International Airline Pet Travel: Common Rules & Requirements

Now, pet parents are traveling with their pets to escape this awful feeling. You too can travel with your furry globetrotter with no fuss with this simple and helpful guideline.

Who Can Fly? Airline Pet Rules Explained

Different airlines have different policies all over the globe for pet travel. Few airlines, like Emirates, are not pet-friendly and don’t allow pets to travel. 

However, there are many other Airlines like Lufthansa, Swiss, Air France, JetBlue, American Airlines, etc that allow your pet to be onboard with you. 

Weight Of The Pet:

In most cases, only dogs and cats are allowed to fly in the cabin. 

It is important to know your dog’s weight before traveling. 

In most Airlines, the pet’s weight decides whether it can travel or not. For cabin, the size of your pet should be around 7-8 kg, including the carrier, and for cargo, around 34 kg including the carrier, depending on your airline.

Age Of Pet:

The pet’s age should be more than 12 weeks to travel in the cabin.

Breed Of Your Pet:

Dogs and Cats of a few specific breeds, like brachycephalic (snub-nosed/flat-faced), and pregnant pets or pets that have given birth recently within 48 hours, may be at risk of flying and therefore, not allowed to travel.

How To Book Tickets

• Currently, most of the airlines don’t have an online service to book a pet ticket. You need to contact the customer support before booking your tickets via call or chat and discuss the travel date, then they will help you choose which flight number you can choose that allows pets in the cabin or cargo, based on your dog/cat weight.
•  Once you’ve booked your flight with the given flight number, you can chat/call the agent and add a pet to your ticket. After confirmation, you will get another ticket with the pet confirmed in your email.
• Try to book a daytime arrival for easy checkout and your dog’s health checkup based on veterinarian availability.
• Make sure Direct and connecting flights allow pet carriage.
• Make sure to reach the airport 3-4 hours before departure.

Pet Documents To Carry

It is very important to carry all the important documents that are necessary for your dog to travel. Here are a few must-have documents for your pet’s travel. Also, make sure to check the guidelines of your airline.

Microchipping:

You can have your pet microchipped at any local veterinary clinic, with the cost typically falling between ₹1000 and ₹1500, depending on your area. Make sure the microchip is a 15-digit ISO-compliant type, adhering to Standard 11784/11785. It’s best to get your pet microchipped before any vaccinations, ideally around 30 days prior.

Pet Passport/Vaccination Card:

It includes all the important information about your dog, including his name, age, breed, color, vaccinations, such as Nobivac RL, Nobivac Puppy DP, and Nobivac DHPPi, along with the corresponding dates and official stamps. The anti-rabies vaccine must be documented in this card, and its date must be after the pet has been microchipped.

Blood Titer Test:

You must obtain a negative rabies antibody test result from an authorised lab, and the result should be > 0.5 IU/ml. Your local veterinarian can assist you in doing an anti-rabies antibody titration test by following a 30-day anti-rabies vaccination. You cannot travel with your pet 90 days before the test.

Health Certificate:

Visit your local veterinarian and make a health card for your dog, which tells whether he is fit to travel. Make sure that the format of the health certificate will be according to the destination country, eg, Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 for EU countries. It should be made within 5 days before your flight.

Parasite Prevention(Deworming):

Especially when traveling to different countries with differing parasite risks, parasite prevention checks for pet travel include diagnostics and the use of parasiticides (medications) to protect pets from various parasites, such as fleas, ticks, intestinal worms, and heartworms. By ensuring your pet is healthy, these examinations reduce the possibility of parasite and zoonotic disease transmission to humans and other animals.

Indemnity Form:

Few airlines need indemnity forms for pets. An airline pet indemnity form is a legal agreement that passengers must sign, releasing the airline from liability for any injury, illness, or death of their pet during air travel. By signing this form, the pet owner acknowledges and accepts full responsibility for any risks associated with transporting their animal, including those related to the pet’s health and well-being throughout the journey.

Visit the AQCS office

You need to get an appointment from the AQCS office through their email for your pet within 10 days before your departure. The AQCS office in India is located in Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai,  and Bangalore. The government veterinarian will check all your documents and inspect your pet for travel.

The following documents you should send by mail or carry copies of each AQCS Appointment:

• Health Certificate signed and stamped by Local Vet (EU Compliant)
• Microchip Certificate
• Vaccination card
• A passport copy of the owner
• Air ticket
• Blood titre test
• 02 4×6 inches Post Card size photo (Light facing) of Pet
• AQCS officer will then issue an export certificate for your pet.

Airway Bill

It confirms the pet has been received for transportation. You have to collect it from the freight forwarder or the airline you’re using.  It outlines the details of the shipment. The AWB contains a unique number that allows the shipper to track the pet’s journey.

Pre-Travel Notice

Notify your destination airport about the pet and email them the required documents, and ask for assistance if you need any. They will revert to you. 

When you reach the destination airport, there will be a customs clearance by the veterinarian in their respective office. All your pet documents and your pet will be checked.

These are a few things that you need to keep in your mind, and as suggested above, make sure to do some small research about your airline and their guidelines catering pet travel, because some may need other documents too.

Things To Carry In The Cabin For Your Pet

Here is a list of a few important things you need to carry with your pet for a safe and comfortable journey. Just highlight it, mark it, and underline it for your convenience.

• Don’t forget to carry the Leash of your dog with you
• For Pet in Cargo: 
  • There should be a label on the kennel that includes your name, your dog’s name, and your address.
  • You should not put food or water inside the container of your dog. Keep his meal with you and feed him from outside while he is inside the kennel.
• For Pet in Cabin:
  • Put your pet’s bag under the seat in front of you. Keep your pet inside the bag.
  • If your pet gets upset, gently pat the bag to show you are there.
  • Keep absorbent pads with you and dispose of them when soiled.
  • Your dog should be socially well-trained so that it will be calm and composed throughout its journey.

The container for the dog should be properly ventilated and big enough for your dog. The size requirements for dog travel containers vary depending on whether the pet flies in the cabin or the cargo hold. Most airlines set a size limit at around 19″ L × 12.6″ W × 10″ H, with a combined maximum weight (dog + container) of approximately 7–10 kg when traveling in the cabin.

For cargo, larger containers are permitted, with specifications up to 36’ L x 28’’ W x 28’’ H for some airlines. When internal height is added to the container, the height of the bedding should be added to the container. It will be better if your container is IATA-approved.

Here’s the link to the IATA guideline suggesting the size and material of the container for your pet.

https://www.iata.org/contentassets/b0016da92c86449f850fe9560827bbea/pet-container-requirements.pdf

With these few simple and easy steps, you can have a travel- and hassle-free journey with your pet in the air. Here are some links to the pet-specific guidelines that you can go through.

Lufthansa:

https://www.lufthansa.com/kr/en/animals-as-additional-carry-on-baggage

Air France:

https://wwws.airfrance.in/information/passagers/voyager-avec-son-animal-chien-chat

Swiss:

https://www.swiss.com/ee/en/prepare/special-care/animals-travelling

Other Relevent Blog:

https://hobbsgo.com/pet-travel-india-to-portugal-in-cargo/

https://hobbsgo.com/pet-travel-in-cabin-from-india-to-portugal/