It’s a major concern for both owners and animals, whether one is relocating or going on a leisure trip, or leaving behind a pet, relocating an animal from one farm to another, or another country. Before planning the trip, it is ideal to consult the vet to ensure your furry friend has a smooth journey, choosing the right pet commuting services with professional expertise are a few necessary precautions of pet transportation.
Last week, Gol Linhas Aéreas (GOL), a Brazilian low-cost airline based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, suspended its dog transport service for 30 days, after the death of golden retriever Joca, who, due to an operational error by the company, ended up going to the wrong destination. The decision to suspend services allows the company to conduct investigative procedures.
Moving pets from one country to another is not easy either. Relocation and shipping is a lengthy and complex task. The reason why most pet parents hesitate to travel on vacation is because of the approvals and clearance required from both originating country and destination. The requirements vary based on the animal, airline and destination, and pet owners often hire shipping agents to help them navigate the process. What’s important for animal/pet owners is to find out if animals are eligible to fly in the cabin. After an owner compilation of information for customs, health certifications for the countries of departure and destination, most airlines ensure regulations for pets which are stowed in a specially designated space in the cargo.
There are a few pet-friendly airlines allowing animals to board only if the crate is IATA-compliant (The International Air Transport Association) — large enough for the pet to stand up, lie down and turn around comfortably, well-ventilated, etc.
Some of the pet-friendly airlines for international pet transport are: Emirates Airlines, Air Canada, British Airways, Qantas, Qatar Airways. Emirates Airlines flies pet dogs, cats, pet birds and falcons under the Emirates SkyCargo programme. Air Canada Cargo has transport vehicles. Virgin Australia flies pets in the cargo hold of the aircraft. British Airways flies pets only in the cargo hold, and every pet must be accompanied by a health certificate issued by a vet. Qantas transports pets to several countries.
In fact, Qatar Airways Cargo has recently opened a state-of-the-art animal centre and the relaunch of its Next Generation Live product for transportation of live animals. The airways has flown over 550,000 animals including 10,000 horses in 2023, and a kennel capacity of 140 dogs and 40 cats, 24 stables distributed in four zones with separate airflows for proper segregation, besides a kennel calculator tool, an online resource for determining the ideal kennel size, ensuring comfort and compliance with IATA LAR (live animals regulations) standards, pet card service to share updates and photos of pets during transit for customer experience and peace of mind.
On the other hand, Lufthansa has the largest animal lounge at Frankfurt Airport, Germany. More than a billion animals of all kinds have passed through the lounge which include ornamental fish, some 80 million per year. Exotic species like giraffes and hippos, Mesopotamian deer, two pandas, Meng Meng and Jiao Qing, sent by Chinese President Xi Jingping to German Chancellor Angela Merkel as special animals in 2017, have been a few guests at the airlines. Pets on Akasa Air can be carried in the cabin or cargo compartment. This service is in line with Akasa’s vision to create an inclusive and humane travel experience.
Akasa Air allows customers to travel with pets weighing up to 10 kgs (including the weight of the container) in the cabin. Currently, pets on Akasa are available on domestic flights within India, for cats and dogs that are aged three months or older.
The costs are also another concern. News reports suggest IAG Cargo, the cargo handling division of International Airlines Group, which transports pets for many airlines, has hiked prices.
For instance, the costs for transferring pets between Britain and the US might increase 400%. The cost of flying a labrador might cost around $15,000. In India, domestic pet transportation costs somewhere between Rs 30,000 – Rs 60,000.
