ryder1650

Does anyone know when airlines in the US will start to fly pets in cargo again? Looks like UA and DL are still suspended. Are any airlines flying pets currently?

Doug Ward

I actually help people relocate their animals professionally and it's been very difficult lately with UA and DL halting their program. I have heard no news about them changing their programs in the near future from IPATA (International Pet and Animal Transportation Association). Luckily, AS and AA are both still relocating pets in the US, personally I recommend AS as they have fewer embargos and much better service. Happy to answer any questions you may have about pet cargo flights. - Doug (AlaskaPetMovers.com)

ryder1650

AA claims to only allow checked pets for military personnel traveling on orders:

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...tance/pets.jsp
"We only accept checked pets for active-duty U.S. military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel traveling on official orders."

Doug Ward

That is correct. You can only fly them as “cargo” or in-cabin with AA. Which is also more expensive then AS which allows you to add a pet for $100.

It’s also a lot more difficult if you are trying to travel on the same flights as you need to check them in at the cargo office for AA not the check in counter.

planet_erg

According to AA, it is only allowing service personel or diplomats. "We only accept checked pets for active-duty U.S. military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel traveling on official orders." and AS does not fly many international routes. Has anyone used IcelandAir?

Doug Ward

Ive used Iceland Air to fly internationally a few times in the past and would recommend them. Their prices are much cheaper too compared to Lufthansa. What route are you looking to fly? My best international pet carrier recommendations are Qatar, Turkish Airlines, and Iceland Air. KLM have been good too but have become difficult lately.

planet_erg

If you have used IcelandAir, do you know if they require you to import the dog to iceland? My layover would be 2 hours, so it seem s little crazy that they would need me to import the dog and then export it again, but I can not get a clear answer from anyone on this. Looking for London-KEF-BOS.

Doug Ward

You wouldn’t need to import to Iceland when you have a layover. Same works for other international carriers as well. Some locations require a “transit” permit but Iceland is not one. You should be clear to travel from LHR to BOS on that route, (UK has been changing their rules lately) so I would call Iceland Air to book your desired ticket and add the pet at the same time.

planet_erg

Spot On Doug and just in case anyone is still worried, I have had this verified by MAST (Iceland Government department that deals with this).

planet_erg

OK, so here is the latest in this saga, which is getting a little crazy. I contacted the UK Goverments Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to check what documents I needed to take my dog from UK to USA and the informed me (both over the phone and via email) that I do not need an official Export Health Certificate EHC) and that just a letter from my vet saying that my dog is fit to fly and proof of rabbies vaccine is enough. I checked with the CDC in the USA and the USDA guidance on this, and they confirmed the same. I then checked the Animal Health Division for Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources who informed me (via email from their Director) that they require an EHC from the UK. I went back to APHA - they have EHC forms for every country and even the state of Hawaii, but not for any other state or for general export to the USA and they reiterated that I do not need one according to the CDC. I went back to MA and they said that while the CDC does not require one, the state of MA does.

Has anyone recently taken a dog from UK to USA with entry into BOS? How did you achieve this? It looks like NY and NJ do not have such requirements, so it is only MA (and my final destination MO) that are being difficult on this. Is there a generic EHC that can be used?

bhomburg

I flew into BOS once in 2014, unaware of any state EHC requirements and went right through agricultural inspection with nothing but the Swiss (EU) pet passport documenting rabies shots.
AFAIK, the agricultural inspection at the airport is a federal thing, I have no idea if they enforce state rules.

planet_erg

I was wondering how they would enforce the local state rules.....