Japan Airlines, Stopovers, Max flight length
Aug 19, 2015, 6:06 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 1
Japan Airlines, Stopovers, Max flight length
I'm based in Indonesia, and relocating back to the US with two critters we adopted here off the streets - a one year old dog and an 8 month old cat.
I'm looking for the best way to bring our animals with us. I had a few questions and would really appreciate any feedback or experience yu could share!
1 - your experience with Japan Airlines. Had anyone used them for transporting pets internationally (in the hold, not in the cabin)?
2 - Maximum flight length - Indonesia is pretty much on the opposite side of the world from new york so the flight journey/transit will be 24 hours. Is it better to break this up into three flights and schedule two layovers or to keep it as two flights with one layover? The longest flight will be 14 hours if we go for two flights versus about 8 hours if we had three flights. I'm particularly worried about our pup (I've only travelled with cats before).
3 - has anyone been able to see their pets during a layover? We'd definitely try to route via a particular city in Asia/Middle East/Europe if it meant we could take our dog out.
Thanks in advance for any help or guidance you can provide!
I'm looking for the best way to bring our animals with us. I had a few questions and would really appreciate any feedback or experience yu could share!
1 - your experience with Japan Airlines. Had anyone used them for transporting pets internationally (in the hold, not in the cabin)?
2 - Maximum flight length - Indonesia is pretty much on the opposite side of the world from new york so the flight journey/transit will be 24 hours. Is it better to break this up into three flights and schedule two layovers or to keep it as two flights with one layover? The longest flight will be 14 hours if we go for two flights versus about 8 hours if we had three flights. I'm particularly worried about our pup (I've only travelled with cats before).
3 - has anyone been able to see their pets during a layover? We'd definitely try to route via a particular city in Asia/Middle East/Europe if it meant we could take our dog out.
Thanks in advance for any help or guidance you can provide!
Sep 11, 2015, 11:27 am
#2
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: BSL
Programs: AA (EXP); among others :)
Posts: 2,522
To answer 1.). Yes, I did, and my dog was being well taken care of. The journey did not involve transit, though but was a NRT-to-destination direct flight.
2.): How large and heavy is your dog? If small/below 8 kgs, my preferred option would be to take the animals in the cabin. See this post for more information about airlines that will allow this (with linked policies). Then, they stay with you all the time - you just need to be creative with potty walks. I don't know any airports with airside pet relief areas anywhere outside a few select ones in the USA.
My own dog as well as most others I have taken on as flight companions take travel in the hold rather well even with long flights (up to twelve hours). They just go to sleep during flight - it's dark in the animal compartments. In dozens of trips, I`ve only had one dog be stressed out by the experience.
If the dog needs to travel in the hold, I`d select a routing with as few stops as possible that will allow you to get him out during transit - keep it to one airline. He will not be able to go all the way without getting fed and have potty breaks and walks. The problem with this is that in order to do this yourself, you will need to short-check him to the transit hub and clear immigration and customs with the animal before giving him a walk and re-checking him afterwards. This is impossible in HKG, SIN, DXB, AUH and DOH due to strict animal import regulations of the respective countries, so going via any of these transit hubs will not work.
I'm not familiar with Japan - it may be possible or not. I only know that it's possible in ICN, as Korea has pretty liberal animal import policies. BTDT with KE, and it was pretty seamless.
Forget about doing this anywhere in the EU, as Indonesia is not listed on AnnexII as rabies-free country and the requirements to enter the EU with an animal originating there are complex and involve a multi-step vaccination and testing regime that draws out for several months.
Should you route via Europe regardless - LH and KLM have facilities in FRA resp. AMS where your dog will get out of his carrier and be fed and walked by staff while in transit for a fee (KL charges EUR 150). These facilities are intended for animals shipped unaccompanied as cargo and your dog will legally stay in transit and does not have to comply with EU animal import regulation when using them.
2.): How large and heavy is your dog? If small/below 8 kgs, my preferred option would be to take the animals in the cabin. See this post for more information about airlines that will allow this (with linked policies). Then, they stay with you all the time - you just need to be creative with potty walks. I don't know any airports with airside pet relief areas anywhere outside a few select ones in the USA.
My own dog as well as most others I have taken on as flight companions take travel in the hold rather well even with long flights (up to twelve hours). They just go to sleep during flight - it's dark in the animal compartments. In dozens of trips, I`ve only had one dog be stressed out by the experience.
If the dog needs to travel in the hold, I`d select a routing with as few stops as possible that will allow you to get him out during transit - keep it to one airline. He will not be able to go all the way without getting fed and have potty breaks and walks. The problem with this is that in order to do this yourself, you will need to short-check him to the transit hub and clear immigration and customs with the animal before giving him a walk and re-checking him afterwards. This is impossible in HKG, SIN, DXB, AUH and DOH due to strict animal import regulations of the respective countries, so going via any of these transit hubs will not work.
I'm not familiar with Japan - it may be possible or not. I only know that it's possible in ICN, as Korea has pretty liberal animal import policies. BTDT with KE, and it was pretty seamless.
Forget about doing this anywhere in the EU, as Indonesia is not listed on AnnexII as rabies-free country and the requirements to enter the EU with an animal originating there are complex and involve a multi-step vaccination and testing regime that draws out for several months.
Should you route via Europe regardless - LH and KLM have facilities in FRA resp. AMS where your dog will get out of his carrier and be fed and walked by staff while in transit for a fee (KL charges EUR 150). These facilities are intended for animals shipped unaccompanied as cargo and your dog will legally stay in transit and does not have to comply with EU animal import regulation when using them.