Guide to Airline Pets Travel/Airline Pet Travel Policies
Delta/Northwest Employees Update on Traveling with Pets
When Northwest merged with Delta, pet travel benefits changed. Northwest employees now do not pay for their pets when they travel. What a great deal!
Again, do not send pets to United Kingdom without checking the airlines first! United Kingdom and other countries DESTROY the pets as soon as they land if necessary shipping is not met.
This is your guide to airline travel with pets. We all love our pets. As much as possible, we do not want to part with them even during our much-needed vacation. This guide will give you information on how to deal with pets during airline travel and airlines' policies on traveling with pets. So, before you proceed to the airport with your dear cats and/or dogs, here are some guidelines for you.General Guidelines
Depending on where you are traveling to, the airlines may ask for veterinary doctor's certificate that your pet is healthy and is ready for travel. Some airlines will only ask for a health certificate if the pet is traveling to a different country and/or Hawaii. Pets going to Hawaii will be quarantined so check the Hawaiian agriculture department and keep this in mind before you take your pet with you on your next vacation.
If your pet is a cat or dog and a small size variety, you may carry the pet inside the airplane (cabin carry-on). This is my preferred way to travel with my pets. If the pet is too large as a carry-on, you may check the pet (like a baggage). Taking the pets in the cabin is stressful enough for the pet, with all the hundreds of people inside the airplane. Just imagine having them checked to go to the cargo hold (same place where the baggage are located). It is usually cold in the cargo hold and they may be in company of other pets checked in by other passengers.
Kennel. The preferred kennel for carry-on pets are the Sherpa-type bags (they look like our own duffel bags). Sherpa is a brand-name but a lot of companies now manufacture and sell carry-on bags for your pets in the cabin. You can even buy designer ones, such as Coach pet carrier. These carry-ons Sherpa-type are soft-sided kennels. This is the best for your pets since you can put it on your lap after take off and before landing and the pet will fell that you are cuddling them. With the soft-sided kennels, you can also pat them from outside the bag, not like the hard-sided kennels. The hard-sided kennels are good for other small hamster-type pets but may be too small for your cats. There is an age requirement before you can travel with your pets. Cats need to be at least 8 weeks old.
Kennel keys If you are checking in a pet, it is important that you make sure that the kennel is locked. If you did not provide a lock, make sure that the airline personnel who checked in the pet put a plastic tie or lock outside the kennel. There have been pets who check their locks and traveled inside the baggage bin. There was a cheetah that made his way outside his huge kennel and started chewing on the electrical wires in the cargo bin. You do not want that to happen. There was another incident that when the airline personnel opened the cargo bin to unload the baggage, a large pet greeted her. There were also stories of cat escaping from their kennels and ended up wandering around on the runway. You do not want that to happen. So, make sure that your kennel is locked before the airline personnel takes the pet with him to the baggage area.
Pet Health
Make sure that your pet is in a good and healthy condition before you travel with it.
Tranquilizers
Do not tranquilize your pets when they travel. Tranquilizers have a negative effect on pet's breathing on the air. If you think your pet needs something to calm down, ask your veterinarian for the best option, but please....do not use a tranquilizers. Tranquilizers will cause breathing problems on board the pressurized aircraft and your beloved pet may not make it alive.
Age
Pets need to be at least 8 weeks of age when they travel. Some airlines let the kitten be in the same kennel with the mother cat, or 2 baby kittens together in the same kennel. Ask the airline for specific requirement.
Food .Make sure that the pet has been fed and given water within four (4) hours before your flight. That ensures that the pet is not hungry. For checked-in pets, make sure that a water and food container is included in the kennel. Most airlines, especially Northwest Airlines, take care of the pets during the connection time and when they are transferred between the flights. As the owner of the pet, you may also visit your pet during the connection time if time allows (for example, 2 hour or more). This makes the pet feel that they are not being abandoned, and for you to make sure that they are still in good condition.
Helpful Links and Resources - Guide to Pet Travel
Good News for Pet Lovers: transport pets in the cabin, not in cargo
United Airlines does not accept the following short-nosed-breeds, or mixed-breed dogs exhibiting the short-nosed characteristics of those breeds, as either checked baggage or cargo, from June 1 to September 30th of each year. This restriction does not apply to pets traveling with you in the cabin.
Boston terrier
Boxer
English or French Bulldogs
King Charles Spaniel
Lhasa Apso
Pug
Shar-Pei
Shih Tzu
All breed summer embargo for travel to/from KuwaitDue to extreme heat, United Airlines will not accept any pets as checked baggage for travel to/from Kuwait (KWI) from June 1st through September 30th. Pets can be carried in the cabin only if departing Kuwait. If the pet is in the cabin, the embargo time frame does not apply.
Health documentationPassengers are required to make sure all health and pet travel documents are current and compliant with local, state, federal and international entry requirements and regulations. The passenger will assume full responsibility for penalties assessed by agencies for non-compliance of pet health and entry requirements.
Summer Embargo - Delta AirlinesDelta Airlines travel embargo for pets. Delta no longer ships pets during Summer months. Check with Delta Airlines before taking a pet to the airport. Northwest Airlines has merged with Delta and NWA adopted Delta's Pets Policy. See Delta Airlines' Pet Policies.
Good News for Pet Lovers: transport pets in the cabin, not in cargo
