Pets on Korean Air

Old Apr 14, 2013, 4:23 am
  #1  
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Pets on Korean Air

Does anyone have any experience with in cabin pet travel on Korean Air. Their policy says 5kg/11lbs is the maximum weight. Our cat is a bit over, and I am wondering how strictly this standard is enforced. We will likely be traveling on a business class ticket (or even upgrade to first with points), so space is not an issue. Likewise, we've already confirmed with KE that pets are permitted in all cabins. So the issue comes down to how strictly the weight limit is enforced. Any experience with KE is appreciated.
DCCXFlyer is offline  
Old Apr 14, 2013, 9:28 am
  #2  
 
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Many of my friends have taken pets on KE as they are teachers living here that move back to the US. They claim the general 5kg rule is flexible as long as it "fits under the seat."

I would imagine that flexibility also depends on the airline staff when you check in/who staffs your counter. Everyone that's said "oh they're flexible" has also departed from ICN.

But, if you get the Delta agent at ATL, for instance, they might not be flexible. When I flew to Korea in August 2011, it was proper Korean Air staff. Last summer, Delta staff. This summer, who knows.

Good luck!
mikesaidyes is offline  
Old Apr 14, 2013, 3:35 pm
  #3  
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Thanks for in the info. We will be flying from HKG thru ICN to Washington DC. We are in business class so space should not be an issue (we just returned from IAD 2 days ago on KE). So I guess it will come down to who is the duty manager working at HKIA.

If anyone else has any experience please share. My cat and I would appreciate it.
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Old May 8, 2013, 1:47 am
  #4  
 
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I just saw this or would have written sooner. Have you flown yet, and what was the experience? We fly to and from China each year with a small dog, and he was really only available for the 5kg limit his first trip. However, with the cage, he was just over, and everyone we spoke to on Korean's side mentioned that this would not be allowed. In the end we opted for a larger, sturdier cage and let him ride with the luggage, and he's ridden the same ever since.

For Asia<>US flights, we haven't found a carrier that compares with Korean Air for pets. American carriers either refuse to fly pets over the Pacific, strictly enforce temperature limits (75F+ on the runway = no go), or require you to work with expensive pet relocation agencies on flights out of China. Korean, on the other hand, has always been great, understanding and professional. My wife never fails to worry, and the flight attendants are always willing to call down to ground crew to make sure he was loaded in fine.

It used to be a simple experience to grab the dog and head into Seoul for the night when connecting the next day, too, but they've recently changed the pet immigration laws to require expensive rabies tests before entering the country. Even so, KA staff will track down our dog and make sure he's warm for the overnight stint.
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Old Aug 6, 2014, 9:08 am
  #5  
 
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In-Cabin traveling with dog (from LA to Ho Chi Minh City)

Wanted to share quickly my traveling experience with my dog on Korean Air (since this forum was extremely helpful to me).
Had never traveled with my dog before and am definitely happy I picked Korean Air.

Their customer service is amazing and they were very helpful way from the start of the booking until the end. I had an emotional support dog letter from my psychiatrist and so my dog who weighed 0.65 kg more than the accepted weight of 5kgs (dog + kennel) was still allowed in cabin with me on both flights (from LAX to Seoul, and from Seoul to Ho Chi Minh City).

Supposedly, this letter bypasses certain weight restrictions and allows the dog to be taken out of the kennel during the flight. Though FYI, the letter is only valid from LAX to Seoul. Then after, I was informed that the dog would need to go in cargo if not meeting the weight restrictions. But I lucked out because Korean Air allowed my dog to go in cabin both times (the second time though, I wasn't allowed to take the dog out of the kennel).

Once on the flight, I told them that I had an emotional support dog and they basically left the middle seat between my boyfriend and I open (as if the seat was reserved for my dog).

I never thought that the airline would make this traveling with my dog the easiest ever. They were accommodating way beyond beliefs.

I would highly recommend that you consider this airlines if trying to travel in cabin with a dog. They were all very welcoming of my dog!

I had originally called Eva Airlines who made it very difficult to book my ticket while reassuring me that my dog would be allowed on the plane (this is after I had faxed in all the needed info, etc).

So definitely, fly with your dog on Korean Air!
annamx is offline  
Old Jun 13, 2015, 6:39 pm
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
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Korean Air super dog and dog-owner friendly

I wanted to share my great experience of flying with my pugs as ESA's from Singapore to SFO on Korean Air. From beginning to end, the whole experience was easy and there were no surprises. The pugs traveled as checked baggage in the cargo compartment from Singapore to Seoul because Singapore regulations does not allow them to fly in the cabin. Then I collected my dogs at Incheon Airport (note you'll have to clear immigrations and customs) and was then able to bring them in the cabin with me for the ICN to SFO flight.

My mom and I chose the second to last row in economy since it only had two seats and we wouldn't bother anyone else in the row. One dog slept most of the flight and my second dog was pretty stressed out most of the time. I let the stressed out dog out of the sherpa bag for part of the flight when all the lights were turned off.

The Korean Air staff was amazing, from the agents on the 24-hour help line who provided all the information, to the knowledgeable staff at the check-in counter and the flight crew, I was thoroughly impressed. We are moving back to the US, but I will strongly consider Korean Air for all my future travel back to Asia, with or without dogs!
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Old Jul 8, 2015, 11:38 am
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Join Date: Jul 2015
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We are traveling with our small dog on Korean Air from Houston to HCMC (through Seoul) Aug 5th. Could you clarify what paperwork you got for your trip. Is a rabies blood anitbody necessary for clearance in Seoul? Thrilled we can take her in cabin, but am worried about getting through Seoul. Thanks!








Originally Posted by annamx
Wanted to share quickly my traveling experience with my dog on Korean Air (since this forum was extremely helpful to me).
Had never traveled with my dog before and am definitely happy I picked Korean Air.

Their customer service is amazing and they were very helpful way from the start of the booking until the end. I had an emotional support dog letter from my psychiatrist and so my dog who weighed 0.65 kg more than the accepted weight of 5kgs (dog + kennel) was still allowed in cabin with me on both flights (from LAX to Seoul, and from Seoul to Ho Chi Minh City).

Supposedly, this letter bypasses certain weight restrictions and allows the dog to be taken out of the kennel during the flight. Though FYI, the letter is only valid from LAX to Seoul. Then after, I was informed that the dog would need to go in cargo if not meeting the weight restrictions. But I lucked out because Korean Air allowed my dog to go in cabin both times (the second time though, I wasn't allowed to take the dog out of the kennel).

Once on the flight, I told them that I had an emotional support dog and they basically left the middle seat between my boyfriend and I open (as if the seat was reserved for my dog).

I never thought that the airline would make this traveling with my dog the easiest ever. They were accommodating way beyond beliefs.

I would highly recommend that you consider this airlines if trying to travel in cabin with a dog. They were all very welcoming of my dog!

I had originally called Eva Airlines who made it very difficult to book my ticket while reassuring me that my dog would be allowed on the plane (this is after I had faxed in all the needed info, etc).

So definitely, fly with your dog on Korean Air!
labeath is offline  
Old Jul 8, 2015, 6:44 pm
  #8  
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Shandong/WV
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Originally Posted by labeath
We are traveling with our small dog on Korean Air from Houston to HCMC (through Seoul) Aug 5th. Could you clarify what paperwork you got for your trip. Is a rabies blood anitbody necessary for clearance in Seoul? Thrilled we can take her in cabin, but am worried about getting through Seoul. Thanks!
You can see the requirements for quarantine here: http://www.airport.kr/iiacms/pageWor...de=C1202010700

Yes, a rabies neutralizing antibody test is necessary. There are a few other requirements. If you have these documents, it's a breeze to leave the airport.
cfisher6 is offline  
Old Jul 14, 2015, 2:38 am
  #9  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
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Great thread.

Does anyone know if the 5kg requirement is strict these days or not?
I was planning to fly JAL but it seems that Korean air might be the better route for taking my cat from LA to China.
He weighs a little over 5kg but should fit under the seat... I think.
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Old Jul 14, 2015, 10:32 am
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We were just over 5kg with our pup's cage a few years back, and we weren't able to book the ticket after mentioning that. We didn't try to push it at the check-in, but I think it's a safe bet to say that it's pretty firm. Our dog and his cage could certainly have fit under the seat.

But flying with the dog in checked baggage on Korean is fine. We've had great support from Korean each time, from the flight crew confirming that he's made it on board to ground crew confirming that he's in the layover area of the airport and doing fine.
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Old Jul 14, 2015, 10:35 am
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Join Date: Jun 2012
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Also, a different subject, but where are you flying into in China? It might be a good idea to choose a smaller airport vs. Beijing/Shanghai and possibly some others, as the smaller airports don't have the facilities for quarantining animals and will instead ask you to quarantine them at home. Several years ago -- and things change quickly in China, so it may be worth looking into this -- Beijing had a month-long quarantine in the city at a special quarantine facility, and as we don't live in that area, it wasn't something we wanted to get into.
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Old Oct 11, 2015, 8:36 am
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For those of you who have flown with your pets already, I'm getting ready to fly Bangkok, through Seoul, on to Chicago. With the layover, it's about 30 hours in the crate, do you arrive with a lot of mess, ie urine feces? Do they try to let the animals out during a layover? Also wondering if anyone had any experience with how lenient they are in weight when dogs are in cargo...going to be a close one with the water bottle, etc. thanks!
Becky Ringhand is offline  
Old Oct 11, 2015, 11:19 am
  #13  
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
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Our flights are generally 30 hours when there's a dog involved. They do not let them out, and unless you have some higher-level tests done, you can't collect your dog in Seoul and spend some time with him or her overnight.

Our dog has never defecated in his crate, but he does generally urinate. It's not bad, and he generally spends a few minutes finishing the job when we let him out at the destination.

We have a smaller dog so were never close to the weight limit, so I can't really comment there. I would just remove the water bottle prior to weighing if it's close.
cfisher6 is offline  
Old Feb 23, 2016, 10:37 pm
  #14  
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 1
do i still need to do the titer test for my cat if we are just transiting. It's a very long one, about 12 hour
BeansSuperCat13 is offline  
Old Sep 5, 2016, 3:34 pm
  #15  
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 1
Taking pets

Anyone with the lateat experience taking pets using Korean Air?

I plan to take our cats from Jakarta to Vancouver with KE thru Incheon airport.

And there are 5 of them. 3 can travel with me as passenger, 1 to go on the cabin and 2 on cargo compartment while the other 2 are going with their cargo thru their agents.

It is necessary to have rabies test for the one travel on cabin as it is gonna be a long 11 hrs lay ovet or all of them should have it?

So far the representative staff are very helpful but their cargo sucks, they dont know how to ahip5 your pets and refer to another cargo and 11 days since emailing them no result.

Thank you for any sharing.

Regards
Doktavira is offline  

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