Mexico - Flying in cabin pets to and from Mexico halted, now resumed

A lot of buzz in other forums I am reading..... people going to airports to and from Mexico thinking they have reservations for flying with their pets in cabin. Mexico changed the rules a week or do ago...NO in cabin pets anymore. Only flown as cargo.

It's a crazy policy that will effect many ex-pats and their travels.

This from a UA representative:

...yes, this is a very new regulation from the government of Mexico. Animals, with the exception of service dogs, are now not permitted to travel in the cabin to or from Mexico. Since this was a sudden change, we are working to identify customers who planned to travel with their pet in cabin to help them make arrangements.

I just got the call from United regarding reservations I have for PVR to SFO including my dog in the cabin. Since my dog has already gone north, it wasn't a problem for me, but I called a friend who is flying out tomorrow with her dog.

She went to the airport and spoke to Aeromexico, Air Canada and airport security representatives. Of course, Aeromexico confirmed that for domestic flights, pets in cabin continue to be restricted to seeing-eye dogs, but not for international flights.

They all confirmed there are NO NEW RESTRICTIONS for flying internationally with pets. My friend will be allowed to board the plane tomorrow (Air Canada) with her dog as she has done for years.

This is JUST A UNITED AIRLINES INCORRECT INTERPRETATION and is clearly wrong.

If you want to fly in and out of Mexico with your pet, I suggest you don't give United your business.

Having traveled hundreds of thousands of miles on Continental and United, I'm now considering other options, including giving up my $375/year Presidents Club membership.

I was denied boarding at OHare airport with my in cabin reserved dog on April 29th, 2012. I had just confirmed her record locator 2 nights prior for her reservation made 6 weeks earlier. The ticket agent told me it was a NEW Mexican rule. I cannot imagine United did not call to inform me. We were there 2 hours prior for a 5 am flight and a 2 hour drive, park, monorail ride, which means no sleep the night before travel.

I found out the next day that is was only UNITED, I left 2 days later on American and the experience could not have been any different. NO ISSUES flying into Cozumel on May 1 or back May 10 to Chicago on American.

After over an hour on hold with United, a rep told me I chose not to board the flight, there would be no refund! I asked for a supervisor, after a very long time, repeated holds, I was told she "believed me"! She said I can expect a refund within 2 billing cycles. I am told today that Delta has followed United's lead on this new rule. As a frequent flier to Cozumel with my dog to our 2nd home, I would never consider putting my pet in Cargo. Lets hope this is sorted out soon.

I was in DTW today, and sat next to a passenger that was refused boarding with a carry on dog to Mexico today. She was trying to get home, and was very upset. Delta ticket counter had no problem collecting her money for the dog, but she was refused boarding.

All ending well, though. Delta provided her with tickets on AA for her and her dog back to Mexico.

A lady on my Alaska flight today from LAX to PVR had a chihuahua with her in a small carrier that she took into the cabin as a carry-on bag

I just got the call from United regarding reservations I have for PVR to SFO including my dog in the cabin. Since my dog has already gone north, it wasn't a problem for me, but I called a friend who is flying out tomorrow with her dog.

She went to the airport and spoke to Aeromexico, Air Canada and airport security representatives. Of course, Aeromexico confirmed that for domestic flights, pets in cabin continue to be restricted to seeing-eye dogs, but not for international flights.

They all confirmed there are NO NEW RESTRICTIONS for flying internationally with pets. My friend will be allowed to board the plane tomorrow (Air Canada) with her dog as she has done for years.

This is JUST A UNITED AIRLINES INCORRECT INTERPRETATION and is clearly wrong.

If you want to fly in and out of Mexico with your pet, I suggest you don't give United your business.

Having traveled hundreds of thousands of miles on Continental and United, I'm now considering other options, including giving up my $375/year Presidents Club membership.
YOU ARE SO RIGHT!!
It IS United's interpretation! They want it that way because they will make more money with their pet sage program at X2 - X3 times!!
We live in Mexico and travel with our 2 cats! This 'disaster' occurred May 1st when a United employee called to say that they were giving us back our money because we are travelling with pets aboard one of their flights From Houston to Merida MX; and that because the MEXICAN government has a 'new' policy about pets flying 'in-cabin into and out of Mexico!
When I said 'fine' I'll just cancel my entire flight with them, he informed me that it wouldn't do me ANY good because this was "INDUSTRY WIDE" and that ALL airlines would have to follow this new policy!
I cancelled my flight anyways, just to make a point, and followed up by calling Delta, American Airlines, Air Canada, and Westjet. ALL of them told me that they had NEVER heard pf this new policy and that it was business as usual for them and that my pets were welcome on ALL of their flights! (** Just a few days ago, I learned that Delta is now also following this new policy!)
When I emailed United the next day, I asked for 'written' proof of this 'new' policy. A yound lady answered my email and added as an attachement a redacted snippet of the new policy, adding that she could NOT divulge the rest of the document! NO wonder!
From the little that she had sent to me in the attachement, I was able to locate (through a Google search - ain't it great?) the ENTIRE document that this 'snippet' had come from!
This was from 2007 (so NOT new!) and was directed at internal flights WITHIN Mexico itself and NOT at international flights!! This is what they are basing their claims on! They ARE LYING to people to make MORE money than they already do!!
This leaves people (like myself) who want to fly into Merida (as they are the ONLY major airline to fly into Merida!) having to fly out of Cancun (4 hours away from Merida!), and pay for taxis or limo/van services that WILL accomodate our pets as the ADO bus service within Mexico does not allow pets to travel INSIDE the bus - the MUST travel inside the LUGGAGE department under the bus! Like any pet owner would put their pets there in that heat!!
Thanks a lot United!!! I started spreading the news about this to as many people as I could, beginning with YOLISTO.com (an ex-pat and tourist website that is extremely popular here in the Yucatan), which linked the article on it's sister magazine & web page Yucatan Living.
I also went on United's website and posted there as well. I found the personal email address and head office address to contact the President (Jeff Smisek) and told him in NO uncertain words just what I thought of his 'new' policy! I am flying out next week on Westjet and will continue to until and unless United changes their policy, or until another US airline begins flying into Merida!!

It's a crazy policy that will effect many ex-pats and their travels.

If you truly care for your animals, leave them home.

We have two homes, one in Canada and one in Mexico, and our dogs travel well, so we will ignore that advice.

Travelled to Cancun from Canada on Air Canada May 17th no problem with dog in cabin. No problems at Sagarpa. The woman at Sagarpa told me she had never heard of the rule. Returned to Canada on May 28th with Westjet, again, no problem.

Today, on June 2, I just booked a return flight on Westjet to Cancun from Canada and I reserved a space for my dog, in cabin.

Thankfully the Canadian airlines are not following suit.

I haven't read all of the laws in their entirety, but from what I have read it looks as if it is a national regulation (which makes sense - international airlines are governed by FAA rules) and so if someone in Mexico really did write the U.S. airlines, not only did they start a whole mess of trouble but they forgot to write Canada.

... Does not prohibit animals in the cabin on international flights. We need to get the airlines to reconsider their ruling,as perhaps it was a misinterpretation.

http://www.aicm.com.mx/informacionalpasajero/Preguntasfrecuentes/index.php?Publicacion=279#9

If you truly care for your animals, leave them home.
I have a service dog for many years, however this past week my daughter flew home on a 2 way ticket from phoenix to pv with her little princess. On the way home they tried to stop the flight open the door and got the pilot involved. USAIRWAYS GET THIS "they quoted in PV we dont have enough AIR on our planes.. WHAT I LOOK LIKE A MORON! you have to be kidding me.. I dont like lawyers, but MAN if you are one and want to chase a active lawsuit. This is it. Discrimination against ANIMALS and our FAMILY MEMBERS..there has always been embargo s during heat times and cargo pets. This is not the case...
I also asked the Vet at the airport they said WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THIS... someone needs to get the facts and refund us the 100's of 1000's of dollars we spent in the past 5 years on the pets in cabin. Many of us save animals in Mexico from death.. THIS is how they thank us. I dont think so...

Although the web is full of statements that the Airlines have chosen to ban pets (for financial reasons?) and statements that the law does not apply to international flights, the Airlines are actually responding to a directive from the Mexican government issued on May 22.

I have a copy of the directive and used an OCR program to extract the Spanish and then Google to translate it into English:

AUTOMATED TRANSCRIPT (probably with a few errors)

Por este medio se les informa que de acuerdo a lo establecido en el Articulo 107 de la Ley de AviacIón Civil que enuncia "Todo Concesionario o Pennlsionarlo que realice el transporte de animales enlas Aeronaves de Servicio al Público de Transporte Aéreo de Pasajeros, debe hacerlo en Jaulas o contenedores adecuados que deben Ir en los compartimentos de carga, con excepcIón de 108 perros lazarillos qua acompañen a una persona discapacitada que podrán ser transportados en la cabina de pasajeros. En caso de que la aeronave no cuente con compartimentos de carga presurizados, se eslará a la norma oficial mexIcana correspondiente", y a lo establecido en el Articulo 123 del Reglamento de Operación de Aeronaves Civiles, asl como los puntos 2.1 .2, 4.1, 4.2 Y 4.3 de la Circular Obligatoria CO AV-07.8I07 que establece los nneamientos para /as condiciones de seguridad que deben cumplirse para la operación de aeronaves destinadas al transporte de pasajeros, NO SE PERMITE la combinacion de pasajeros y anImales vivos en la cabina de pasajeros, excepto en el caso de perros lazarillos y animales de servicio.

En base a io anterior, sirva la presente como recordatorio a todas las empresas que prestan Servicios e Transporte Aéreo en este Aeropuerto, de apegarse puntualmente a la normatiVidad establecida.

Sin otro particular, aprovecho la ocasión para enviarle un cordial saludo.

AUTOMATED TRANSLATION (therefore somewhat suspect):

It is hereby informed that in accordance with the provisions of Article 107 of the Civil Aviation Act which states "Every Licensee or Pennlsionarlo that transports animals inthe Public Service Aircraft Air Transport of Passengers, must do so in cages or containers must be suitable in cargo compartments, except guide dogs qua 108 accompanying a disabled person may be transported in the passenger cabin. If the aircraft does not have cargo compartments pressurized eslará is the corresponding official Mexican standard "and as established in Article 123 of the Rules of Civil Aircraft Operations, as asl 0.2 points 2.1, 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 of the Circular AV-CO Compulsory 07.8I07 that nneamientos sets for / as security conditions that are necessary for the operation of aircraft for the transport of passengers. DO NOT ALLOW the combination of passengers and live animals in passenger cabin, except for guide dogs and service animals.

Based on the above, serve as a reminder of this to all companies providing Air Transport Services and the Airport, to adhere to the standards established promptly.

Without further ado, I take this opportunity to send a cordial greeting.

There are now reports that both AA and USAir have reversed their decision effective July 1st and will allow pets in the cabin again.

Note: 15 June 2012 a new Mexican government Circular CO AV-07.8/07 R2, an interim, temporary measure that will remain in effect until the new regulations are in place this fall, states pets and service animals will be allowed in cabin effective immediately. Not that your airline in the US or Canada may know this, but quoting the circular number may help.

Please follow this topic now that this thread is obsolete in the new "master" thread, No pets in cabin rule rescinded! [25 Jun 2012 - master thread] (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mexico/1360531-no-pets-cabin-rule-rescinded-25-jun-2012-master-thread.html), started by nebinkwe2 and shared with us there.

¡Gracias! JDiver, Senior Moderator