Text 6. Flying with pets

Which airlines will allow your furry friend in the air and how to arrange it?

Sometimes a holiday just isn't a holiday without Rover coming too, but how can you fly him out, what's it going to cost and what do you need to do to arrange it? Since the introduction of the PETS passport scheme, flying with animals has become much easier and will become easier still next year when the blood test requirement will be dropped and animals will need to be vaccinated just 21 days before returning to the UK. Read on for all you need to know to get your beloved pooch safely into the air.

Which airlines can you take pets on?

If you're flying internationally, you've got a good choice of airlines. British Airways carries pets not in the cabin but on British Airways World Cargo (via a Pet Travel Agent). Virgin Atlantic allows cats and dogs to travel in the cargo hold to and from Barbados, Boston, Chicago and Cape Town (seasonal services), Dubai, Hong Kong, New York JFK and Newark, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, Miami, New York-JFK and Newark, Orlando, San Francisco, Sydney and Washington. The minimum cost from the UK is £335 and seasonal surcharges may apply.

KLM - small cats and dogs weighing up to 6kg (131bs) (including a kennel or travel bag) may be taken into the cabin. Reservations must be made at least 48 hours in advance of travel. Household pets (cats and dogs) may travel as check-in baggage too. Alternatively, pets can be transported as freight with Air France-KLM Cargo. This is the option for heavier animals (and their kennels) that weigh more than 75kg (1651bs) for flights to Australia, Hong Kong, Ireland, Kenya, New Zealand, South Africa or the United Arab Emirates.

Lufthansa carries pets in the cabin (up to 8kg) or as cargo (in a container that IATA approved).

Whichever airline you choose to fly with, you will always need to call and reserve your pet's travel. While some airlines allow pets in the cabin, others do not and while there is always an administrative charge for the transport of animals, these can vary hugely by airline. Research all these factors before you select a carrier.

Although a pet-only airline is unheard of in Europe, it does exist in the US. Pet Airways offers pets first class travel within the US without having to put them in cargo.

Low-cost airlines

The UK-based low-cost carriers will not allow pets to travel in the cabin. Flybe transports pets in the hold as cargo (details: Globe Air Cargo 00 44 (0)208 757 4776). However, it will not transport animals on international routes. If travelling around Europe, German wings transports cats or dogs up in the cabin if they weigh no more than 8kg (171bs). However, they won't carry pets on flights to or from the UK and Ireland.

Pet's Passport

The DEFRA Pet Travel Scheme (commonly known as pet's passport) allows animals from certain countries to enter the UK without undergoing the six-month quarantine period. This means that you can bring your pet back into the UK as well, without them having to undergo quarantine. To meet the rules of the scheme, your pet needs to be fitted with a microchip, vaccinated against rabies and then blood-tested. You then have to wait for six months after the animal has been blood-tested to check that the vaccine was successful to get the documentation from the vet that will allow it to travel. At this point, your pet will be issued with an EU passport. The scheme applies to dogs, cats and the ever-popular ferret. Other domestic animals such as birds, rabbits, rodents and fish can also be transported under the scheme, though, obviously, they do not have to be microchipped or given rabies vaccinations. The scheme is excellent for providing easy transport of animals in the UK, but it does take time to follow the procedures, so make sure you start at least seven months before you're due to fly - it's no good turning up at the passport office with a passport photo or your pooch...

Frequent Flyers

Virgin Atlantic's Flying Paws frequent-flyer programme allows animals to win gifts for themselves and air miles for their owner. On their first flight, the animals will receive a "welcome onboard pet pack" complete with doggy t-shirts, toy mouse or, for the ferrets, a jacket and collar tag. All pets will receive their own passport, which gives them paw prints that they can redeem for gifts. Sir Richard Branson calls it "pawtastic".

 

Answer the following question:

Do you travel with your pet or leave it behind with a pet-sitter?

 

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REFERENCES

The European, 2011-2012; 

The Independent, 2012;

International Herald Tribune, 2012-2013;

The Guardian Weekly, 2013;

The Sunday Times, 2012;

Internet resources.