yourself as cargo and is it acceptable to do so?836

malti in HHI, South Carolina said: FLY DELTA! Your small animal can fly inside. As well, on Air France and Continental.
If you have to do a connecting flight then do it.
Pets die in cargo the airline is not responsible.
When I was a flight attendant, I witness a dog jumping out of the cargo hold at Phoenix airport. The dog ran all around the runways will the owner looked out the window in horror.
I have no idea what the end result was with that dog....
But, I will never check my dog in cargo.
If you love your animal, fly them inside the plane!!!!!!!
British Airways is the only air carrier that I know of that makes small animals fly as cargo.

Yes, your animal can go inside the plane on international flights. I have flown to London, Paris, Venice with my dog..
inside the plane.
Is it SAFE? Well, are you willing to risk the life of your dog... and have the airline say you signed a wavier saying death is possible?
Fly the dog in the cabin. Seriously.

How did you fly them into England in the cabin?

Dear Lisa

However your advise sounds resonably finally you worked as a flight attendant but I recomend putting your puppy or catty inside of your panties or even in bra beacuse they willl charge for carring on board but want do it if it is nested inside of you garment...so I did that twice succesfuly...good luck

Hi Christine,

Sorry for the delay in replying. Yes, £800 sounds about right to me - sorry for misreading! In my experience, arranging the flight yourself is straightforward. In fact, when I did look into using a pet agent, I was astonished at how little they actually did for their premium; I would still have been responsible for completing all the paperwork (and would be liable if anything was wrong), dropping my cat off at the airport, and picking him up afterwards, as well as all the veterinary stuff beforehand of course. It seemed that the only difference was where I would drop him off and pick him up.

Now, as to whether it's acceptable to make the arrangements yourself, it seems that that's entirely dependent on the airline (and airport). When I looked into Zoom, they required that customers use a company called Ladyhaye. In contrast, Air Canada and British Airways were perfectly accustomed to dealing with the customer directly (although I have to admit that at least for BA, their customer service left something to be desired).

If you check out www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/pets/pdf/noneu-air.pdf, you'll see which carriers are allowed for each airport and in some cases it also indicates whether a pet agent is required. E.g. for Tampa, it says that the only carrier is BA World Cargo, and you have to use a pet shipper. For Fort Lauderdale, the only option is Thompson Airlines to Manchester. As a small airline, I wouldn't be surprised if they required a pet agent too, although it doesn't say so. At least from Manchester it's a shorter journey to Scotland. Thompson also says accompanied animals only, i.e. you would have to fly on the same flight (although I imagine you would anyway).

I hope that helps. I would say that if you have the option of making the arrangements yourself, it's worth it - it's nervewracking, but on the other hand, you know everything's been done right without leaving it to someone else.

Good luck!

malti in HHI, South Carolina said: Please don't fly your dog in the cargo.
Its very cruel... and the noise level will make them deaf.

Change your air tickets and fly on an airline that will allow the animal to fly in the cabin.
If the airline will not change you tickets... have your vet write a letter stating that the dog cannot fly in the cargo... and that it is a therapy animal....
Therapy animals can fly in cabin without fee.
You need the animal with you to fly. Ok.. there is your answer..
get a letter from your doctor stating you need the animal with you to fly.
The dog is a therapy animal..
Notify the airline that you will be flying with a therapy animal.
Federal Law in America prohibits airlines from denying incabin travel to thrapy animals. Look up the
Americans with Disibilies Act.

Please can you let me know more about Therapy Animals. I am trying to sort it out for me and my cat to fly from the UK to Tampa Florida for urgent medical treatment that they don't have in this country. My cat needs to be with me in the cabin at both ways as he is ill and will still be ill after the treatment (Cancer). I have not heard of this rule. Can you point me in the right direction please, Thank you. Kimble.

Zoe in Zerkow, Poland said: Dear Lisa

However your advise sounds resonably finally you worked as a flight attendant but I recomend putting your puppy or catty inside of your panties or even in bra beacuse they willl charge for carring on board but want do it if it is nested inside of you garment...so I did that twice succesfuly...good luck

10 years ago this would work. On an international flight, this is no longer possible on so many levels

Aarti Gupta in Lansing, Michigan said: You can fly NWA and they let you carry your pets in the cabin with you where you know they're safe. I don't trust cargo and I was able to find an airline that will let me carry my kitten on the plane with me all the way to India. No other airline will do so. I tried Continental, AA, Air France, Emirates...but none of them allows you to carry your pets in the cabin.

hey aarti....how much did it cost for u to carry ur pet wid u to india..cz am in a similar situation,so jst wntd to knw...

I'm flying my kitty for the first time home for christmas, its only a hour and a half flight, but they're expecting snow, which means delays... What should I do about my kitty? She is going to get restless. I thought about buying her a cat leash and letting her walk around (even though this is really frowned on, i doubt they will say anything to me since they will have many other issues of flights are getting delayed) and also what should I do if she needs to go to the bathroom?

Does anybody know if Delta or UA allows to carry my 10pound dog in the cabin? I am flying from Columbus Oh to Buenos Aires, Argentina. (south america)
I called UA, first they said yes, the next minute no. Web site is unclear. I called Delta, they assured me a YES. I went to the web site and the international is also unclear about being able to carry her WITH ME. I do not want any surprises last minute!! I WONT make her travel if she goes as cargo.

Hi,

Delta is good domestically about letting you fly pets in cabin, but they only allow 3 on a plane so you have to book on the phone for 25.00 more, I don't know about international, but guess it's the same. I flew with my kitty from California to North Carolina. The only bad thing and fortunately I knew about it before hand was that the TSA makes you remove animals from the carrier so they can xray the bag, so I had a harness on her (which avoided tragedy, she tried to go through the ceiling out of fear, I hung onto the harness, not a peep out of her the rest of the trip, poor thing, she's happily at home in our new house now, but what a trial, I worried so much over taking her out of the carrier, dogs should be easier).

Emily

I know they allow domestic flights in the cabin....my biggest concern is international. It is a 12 hr flight and if they tell me last minute at the gate "oh no, pet goes with luggage!" I will throw a fit! I won't do it. Web site is very unclear. Customer service, they read directly from the web site. Nobody has a clear answer. Poor kitty of yours! Thank

Ester Jones in Boston, Massachusetts said: I'm flying my kitty for the first time home for christmas, its only a hour and a half flight, but they're expecting snow, which means delays... What should I do about my kitty? She is going to get restless. I thought about buying her a cat leash and letting her walk around (even though this is really frowned on, i doubt they will say anything to me since they will have many other issues of flights are getting delayed) and also what should I do if she needs to go to the bathroom?

They will say something to you. There are some flight attendants who would overlook that kind of a thing like me back in the day when I used to be one,but most of them will not let you put your kitty on a leash in a plane or in a terminal . What you should do is go to the vet they will give you a pill that will take the restless away. It lasts up to so many hours to make the flight easier on your pet. Also as far as the bathroom goes make sure your pet goes b4 the flight and he should be fine until the plane lands. Also despite of what your vet says bring a little water bottle with the pet especially if the pet is going into cargo.

I used to work for an airline that crushed a dog while in cargo and they offered the family a puppy when they landed in their destination which I thought was cruel beyond anything. After being a Flight Attendant I would never put my pet in cargo another thing that I wanted to mention to many of you who are traveling with your pets make sure that the breed of your dog is allowed in the country you are traveling to that seems to be a big issue. Hope this helps.

Hi,

Delta won't tell you your pet has to go in cargo if you book on the phone and tell them you want to carry your pet into the cabin with you, call them.

Emily

Hi Deb,
I think that anybody traveling into the UK with pets should take the time to actually PHONE DEFRA in England and speak to a professional there about all aspects of the process so that you hear it from a professional who truly knows their own rules. My mother moved back to the UK from the USA two years ago, followed the steps and all went fine. She actually got her dog very quickly at Heathrow when she arrived. She traveled with BA. There's no need to use an 'agent' - they only charge you for work that you can really do by yourself. But my advice is 1) speak to DEFRA yourself to get every question answered by THEM and 2) try to find a vet locally who has already had success in prepping animals for travel into the UK, so you know they have completed the process and filled out all the forms before. I'm preparing my dog in LA for travel to the UK and made sure to use a vet who had already prepared many dogs for UK travel so we wouldn't make a mistake in the process. An experienced vet would KNOW that it goes: microchip, vaccine, titre (sent to University of Kansas - the ONLY approved lab for this in the US), positive anitibody result from lab, wait six months from date of blood being for titre test, tick and worm treatment before travel. Good luck!

Hello, I wanting to move in the next couple of years to the UK and I have a 5 pound Papillion that is four years old. I desperately want to take him with me as carry on. I looked at the site dogfriendly.com and it said that ALL dogs must fly via cargo. It did not mention very small dogs though. I can fufill all of the requirements that Britain's PETS program requires except this one. I will NOT let my dog go as cargo even with sedatives! Any knowledge about this would be very helpful. Thanks

Hi Doglover,

There are no exceptions to the cargo rule, even for small dogs and cats; the cargo regulation has nothing to do with the size of the pet, but rather the inspection procedure that begins as soon as the pet leaves the plane. Incidentally, sedatives are not recommended in general, and every airline I contacted when I was preparing my cat to fly to the UK had a rule against sedation (not that I was going to do it anyway). I should also add that certain types of dog are not permitted to fly, but I think that's just snub-nosed breeds.

If you read through this thread, you'll see some people suggesting obtaining "assistance dog" status. I have no idea how easy this is, but if it's a lie, I would be loathe to jeopardize my pet (denied boarding, taken away after landing, etc.).

Someone else has suggested "sneaking" the pet into the UK via train from France. Again, I'm not sure whether this is just a loophole, or actually illegal (which again means your pet could be confiscated from you). My understanding is that all PETS documentation (for the US, the Third Country Official Vet Certificate) must be completed in its entirety in a single "listed" country... and that includes the tick and tapeworm treatment administered 24-48 hours before check-in. I believe that after you land in France, you would have to have the treatment re-administered, and I'm not even sure a French vet could do that on the same document, since the EU uses a pet passport. I recall the person who suggested the France option in the first place implied that she hid her pet and the customs official who boarded the train didn't notice the animal. However, I can only imagine what would have happened if he had noticed.

A third option that might work for you, given that you're not planning to move for a couple of years is to take the Queen Elizabeth II cruise ship. I understand that this is allowed under PETS, although I don't know in what conditions the pets are kept during the trips.

Hi,
I am in the early planning stages of importing a dog from the US to England, and would appreciate any guidance with this. The dog currently resides in Denver - I have two options: a) flying the dog direct from Denver to Heathrow with BA or b) the present owner transporting the dog to New York, I would fly out to collect the dog and fly back to the UK from Newark to Manchester UK with Continental. What costs will I expect to pay for the shipping - I do not want to use an agent. The size of dog is quite large - approx 100-110 lbs, and I intend to use a Vari Kennel 700.
Thanks
Anne

Hi Anne,

Each airline sets their own fees, and they're usually not posted online because they're subject to change. If you call BA and Continental and let them know (a) the weight of the dog PLUS carrier, (b) the dimensions of the carrier, and (c) the appoximate date of travel (the month at least), then they should be able to give you a fairly accurate estimate. I suggest you contact the offices at the departure airport, as if you contact the offices in the UK, they may give you incorrect information.

Incidentally, I presume it's the current owner who's taking care of all the PETS requirements. Make sure they know exactly what needs to be done from start to finish. If there is any problem with the documentation upon arrival in the UK, it will be you as the person taking "delivery" who will be held responsible.

Good luck!

Jennifer

Jennifer in London, United Kingdom said: Hi Anne,

Each airline sets their own fees, and they're usually not posted online because they're subject to change. If you call BA and Continental and let them know (a) the weight of the dog PLUS carrier, (b) the dimensions of the carrier, and (c) the appoximate date of travel (the month at least), then they should be able to give you a fairly accurate estimate. I suggest you contact the offices at the departure airport, as if you contact the offices in the UK, they may give you incorrect information.

Incidentally, I presume it's the current owner who's taking care of all the PETS requirements. Make sure they know exactly what needs to be done from start to finish. If there is any problem with the documentation upon arrival in the UK, it will be you as the person taking "delivery" who will be held responsible.

Good luck!

Jennifer

Thanks Jennifer - your comments are appreciated. My dogs current owner is taking care of the PETS requirements with extra guidance from myself - one of my closest friends is my vet and she is monitoring everything.

I will contact the airlines for costs as you advised.

Anne

VPK in Toronto, Ontario said: Jen,

Have you spoken to your vet? I believe they can be given some kind of sedative to calm them down.

Contact the airline and see maybe you will be able to have them on board with you guys.

My current dog came from Europe and she on board not in cargo.

I would think cargo can be safe however confirm with your vet and or airline.

Hope this helps.

Do not drug an animal; if and when it wears off, the animal could freak out even more and the UK ONLY allows pets in as cargo manifested.

Hello,

Can anyone help!! I wish to travel with my small dog of 16 lbs as access luggage from Toronto to the UK. Am I allowed to bring her on the flight with me in a proper carrier and still be allowed in the uK? I understand about going through the PET scheme, eg; micro chip, rabies ect.. also once she has her blood work, where does that get sent to? Is it here in toronto or UK?

Kindly please help

Monika

doglover in San Clemente, California said: Hello, I wanting to move in the next couple of years to the UK and I have a 5 pound Papillion that is four years old. I desperately want to take him with me as carry on. I looked at the site dogfriendly.com and it said that ALL dogs must fly via cargo. It did not mention very small dogs though. I can fufill all of the requirements that Britain's PETS program requires except this one. I will NOT let my dog go as cargo even with sedatives! Any knowledge about this would be very helpful. Thanks

Hello,
I was wondering if you got any answers to this question. As I two wish to travel to the UK with a small dog. But I will not put her in cargo. If you found anything out, i would really appreciate it.

monika

Hi,
Pets to the UK cargo only (ex guide dogs). My cat did it 3 times, he is fine, no sedatives are allowed cause of their unpredictable effect on ur animal when flying. Strict medical check on UK side at the Heathrow Animal Reception Centre on arrival.
Check www.defra.gov.uk

Jennifer in Parker, Colorado said: From my extensive research, I have found that the only way a pet can enter the UK, unless it is a therapy dog, they MUST fly cargo due to the DEFRA Travel Pet Scheme stuff. UK has their own rules. I checked into pet travel agents and for two, it was around $4k which is crazy, because if you have a great vet and are organized, you can do it yourself. One thing the pet agent can do though is ease your mind when you have to surrender your dog at the airport. From what I can tell, they stay with them until they are in the cargo hold. I am having the most difficult time with this. It's between living in London with my husband while he works there for a year, or putting my dogs through an EVIL experience, not to mention they could freeze. I don't care if people say it's climate controlled, I have a hard time believing that. I freeze on planes...I wear gloves, use a blanket and have fleece coat on. Somany flight attendants have warned us against letting them fly cargo...now, there is something to be said for that. Pets are not disposable.
Jen

Hello Jen,
What did you end up doing with your babies?
I am now in Ca., and woke up at 2:30am with this same dilema; we are relocating to the UK from the US, travelling LAX to HEATHROW. I was ready to book via BA, as you say for only cargo hold, but after reading all the posts, I am having second thoughts. I would love to hear from you or any others who recently have gone through this experience.
Thanks,
Jamie

Stu in Hoboken, New Jersey said: Hi Deb,
I think that anybody traveling into the UK with pets should take the time to actually PHONE DEFRA in England and speak to a professional there about all aspects of the process so that you hear it from a professional who truly knows their own rules. My mother moved back to the UK from the USA two years ago, followed the steps and all went fine. She actually got her dog very quickly at Heathrow when she arrived. She traveled with BA. There's no need to use an 'agent' - they only charge you for work that you can really do by yourself. But my advice is 1) speak to DEFRA yourself to get every question answered by THEM and 2) try to find a vet locally who has already had success in prepping animals for travel into the UK, so you know they have completed the process and filled out all the forms before. I'm preparing my dog in LA for travel to the UK and made sure to use a vet who had already prepared many dogs for UK travel so we wouldn't make a mistake in the process. An experienced vet would KNOW that it goes: microchip, vaccine, titre (sent to University of Kansas - the ONLY approved lab for this in the US), positive anitibody result from lab, wait six months from date of blood being for titre test, tick and worm treatment before travel. Good luck!

Hello,
YOur comments were very comforting. I have done all you suggested, but still I am awake at 3 am with worry. I am relocating to the UK from the US, booking BA (as I hear they are the best with dogs) and flying LAX to Heathrow. Was your mother's dog alright? Does anyone from the airline walk them upon arrival? Have you made your move yet? Any more comments would be so appreciated.
Thanks,
Jamie

Jamie in Bakersfield, California said: Hello,
YOur comments were very comforting. I have done all you suggested, but still I am awake at 3 am with worry. I am relocating to the UK from the US, booking BA (as I hear they are the best with dogs) and flying LAX to Heathrow. Was your mother's dog alright? Does anyone from the airline walk them upon arrival? Have you made your move yet? Any more comments would be so appreciated.
Thanks,
Jamie

Hi Jamie,

I flew from Toronto to London-Heathrow with my cat using British Airways last June. Everything went fine. Please see my earlier posts describing the process. (Although note that I'm not the only Jennifer on here, and sometimes my location wasn't picked up properly by the system - London, Oshawa, and UK are all me!)

As Stu said, you can use a 3rd-party pet travel agent, but from what I've seen, it's a waste of money and you don't get any more peace of mind than if you do it yourself. If you book it yourself, BA World Cargo has special staff at each airport who deal specifically with pet transport. They will give you all the information and ensure you know what's required. On the day of the flight, they check your paperwork and they won't accept your pet if everything isn't in order. This may seem harsh, but it's better for your pet to be refused before the flight than put into quarantine after arrival.

Upon landing at Heathrow, you do need to go to a separate building called the Animal Reception Centre in another area of the airport to collect your pet. They are very pleasant and helpful there. The wait is about 2-3 hours after landing, as far as I recall, so you will have plenty of time to go through customs, collect your bags, and drive to the ARC before your pet is ready to be released. Whoever is picking you up at the airport should print off a map because the grounds of Heathrow are quite confusing and it's easy to miss the ARC.

I hope that helps!

Jennifer

Jennifer you are an angel! Thank you! I did make contact with a very nice man at BA in LAX. He has been working there for 18 years and not seen a problem. My husband has made contact on the Heathrow end. I do feel more comfortable. I think people must be confused with the "old way" of Cargo. Now, with BA its seems at least that it is a form of a "special" Cargo, temp. controlled and netted/fastenned in. Animals are the last on and first off, as you mentioned previously (got those posts! Thanks!). And I am taking a night flight so after many walks we will all be worn out and wanting to sleep according to our schedule. Thanks for the tips on the paperwork. And, after seriously considerring and contacting an agent,as well as confirming what agents can and can't do with BA, I agree with you. As I am travelling on the same flight, and my husband will greet us on the London end, we can do it all. Also for anyone else in this predicament who may be reading..... both BA and DEFRA have offerred to look over my paperwork ahead of time via fax to make sure everything is in order.
So Saint Jennifer....one last question if you have a moment....What do you have to say about the sound in the compartment where dogs travel? is it loud? Have you heard anything?
Thank you so much.
Jamie

Monika in Ajax, Ontario said: Hello,
I was wondering if you got any answers to this question. As I two wish to travel to the UK with a small dog. But I will not put her in cargo. If you found anything out, i would really appreciate it.

monika

Hi Monika.
How did it work out for you? One thing that people don't seem to understand from what I've read is that it's the UK that requires Cargo only, not other EU countries. And that includes Scotland and Ireland. Also the Cargo for animals is a little different now days than the cargo for just baggage. I did find out, from pesterring people, and I did get some experienced people at BA, that you could stay with your animal until they have to be put on board. So we plan to do that on our end.
Would love to hear from you.
Jamie

Jamie in Bakersfield, California said: Jennifer you are an angel!

LOL, Jamie, thanks for the high praise, but I'm not sure I deserve it!

In answer to your question, I don't know much about the sound in the area of the cargo hold where pets are kept, but my understanding is that it's about the same as the passenger cabin. In fact, according to this webpage from the IATA (the organization that regulates the airline industry worldwide, including animal transport), www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/live_animals/pets.htm, the cargo hold is actually *quieter* than the cabin. It's also kept dark, I believe to encourage the pets to sleep during the flight.

Regarding your reply to Monika, note that the DEFRA requirements *do* apply to Scotland and Northern Ireland, since both are part of the UK. The Republic of Ireland, however, is a separate country and therefore sets its own regulations.

The other thing that I wanted to say is that it is absolutely normal to be worried about air travel with your pet - I know I was for my cat. Dropping him off was especially difficult, because at least at Toronto-Pearson, pets are dropped off basically at the cargo bay, which is noisy and dirty. During the flight, I was doubly conscious of turbulence and changes in air pressure (I can only imagine that cats and dogs are at least as sensitive to pressure changes). The one good thing was that my cat happened to be the only animal travelling on that flight, so he wasn't troubled by the sound of other animals barking or whimpering.

After the flight, my cat was definitely "out of sorts" for several days, and he also developed a bit of a cold. There's no question that flying is stressful in physical and emotional terms for pets, but it *is* manageable. This is just a guess, but I imagine that it's probably worse for cats, since they are more skittish than dogs and dislike being stuck in confined spaces.

Hope that helps!
Jennifer

Hi Im planning to fly my dogs from southamerica to the Us they are mixed poddle one is 10 pounds and the other 2, 15 pounds each I know I have 3 dogs that I really miss them and cant wait to bring them to the US with me I will have my mom flying with me to help too but there is not a direct flight and of course is a long flight, they will only put them on cargo, I just want them to be safe and nothing bad hapens to them. I check with Tam (airlines brazilian) and continental too both of them of course with conection and only as cargo cause they are not miniature dogs to be in the cabin with me wich would be perfect for me. Does anybody has some advice to give me I will really apreciate it, thank you!

Bless your heart! You are going through what many of us have. For what is's worth, here are some words:
1. I hear wonderful things about Continental in terms of shipping dogs via Cargo. I had a breeder who shows and ships often tell me that. But I suggest you talk to as many people at Continental as possible, especially making contacts at the airports you will have to fly through. That leads to....
2. Book as direct as possible. The less people you have handling your dogs the better. Do label "Live Animals" on your kennels and get good, strong kennels. Again, make contact with the airports you have to fly through. Talk to the people there! And when there, stay with your dogs as long as possible. It is great that your mother will help you.
3. Don't fly in extreme weather conditions: too hot, or too cold. Watch out with Summer coming! And fly when your dogs are used to sleeping. Wear them out before boarding so they are more inclined to rest. We will be flying at night. I hear that is best.
The last thing I want to say, and the most important, is make sure you are up to date on all the USDA requirements for the country you are flying from for the US.CALL THE USDA or customs or talk to and American Vet on this end. This will prevent any surprises at the airports.
I also had another breeder who travels alot with her dogs that
Best of luck!!!
Jamie

Sorry, fot cut off. The breeder.....she books her seats from a position in which she can watch the dogs being put on and taken off. If possible, she waits to see the dogs put on, before she gets on the plane. She flies only in the US and has never had problems. Also she says book as direct as possible and keep as few hands off your dogs as possible. She also says that the longer layovers create problems because dogs get forgotten about. You may consider staying the night in a couple places to avoid long layovers where mishaps can happen.
Good luck!
Jamie

Thank you so much Jamie! your advice is very helpful,I was checking continental and I guess they are one of the airlines who care more about pets so I think I will try that they have a special cargo way for the pets like you said I will talk with their people many times to make sure everything is ok.I was thinking for doing it in late September but I will double check with them to see what they say. Once again thank you very much, that is very nice of you!
Wish you the best in everything!

Has anyone heard about this petairways.com/, its the first only pet airline that all the pets are going in the cabin! thats so great I just wish they start international too!

masofia in Baltimore, Maryland said: Has anyone heard about this petairways.com/ , its the first only pet airline that all the pets are going in the cabin! thats so great I just wish they start international too!

Hi Masofia,

I was really interested to see your post about petairways.com. But after looking at their website, I'm actually not convinced that it would be much better - if any better - than flying cargo. (By this, I mean "real" cargo, not the regular baggage hold.) With Petairways, the pets also stay in their kennels the whole time away from their companions... just like in cargo. There is apparently an attendant who comes by every 15 minutes, but I'm not sure what service they can provide if the pets are stuck in the kennels anyway. The lights are presumably kept on (for the flight attendant's safety and comfort), which I've read is worse for pets. The planes are very very small, which I think means they're subject to more turbulence. (Don't be fooled when they say the pets fly in the "main compartment" - there is only one compartment!) And since the planes are full of pets (as opposed to only 2-3 on most regular flights), you can expect there will be much more barking, mewing, hissing, etc. which can be very distressing to the others. They do say that your pet is tracked from drop-off to boarding to removal from the plane, but that's true on regular flights as well... precisely *because* they're classified as cargo.

To me, a really good "Pet Airways" would be one that recognized the need for pets to travel *with* their owners! I would love to see an airline whose mandate was to welcome passengers with their pets in the cabin without restrictions on number or size. However, I'm not sure that will ever happen!

RJ in Atlanta, Georgia said: I agree with Malti. DO NOT fly your pets in cargo. I am a former airline customer service employee, and my husband is a mainline pilot. Don't do it. Find another way.

HELLO, I HAVE A DOG 6 LBS CHIUAUA WHO NEEDS TO GO CARGO TO SOUTH AFRICA FOR 10 HOURS + FROM FRANCE COULD THIS BE A BAD IDEA? GIVEN THE NOISE AND AND NO TEMPERATURE CONTROL IN CARGO?

Hello a 6 pounds dog could go in the cabin with you check with the airline, I dont think is a good idea no temperature control in cargo thats dangerous, check with Continental airline they are good at travelling with pets in cargo.

masofia in Baltimore, Maryland said: Hello a 6 pounds dog could go in the cabin with you check with the airline, I dont think is a good idea no temperature control in cargo thats dangerous, check with Continental airline they are good at travelling with pets in cargo.

south africa does not allow any pets in cabin only cargo, 10 hours in cargo from france to johannesberg plus waiting time before and after for a little dog , do airlines even recommend a small dog under 7 pounds to undergo such lengthy travel, is air france a good airline for pets going cargo

I need to fly an Elkhound dog from the UK to JFK. She's too big to bring in the cabin. Which airline would be the best for this? BA? American?

We did consider flying her on a shorter flight to Halifax, then driving her down, but haven't heard great things about Air Canada. Have heard unpleasant things about Continental's pet record, too.

Any recommendations / experiences would be greatly appreciated.

~Corinne

I think it's amazing that everyone who works for the airlines on this forum says don't put your pet in cargo. And I used to work for the airline and I say don't do it. I have seen really sad things.

As far as petairways even if the animals are in kennels I would prefer that rather then in cargo.