USA to Azerbaijan (2 Yorkies)
Jun 30, 2015, 2:21 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 232
USA to Azerbaijan (2 Yorkies)
Was hoping for some advice. Looks like me and my family are mving to Azerbaijan for a couple years. Wife and I and our 2 daughters. (6 and 3)
We are bringing our 2 Yorkies. One is 4 lb the other is 5.5lb. Will be flying United and Lufthansa. Tickets not booked yet. Not sure wether to check them in cargo hold in one decent size crate or carry both on board and keep under our seat. 24 hour total travel time. 4 flights. If we carry on, my concern is no where to let them go potty. If check them, i suppose they can go in the crate and not really matter as its in cargo and not disturbance to other passengers. What would you do? Anyone traveled these type of distances before with 2 little dogs? Assume it would be scarey for them in the cargo hold for so long.
We are bringing our 2 Yorkies. One is 4 lb the other is 5.5lb. Will be flying United and Lufthansa. Tickets not booked yet. Not sure wether to check them in cargo hold in one decent size crate or carry both on board and keep under our seat. 24 hour total travel time. 4 flights. If we carry on, my concern is no where to let them go potty. If check them, i suppose they can go in the crate and not really matter as its in cargo and not disturbance to other passengers. What would you do? Anyone traveled these type of distances before with 2 little dogs? Assume it would be scarey for them in the cargo hold for so long.
Jul 1, 2015, 5:20 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: BSL
Programs: AA (EXP); among others :)
Posts: 2,522
How do they behave? Are they used to being in a carrier?
If they are nice and likely not turn out to be a nuisance, definitely take them along in the cabin all the way.
Flying United, you will only have the option of either carrying them on or send them as cargo - for the general public, United does not transport animals as checked baggage anymore. They did away with that after the merger, adopting COs cargo-based "PetSafe" program instead.
United also has a plenty of restrictions for longhaul travel with in-cabin pets - I'd suggest booking the transatlantic segment on LH if you plan to carry them on in the cabin, where there are basically no restrictions apart from size and weight of the carrier.
Animals are never interlined between airlines, and you'd have to claim them from the cargo terminal at the transfer point from UA to LH if you were using PetSafe for the United flights. Sending them to Baku all the way with PetSafe wil turn out very costly.
You say you have four flights - I presume two of those will be US domestic segments, then the TATL to Frankfurt, then connecting to GYE on LH.
While all UA hubs (IAH, EWR, SFO) offer pet relief areas, none has them airside so you'd need to get outside and reclear security for potty breaks. Keep that in mind while booking connections.
The same in Frankfurt - you will need to pass immigration/customs and exit the terminal if you want to give them a bathroom break walk. This means they need to adhere to all EU animal health regulations (rabies shot documentation, EU-style microchip, paperwork stamped by accredited USDA vet - read this post for details and links) or customs might not let you pass with them. However, I never have been asked for anything when arriving in FRA with my dog and just walked through customs on all of our maybe two dozen trips through there.
If they are nice and likely not turn out to be a nuisance, definitely take them along in the cabin all the way.
Flying United, you will only have the option of either carrying them on or send them as cargo - for the general public, United does not transport animals as checked baggage anymore. They did away with that after the merger, adopting COs cargo-based "PetSafe" program instead.
United also has a plenty of restrictions for longhaul travel with in-cabin pets - I'd suggest booking the transatlantic segment on LH if you plan to carry them on in the cabin, where there are basically no restrictions apart from size and weight of the carrier.
Animals are never interlined between airlines, and you'd have to claim them from the cargo terminal at the transfer point from UA to LH if you were using PetSafe for the United flights. Sending them to Baku all the way with PetSafe wil turn out very costly.
You say you have four flights - I presume two of those will be US domestic segments, then the TATL to Frankfurt, then connecting to GYE on LH.
While all UA hubs (IAH, EWR, SFO) offer pet relief areas, none has them airside so you'd need to get outside and reclear security for potty breaks. Keep that in mind while booking connections.
The same in Frankfurt - you will need to pass immigration/customs and exit the terminal if you want to give them a bathroom break walk. This means they need to adhere to all EU animal health regulations (rabies shot documentation, EU-style microchip, paperwork stamped by accredited USDA vet - read this post for details and links) or customs might not let you pass with them. However, I never have been asked for anything when arriving in FRA with my dog and just walked through customs on all of our maybe two dozen trips through there.
Jul 2, 2015, 10:18 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 232
How do they behave? Are they used to being in a carrier?
If they are nice and likely not turn out to be a nuisance, definitely take them along in the cabin all the way.
Flying United, you will only have the option of either carrying them on or send them as cargo - for the general public, United does not transport animals as checked baggage anymore. They did away with that after the merger, adopting COs cargo-based "PetSafe" program instead.
United also has a plenty of restrictions for longhaul travel with in-cabin pets - I'd suggest booking the transatlantic segment on LH if you plan to carry them on in the cabin, where there are basically no restrictions apart from size and weight of the carrier.
Animals are never interlined between airlines, and you'd have to claim them from the cargo terminal at the transfer point from UA to LH if you were using PetSafe for the United flights. Sending them to Baku all the way with PetSafe wil turn out very costly.
You say you have four flights - I presume two of those will be US domestic segments, then the TATL to Frankfurt, then connecting to GYE on LH.
While all UA hubs (IAH, EWR, SFO) offer pet relief areas, none has them airside so you'd need to get outside and reclear security for potty breaks. Keep that in mind while booking connections.
The same in Frankfurt - you will need to pass immigration/customs and exit the terminal if you want to give them a bathroom break walk. This means they need to adhere to all EU animal health regulations (rabies shot documentation, EU-style microchip, paperwork stamped by accredited USDA vet - read this post for details and links) or customs might not let you pass with them. However, I never have been asked for anything when arriving in FRA with my dog and just walked through customs on all of our maybe two dozen trips through there.
If they are nice and likely not turn out to be a nuisance, definitely take them along in the cabin all the way.
Flying United, you will only have the option of either carrying them on or send them as cargo - for the general public, United does not transport animals as checked baggage anymore. They did away with that after the merger, adopting COs cargo-based "PetSafe" program instead.
United also has a plenty of restrictions for longhaul travel with in-cabin pets - I'd suggest booking the transatlantic segment on LH if you plan to carry them on in the cabin, where there are basically no restrictions apart from size and weight of the carrier.
Animals are never interlined between airlines, and you'd have to claim them from the cargo terminal at the transfer point from UA to LH if you were using PetSafe for the United flights. Sending them to Baku all the way with PetSafe wil turn out very costly.
You say you have four flights - I presume two of those will be US domestic segments, then the TATL to Frankfurt, then connecting to GYE on LH.
While all UA hubs (IAH, EWR, SFO) offer pet relief areas, none has them airside so you'd need to get outside and reclear security for potty breaks. Keep that in mind while booking connections.
The same in Frankfurt - you will need to pass immigration/customs and exit the terminal if you want to give them a bathroom break walk. This means they need to adhere to all EU animal health regulations (rabies shot documentation, EU-style microchip, paperwork stamped by accredited USDA vet - read this post for details and links) or customs might not let you pass with them. However, I never have been asked for anything when arriving in FRA with my dog and just walked through customs on all of our maybe two dozen trips through there.
Jul 3, 2015, 5:28 am
#4
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: BSL
Programs: AA (EXP); among others :)
Posts: 2,522
Well, you might want to reconsider after Petsafe tells you how much they want. Personally, this move was a big part of my decision to move most of my flying to AA/OW from UA/LH, after 19 years with Miles and More...
I'd try to get them used to a carrier in the meantime - a few long drives should give you a good hint on how they will behave on a flight.
You can do a mix - carry them on on the UA flights, and check them as baggage on the LH flights if you feel uncertain about how they would handle being in a carrier in the cabin for so long.
In case the FRA layover exceeds a certain time, AVIH pets (AVIH=checked baggage) get transported to LHs animal lounge (same facility LH uses for animals shipped as cargo), are fed, walked and cared for there.
I'd try to get them used to a carrier in the meantime - a few long drives should give you a good hint on how they will behave on a flight.
You can do a mix - carry them on on the UA flights, and check them as baggage on the LH flights if you feel uncertain about how they would handle being in a carrier in the cabin for so long.
In case the FRA layover exceeds a certain time, AVIH pets (AVIH=checked baggage) get transported to LHs animal lounge (same facility LH uses for animals shipped as cargo), are fed, walked and cared for there.
Jul 3, 2015, 1:13 pm
#5
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Happily living in Frenaros Cyprus having escaped the near-death experience called Sofia Bulgaria
Programs: Etihad Guest Gold, DL FO and 1MM, and a bunch of others at a low level
Posts: 2,052
Personally I would carry my pets on the plane if at all possible. I've traveled internationally with cats and have done this. Dogs are a little different, but some advice still applies.
Get soft-sided carriers, like Sherpa and line them with puppy papers (and bring extra puppy papers with you). Your vet will advise you as to when to stop feeding them before travel.
One trick I used with my cats is to find a toilet in the airports I traveled though that had some room in it and had full walls and door (not a bathroom stall) - usually this is a handicapped toilet or a room for changing babies. I let my cat out in this room (not opportunity to escape) and let her stretch her legs a bit between flights.
Note that you can't just book your flights and assume your dogs will be allowed on. Find the flights you want and then contact the airline to see if you can have your pets on those flights before you buy the tickets.
Get soft-sided carriers, like Sherpa and line them with puppy papers (and bring extra puppy papers with you). Your vet will advise you as to when to stop feeding them before travel.
One trick I used with my cats is to find a toilet in the airports I traveled though that had some room in it and had full walls and door (not a bathroom stall) - usually this is a handicapped toilet or a room for changing babies. I let my cat out in this room (not opportunity to escape) and let her stretch her legs a bit between flights.
Note that you can't just book your flights and assume your dogs will be allowed on. Find the flights you want and then contact the airline to see if you can have your pets on those flights before you buy the tickets.
Jul 3, 2015, 2:04 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 232
I'm appreciating all this insight. Puppy papers is a good idea as well. One more thing, don't flame me, but is it ok to basically drug the heck out of your animals? I'm going to possibly ask my vet for some sort of doggie Valium maybe so they sleep most of the way.
Jul 4, 2015, 8:05 am
#7
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: GYD
Programs: Azerbaijan Airlines Gold, Turkish Miles and Smiles, IHG Plat
Posts: 663
Not sure where you are in the US but Azerbaijan Airlines now have a direct flight from New York to Baku. That will surely make the trip quicker for the dogs (and you for that matter!). Not sure if they allow pets in the cabin.
Jul 4, 2015, 9:08 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Programs: DL FO, Marriott Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 12,003
That N/S is 10.5 hours long from JFK. If you have a long enough layover at JFK you can walk your dogs and hopefully they will be good to go for the flight. ^
Jul 10, 2015, 4:57 pm
#9
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Happily living in Frenaros Cyprus having escaped the near-death experience called Sofia Bulgaria
Programs: Etihad Guest Gold, DL FO and 1MM, and a bunch of others at a low level
Posts: 2,052
I wouldn't unless absolutely necessary and under the advice of your vet. God forbid if your pet had some kind of bad reaction to the medication.