I've seen the question asked on multiple forums online and instead of repeating myself every time, I decided to put down our experiences with flying with our cat, here in one place, so its easy to find for anyone looking for this information.
We fly our pet when we relocate and that happens almost every year or so. I would not recommend flying pets just for a holiday, because the stress that the pre to post flight procedures forces on them isn't worth it. Once you read the rest of my post, you will realise why I say that it is a stressful process for you and your pet. Its not as simple as packing your pet in a suitcase and heading out to catch a flight.
In India : We've flown our cat in 2011 by
Jet Airways from
Delhi to
Guwahati and by
Spice Jet in 2012 from
Guwahati to
Ahmedabad via Kolkatta. (they are the only 2 domestic airlines in India that have facility for carrying pets, and that too on not all their aircraft)
Basically, you need to inform the airlines at least a week in advance that you plan to travel with a pet and check that there is space and capability to carry the pet on that particular flight (they aren't allowed to carry more than 2 pets at a time).
You may be busy with packing up your house, but this is more important to close, you do not want any last minute surprises. Certain breeds of dogs and cats aren't accepted for flight travel. Mostly snub nosed pets - because they have higher difficulty breathing in extreme conditions.
You need to have the carrier yourself, which fits IATA norms (tall enough for your pet to stand in and turn around, an absorbent mat and safety features)
(I heavily recommend reading :
Dubai Kennels & Cattery article on travel boxes)
I also recommend getting your pet used to the box at least a week before traveling, so they aren't freaked out on the day of travel. Let them sleep in the box (leaving it open), feed them a couple of treats when they are in there, so the thought of the box/carrier doesn't add additional stress on them.
Feed your pet and water him/her at least 2 hours before leaving home, so the food digests and lowers the chance of them throwing up during turbulence or due to fright at the strangeness of the experience.
You need to check in at least 3 hours before your flight (to give yourself and the airlines enough time to complete their checks and requirements) with an up-to-date vaccination certificate and a letter from the vet (less than a week old) that the pet is fit to fly. Always carry at least 2-3 copies of these documents and keep the originals with you, it saves stress and last minute running around for copies.
Also its easier if 2 humans accompany the pet, so the running around (if any) within the airport is easily managed. One stays in one location talking in a low murmur and keeping the pet calm and the other rushes around the airport meeting the right people and finishing the formalities.
At the airport, they might need you to take your pet out of the carrier, so that they can screen your carrier. They weigh the cat + carrier and charge a flat excess baggage rate per kilo for transportation (experience on these 2 trips, someone mentioned that Jet airways is now charging a flat fee of 5000/-Rs)
I didn't have to take her out at either Cairo or Dubai airports, but in Cairo we had to go 5 hours before to the cargo village to check her in. Procedures differ. Try and find out as much in advance as you can. even if it means driving to the airport a week in advance, to talk to someone who handles pet freight with your carrier.
In Delhi, Jet has a scanner that scans larger luggage, away from the normal screening, so its less crowded, but yeah it is scary for a cat to be taken out in a strange location and I normally add a few more long tattoos to my already scarred back. At the airport, I'm the one who holds her, because hubby just isn't confident that he can hold on to her once her self defense mechanisms start kicking in. The airlines in India don't understand that cats unlike dogs don't do well in open spaces.
In Egypt, I have heard of so many cases of cats running out of their carriers when someone opened them "by mistake" or the carrier broke due to bad handling. Obviously most aren't found again, so yes I'm paranoid. I prefer to exhibit fullblown OCD when traveling with our cat. This is the one occasion when I don't care what people think of me and just do what I think I need to do, to make sure that she travels safely
Once all the checking is done, I attach 2 -3 baggage ties to each other and reseal her carrier by looping it through the grills in front of the carrier and the side - this is an additional lock because of a fear in my mind, that seeing a cage that can be opened easily, someone along the way, might want to open the cage to take a closer look at her and our cat is very fast at slipping out and running away especially with someone who isn't used to her lightning reflexes and self defense mechanisms.
Even if we come across as paranoid, irritating or OCD, I always double and triple check at every stage that she has been loaded (I ask the air hostesses, I ask them to reconfirm with the pilot, I reconfirm that the airconditioning has been turned on in that pet hold etc) until we reach our destination. I talk to the guy with the walkie talkie outside the aircraft when we come out, the guy at the baggage carousel etc, until our cat is brought back to us and back in our hands.
Being a cat, I talk to her and calm her down, but I resist strongly the instinct to open her carrier or even give her water until we have finally arrived to our new house and I've double checked that all windows and doors are tightly shut. No matter how pitifully she mews.
I always carry her foodbowls and a familiar toy, that I give her as soon as we reach home, so she realises that this is her new home.
On our longer journeys (Cairo-Dubai 2009 + Dubai-Delhi 2010 both by Emirates) I put a used banyan/undershirt of my husbands on top of her mat, so she could get his smell during the trip and that gave her extra comfort during this new scary experience.
Also, in all my research and chats with other pet owners, vets and pet care centers - the consensus is that you should not sedate your pet if he/she is traveling as luggage/cargo. Your pet needs to be awake and alert, so they can maintain their balance and not get hurt if there is turbulence. Also there is higher risk of them choking on their vomit if they are sedated. So while your pet may be subjected to discomfort by not being sedated, it is safer for them in the long run.
However if your pet is traveling in the cabin with you (allowed in US & Europe, it the pets soft carrier can fit under the seat), it makes definite sense to sedate them, so they don't meow or bark their heads off in flight and hassle every other passenger on the flight.
Hope this information helps prepare you for flying with your pet.
The only other advice I would give : is try and keep yourself calm, because our pets pick up on our stress levels very easily and just us being stressed can stress them out too.
For more details on each airlines policies, click on the following links for:
Jet Airways
Spice Jet
