What You Should Know Before You Fly With Your Dog
Pet owners must meet a lot of requirements before they can travel by air with their dog. Most airlines have the same general rules.
Dogs Aren't Allowed To Fly Alone
Dogs that are unaccompanied by any person aren't allowed to travel by air. Understand that dogs are considered to be cargo to the airline. You can't send your luggage to a city somewhere across the country without going with it (only the airline can do that - insert rim shot here) and you can't send your dog. Unaccompanied dogs must be transported by a licensed and approved pet transportation company.
Show A Clean Bill Of Health
Another requirement is that dogs should have a full physical examination and tested for various diseases before they can fly. Airlines usually want an exam certificate that will be dated within a certain amount of time before the date of flight.
The Weather Restrictions
The cargo hold on an airplane can become very hot. That's why there are certain seasons when dogs won't be allowed to fly. Weather and temperature related restrictions are common to many airlines. For instance, if the temperature in the departure or arrival city exceeds 80 degrees Fahrenheit, then pets will not be allowed to get in the plane.
Animals In The Cabin
Many airlines are now permitting the transport of pets in the cabin of the plane, provided they can fit into the in-cabin kennel cage (22" long by 9" high on most airlines). You'd usually have to pay less than a hundred dollars for this. This is a considerable improvement compared to the pets transported in the cargo hold which many consider an unsafe practice and which can cost more than $300.00 in some cases.
International Trips
Many nations have customs law that restrict the passage of pets over their borders. This means that it isn't likely that you can take your pet with you if you're flying to a different country.
Dogs Aren't Allowed To Fly Alone
Dogs that are unaccompanied by any person aren't allowed to travel by air. Understand that dogs are considered to be cargo to the airline. You can't send your luggage to a city somewhere across the country without going with it (only the airline can do that - insert rim shot here) and you can't send your dog. Unaccompanied dogs must be transported by a licensed and approved pet transportation company.
Show A Clean Bill Of Health
Another requirement is that dogs should have a full physical examination and tested for various diseases before they can fly. Airlines usually want an exam certificate that will be dated within a certain amount of time before the date of flight.
The Weather Restrictions
The cargo hold on an airplane can become very hot. That's why there are certain seasons when dogs won't be allowed to fly. Weather and temperature related restrictions are common to many airlines. For instance, if the temperature in the departure or arrival city exceeds 80 degrees Fahrenheit, then pets will not be allowed to get in the plane.
Animals In The Cabin
Many airlines are now permitting the transport of pets in the cabin of the plane, provided they can fit into the in-cabin kennel cage (22" long by 9" high on most airlines). You'd usually have to pay less than a hundred dollars for this. This is a considerable improvement compared to the pets transported in the cargo hold which many consider an unsafe practice and which can cost more than $300.00 in some cases.
International Trips
Many nations have customs law that restrict the passage of pets over their borders. This means that it isn't likely that you can take your pet with you if you're flying to a different country.