About Traveling With Pets in Airplane Cargo

Traveling with or transporting pets in airplane cargo requires a lot of information, thought and planning ahead. Even under the best conditions, air travel can be difficult for some pets. You should talk to your veterinarian before transporting your pet by air, not only to satisfy the official airline regulations, but to make sure that your pet is healthy and stable enough to tolerate travel related physical stresses as well as the stress of separation from familiar humans and surroundings.

Will My Pet Be Safe?

Federal rules now require airlines to make known to the public the number of animals killed or injured on flights. Some of the airlines are now refusing to allow pets to be checked as baggage because of the possibility of dangerous heat in cramped cargo holds. Some airlines limit pets traveling in cargo to temperate seasons only. Pets weighing more than 15 or 20 pounds must be checked as baggage or sent as cargo if they are to travel by air. Giant-size kennels can only be shipped as cargo and most airlines have a 100 pound weight limit for both animal and carrier. On the major airlines, the cargo section is supposed to be fully pressurized and properly heated, but crated animals in cargo have had problems and there have been some deaths. People should be especially cautious if the traveling pet is old, unhealthy, timid, or if it is a short-nosed breed. Your animal will never be put through the x-ray machine, but you will probably be asked to take your pet out of its carrier so the carrier can be sent through the machine.

Airline Pet-Transport Policies

Each airline has its own specific regulations, as well as kennel, temperature, size, breed, and species restrictions. To be sure you have the most up-to-date information available, it is essential to contact the airline you have chosen before making travel plans for your pet. Some airlines allow pets in the cabin and to be checked as baggage. Some accept pets as cargo only and others do not allow pets to be checked as baggage or placed in cargo. A few airlines have special sections of their cargo planes and domestic flight planes set up for safely transporting pets. Some require that the customer will be traveling on the same flight. There are airlines which only allow service animals to travel on their planes. All airlines require advance reservations and strict adherence to rules when it comes to flying with pets.

Health, Comfort & Safety Rules

You will need a health certificate with proof of current immunizations, provided by your veterinarian, in order to comply with the airline, state and federal rules. To be valid for your trip on most airlines, the certificate should be issued no more than seven to ten days before your pet's departure date. An airline cannot transport a pet that is violent or dangerous, so it is important that the pet's paperwork includes information about personality as well as health.

USDA requires that you give your pet water and a small amount of food about four hours before you check in at the airport. The kennel must display labels on top and on at least one side with the words LIVE ANIMALS printed in 1-inch-high letters and it must also display your telephone number and/or the phone number of a person who can be contacted about your pet when it reaches the destination, especially if you are sending your pet unaccompanied by cargo plane.

Airline Security Regulations

Check with the specific airline to find out the exact amount of time they require you to arrive before your pet's trip. For pets transported as cargo, the airline may ask you to take your pet out of its kennel to allow security officers to screen the kennel before your pet can be approved for air travel. When your pet travels as checked baggage in the plane's cargo hold and you have to switch planes, most airlines cannot transfer your pet to another airline. Each airline must inspect your pet at the time it accepts your pet for transport. On a trip involving more than one airline, you will probably have to claim your pet at the connecting airport and check in with the agents at the new airline. This will definitely take additional time so factor it into your schedule.

Pet Transporters and "Travel Agents"

If for any reason, you cannot travel on the same flight with your pet there are licensed businesses and people who can help you. These companies help people, organizations, businesses, and the military make travel arrangements and even accompany your pet. You can find them online by searching for "Pet Transporters."

Check with individual airlines as to specific regulations, restrictions, safety records and costs before selecting the best one for your pet. It would be best not to rely entirely on website information because rules and prices change frequently and sometimes seasonally. Contact the airline and insist on speaking with someone who is knowledgeable about traveling with and transporting pets on airplanes.