Above: ICVS helped Corgi, "Richie" fulfill all export requirements to travel to Germany from Beijing!
Video credit: Justin Robertson
What are
the different ways that pets can travel on airplanes?
This is one of the most frequently asked questions by pet owners. ICVS is happy to explain the three modes of transport for pets on airplanes.
Above: Beautiful cat, Yumi, settles into her soft carrier for her flight to France.
Above: Kitty, Caspian, goes to the airport with his dad for their flight to the EU.
Above: Small dog, Mandy, travels with mom as hand-carry baggage in the cabin of their flight to the USA.
Above: Small dog rests in his soft carrier while traveling in the cabin of the plane.
1). Pet as hand-carry baggage brought into the cabin of the plane:
Known as "accompanied baggage" meaning the pet travels with you to the airport and checks in with you at the airline check-in counter
Must confirm with each airline if they allow pets to travel as hand-carry into the cabin
Pet usually travels in a soft carrier meeting the size, design and weight requirements of the airline
Pet and the soft carrier are weighed at check-in counter at airport
Total weight allowance includes the pet plus the travel carrier (e.g., 5 KG pet + 1.5 KG soft carrier = 6.5 KG total weight)
Fee for the pet traveling as excess hand-carry checked baggage is usually paid at the airport during check-in
Once checked-in, you bring your pet in the soft carrier with you through immigration and security to the departure gate and on board the plane
Pet in soft carrier is stowed underneath the seat in front of you in the cabin of the plane.
Above: A family checks in their large dog as "excess checked baggage" at the airport for their flight.
Above: Pets in their air crates checking in at the airport as "excess checked baggage."
Above: At the airport, plastic packaging straps are secured around the pet's air crate for added safety.
Above: Pet owner checks on her pet in his air crate as they prepare for check-in.
Above: Water bottle nozzle is positioned above the water dish so the water can drip into the dish, allowing pet to have water throughout the journey.
Above: Small bags of pet food may be taped to the top of the air crate for traveling pets.
Above: Some airlines require air crates to be placed inside a mesh net to keep pets securely inside their crates.
Above: Pet in air crate is brought to the "oversize baggage" security check area after completing check-in as excess baggage at the airline counter.
Above: Pet in air crate goes through excess checked baggage security check x-ray before loading onto the airplane.
Above: Pets traveling as excess checked baggage are transported to the airplane for loading.
Above: Happy owner picks up her dog who traveled as excess checked baggage at the airport arrival hall in Thailand!
2). Excess checked baggage:
Known as "accompanied baggage" meaning the pet travels with you to the airport and checks in with you at the airline check-in counter
Pet travels in a hard air crate meeting the size, design and weight requirements of the airline
Pet and air crate are weighed at the airline check-in counter
Pet is considered as "excess checked baggage" and fee for the excess baggage is usually paid at the airport check-in counter
Once checked-in, usually need to bring your pet in the air crate to the “oversize baggage security check area” within the departure terminal
Pet in the air crate is left with the baggage handlers at the oversize baggage security check area who will bring the pets to the airplane
Pets are loaded into the “cargo hold” or “baggage hold” of the airplane
Pet owners are passengers sitting in the cabin of the plane with pets stowed in the cargo hold or baggage hold of the same plane
Airplanes that accept pets as excess checked baggage will stow the pets in their air crates in the area of the cargo hold that is oxygenated, temperature controlled, pressurized and safe for live animals
After arrival in the destination country, pets are usually picked up at the “oversize baggage” claim area within the arrival hall of the airport.
Above: Pets being shipped as manifest air cargo are checked-in at the air cargo terminal.
Above: Large pets who do not fit into standard air crates need to have custom crates built for manifest air cargo shipping.
Above: Pets are transported to the airplane parked on the tarmac for loading on their cargo flight.
Above: This Husky is on a pallet being loaded as manifest air cargo but has broken through the ventilation panel on his air crate! Invest in a sturdy, high-quality air crate with reinforced ventilation panels to prevent break outs and to ensure pet safety.
Above: Pet in air crate is loading into a freight plane (e.g., cargo only airplane with no passengers).
Above: Dog traveling as manifest air cargo arrives at JFK, New York and will be transported to the air cargo terminal for customs clearance. (Photo credit: Associated Press).
3). Manifest air cargo shipping:
Known as "unaccompanied" live animal air cargo shipping, freight forwarding, manifest air cargo, or just "cargo shipping"
The pet is shipped in his/her hard air crate as a unit of commercial air cargo from the originating country (e.g., China) to the destination country
Pet travels in a hard air crate meeting the size, design and weight requirements of the airline
Pets may be shipped as manifest cargo on commercial passenger planes or on freight planes (e.g., air cargo only planes with no passengers)
Animals are loaded as live animal air cargo onto the planes and flown to their destination countries unaccompanied by owners
A licensed and registered pet relocation company and air cargo agent makes the booking with the airline for the commercial cargo space and secures the “airway bill" (AWB) number for the pet (e.g., like a “plane ticket” for the pet traveling as manifest air cargo)
The air cargo agent picks up the pet in his/her air crate and delivers to the air cargo terminal at the airport for check-in
The pet stays inside his/her air crate in the air cargo terminal and is then loaded onto the airplane about two hours before the flight time
Once the pet arrives in the destination country, the pet is unloaded from the plane and taken to the cargo terminal at the airport
The air cargo agent in the destination country clears the pet through customs after arrival and delivers the pet to the owner.
Questions about preparing your pets for export?
Please register for the ICVS online “Departing From China With Pets" information sessions by emailing:
reception@icvsasia.com
Online sessions are FREE and hosted every weekend in English and Chinese.
Please click the "read more" link below or check the ICVS web site for the next "Departing From China With Pets" information session dates:
www.ICVSASIA.com
International Center for Veterinary Services
No. 13-16 Rong Ke Gan Lan Cheng Shang Jie, Fu Tong Xi Da Jie, Wangjing, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100102 (Across the street from the Mercedes Benz Tower & behind the Smile Angel Children’s Hospital)
地址：北京新天地国际动物医院, 北京市朝阳区望京阜通西大街融科橄榄城商街13-16号
Tel: (010) 8456-1939, 8456-1940
Email: reception@ICVSASIA.com
Website: www.ICVSASIA.com
Dialog WeChat: ICVSASIA
Official WeChat: ICVSCHINA
