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i have never had anyone inquire as to whether my dogs were on vacation or coming here to live. somehow this doesn{t seem right but then i brought my dogs down without the use of a broker so maybe the rules change when you use one.
I think there may be some confusion with regard to the word CARGO. Being a retired American Airlines ticket agent, maybe I can offer some clarification. A pet can travel 1 of 3 ways:
1- as “cabin baggage” – where the pet travel in the cabin with you, and must fit in a kennel, under the seat in front of you. Because the number of cabin pets are limited, you must make a reservation for the same flight you are traveling on.
2 – as “checked baggage” – where the pet travels on THE SAME FLIGHT AS YOU, but in the “cargo hold” with the other checked baggage (it is pressurized and temp controlled)
3 – as CARGO – where the pet travels ALONE and not on the same scheduled flight as you are traveling. Pet also travels just like #2 in the “cargo hold” with the baggage.Many airlines have “embargoes” when the temperature gets too hot or too cold outside. If you are planning on traveling with your pet,I would reccomend traveling on non-embargoed time so that the pet can travel on the same flight as you. Otherwise, if you travel on one flight and then send for your pet later, he will travel as CARGO and on international fights, that entail additional fees and often a broker to “clear” the “carg”.
Hope this helps 😀
There is also a fourth way for your pet to travel, and that is as a service animal. The Americans with Disabilities Act allows any of us to bring our service animal on board with us at no charge. Your service animal may be assisting you either physically, as in a guide dog for the blind, or they can be assisting you for emotional reasons. In the second case you need or have a letter signed by a health care professional to explain your need, such as anxieties over a fear of flying, and that your animal being with you will allow you to fly more calmly. Again, they must give you ample space for you and your pet, and there is no charge.
There is a misunderstanding by some that your animal must be “licensed” as a service animal, and that is completely untrue. What I am bringing up are facts, and not opinions. The laws are very clearly published. I have experienced doing this, and there were zero problems, as the airline professionals are very aware of this law, and accommodate accordingly.
Please look into this if it may apply to you.The ADA is actually for people who are LEGALLY disabled, and have been declared such by social security. The International Air Carriers Rules and Regs are very strict about who can and who cannot bring a “service” animal on board. IF the ticket agent asks you one of the qualifying questions and you answer it wrong, you are not getting on the plane with that animal no matter what your doctor’s letter says. Ticket agents have an entire script they can lay on you about your condition, the legality of your condition, and the function your dog serves. It’s not just so easy to have your GP write a letter saying you’re afraid to fly and therefore need this dog. They want to see a letter and appropriate documentation from a mental healthcare provider because it is presumed that you are in treatment for this fear of flying or that you have a bona fide disability. If you’ve managed to get your dog on board without those criteria, you were lucky. i know a couple of people whose dogs were denied “service”status because they flunked the questions,and the letter was inadequate AND the person was NOT legally disabled, and if you are NOT legally disabled, you cannot invoke the protection of the ADA. Just saying. . . We travel with our dogs on board as well, and most of the time we have no problems at all, but once my husband got the grilling from the ticket agent and it wasn’t pleasant.
Point of clarification . . . While maravilla has firsthand experience about flying with a “service” animal and the associated disability matters and you should heed her advice, in fact the Americans with Disabilities Act is much broader in its coverage than she says.
Not only are those who do not qualify for Social Security Disability but who have disabilities nonetheless covered, but also those who have a [u]history[/u] of disability or are [u]regarded[/u] as being disabled. Folks who have overcome their disabilities may enjoy the Act’s protections, and people who have been treated as if they had disabilities when they did not may as well.
An example of that latter group . . . For many years, probate courts in Michigan (and certainly elsewhere) declared neglected children to be mentally retarded without any proof. That enabled the courts to commit those children to State institutions for the retarded thus saving individual counties the cost of supporting them. Those children were regarded as disabled and treated as disabled even when they were not. They enjoy the protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act, too.
Furthermore, the Act’s definition of disability is far, far broader than the criteria used by the Disability Determination Service that makes Social Security disability determinations. The Act says that any loss of a core life function affords its protection. I repeatedly asked our Personnel Office if I would qualify based upon male impotence (don’t jump to any conclusions) but was never able to get a meaningful answer.
there is a difference between being disabled and having a phobia about flying, and the IACA rules require MORE than just a phobia to justify having a service dog. having a phobia of flying doesn’t mean your life is seriously impacted or that your core life function is affected. So it’s not JUST the defs under the ADA or SSA that apply here — the IACA also has a set of rules and an extensive list of questions they can ask you (all legal and within HPPA guidelines)about your condition, etc. And frankly, I think it is not so very nice to run to a doctor and cry fear of flying to get your dog on a plane for free, when those of us (my husband) who have actual disabilities have to pony up all the correct documentation. The airlines aren’t dumb. If there is suddenly a rash of people presenting “fear of flying” letters, there will be repercussions possibly for people who really ARE disabled and for whom a service dog IS a necessity, rather than a way to get the dog somewhere without paying.
Thank you for these notes on your importation of your dog. I have copied your posting and will put it into my many great notes from this website. The information was clear and very interesting to see every thing I will need to do.
Tom in Portland on a budget!
[quote=”artfulgal”]I think there may be some confusion with regard to the word CARGO. Being a retired American Airlines ticket agent, maybe I can offer some clarification. A pet can travel 1 of 3 ways:
1- as “cabin baggage” – where the pet travel in the cabin with you, and must fit in a kennel, under the seat in front of you. Because the number of cabin pets are limited, you must make a reservation for the same flight you are traveling on.
2 – as “checked baggage” – where the pet travels on THE SAME FLIGHT AS YOU, but in the “cargo hold” with the other checked baggage (it is pressurized and temp controlled)
3 – as CARGO – where the pet travels ALONE and not on the same scheduled flight as you are traveling. Pet also travels just like #2 in the “cargo hold” with the baggage.Many airlines have “embargoes” when the temperature gets too hot or too cold outside. If you are planning on traveling with your pet,I would reccomend traveling on non-embargoed time so that the pet can travel on the same flight as you. Otherwise, if you travel on one flight and then send for your pet later, he will travel as CARGO and on international fights, that entail additional fees and often a broker to “clear” the “carg”.
Hope this helps :D[/quote]
This is true for most airlines…EXCEPT Continental. They do not fly pets internationally from the USA as checked baggage, only as Cargo. Whether or not you fly on the same flight makes no difference, and the dog must be cleared as Cargo.
Wow…so many responses & opinions! Very interesting & informative as we are moving from Canada to Costa Rica in late September. It’s costing us about $1100 to ship a very large German Shepherd with the assistance of a pet transport company based in Canada. This inludes everything except the vet costs
[quote=”maravilla”]do not send the dog — unless it is too big to go as luggage — as cargo; THAT is when you need the broker.
only use continental (more expensive than American) or American — both have temp controlled compartments. some arilines won’t even fly dogs anymore.
all you need is the USDA health certificate, and the original rabies certificate, signed by your vet, and NOTARIZED by the vet at the USDA!!! there is a spot on the form that your vet can check off that says the dog can withdstand heat over 80 or below 40 degrees. Typically animals are loaded last and are NOT kept on the tarmac. this is really an easy process — i’ve done it a dozen times and never had a broker, and never had a problem. the pet transport company is just trying to make money, but those fees are outrageous and unnecessary, UNLESS you have a huge dog.[/quote]
No way, I brought my dog and cat with me on Contiental and did not need a broker. Just the USDA certificate of good health., The German Sherpard went in a kennel in cargo and the cat as a carry on in the cabin. Into San Jose ad the dog was waiting for me in bagage claim when I got thru the immigration check point. Brokers for a rip off I would not pay one. It was very simple and when I had the dog and cat with the help on a baggage man got mi thru customs in about 3 minutes. No problem. Just email Contiental and ask them. I flew from Newark,NJ non stop into San jose. Ron USCG Ret[quote=”PeggyS”]Wow…so many responses & opinions! Very interesting & informative as we are moving from Canada to Costa Rica in late September. It’s costing us about $1100 to ship a very large German Shepherd with the assistance of a pet transport company based in Canada. This inludes everything except the vet costs[/quote]
Can I ask what city you are flying from and what airline you are flying with?
Are there fees besides the flight that you are required to pay?
We are flying Air Canada in August and have just one way tickets as we are not sure when we are coming back. We are taking one dog on board and one as cargo. I cant book his flight until 30 days before we leave, but I am almost positive that he can fly on the same flight as us. I made sure I chose the flight that had the appropriate aircraft for a dog his size and I double checked this with an agent.I am glad I am reading all of this. I wasnt prepared for the possible high cost.
I was just going to get the necessary vet certificates, book the flights and arrive in San Jose with my dogs.
I wasn’t expecting a big issue upon arrival if I was just flying with my dogs as vacationing pets.
I guess I will do a little more inquiring so as to be a bit more prepared.
whew![size=50][/size][quote=”rfalves”][quote=”maravilla”]do not send the dog — unless it is too big to go as luggage — as cargo; THAT is when you need the broker.
only use continental (more expensive than American) or American — both have temp controlled compartments. some arilines won’t even fly dogs anymore.
all you need is the USDA health certificate, and the original rabies certificate, signed by your vet, and NOTARIZED by the vet at the USDA!!! there is a spot on the form that your vet can check off that says the dog can withdstand heat over 80 or below 40 degrees. Typically animals are loaded last and are NOT kept on the tarmac. this is really an easy process — i’ve done it a dozen times and never had a broker, and never had a problem. the pet transport company is just trying to make money, but those fees are outrageous and unnecessary, UNLESS you have a huge dog.[/quote]
No way, I brought my dog and cat with me on Contiental and did not need a broker. Just the USDA certificate of good health., The German Sherpard went in a kennel in cargo and the cat as a carry on in the cabin. Into San Jose ad the dog was waiting for me in bagage claim when I got thru the immigration check point. Brokers for a rip off I would not pay one. It was very simple and when I had the dog and cat with the help on a baggage man got mi thru customs in about 3 minutes. No problem. Just email Contiental and ask them. I flew from Newark,NJ non stop into San jose. Ron USCG Ret[/quote]]That’s basically what I am expecting. I am flying Air Canada from Edmonton and they are very helpful and imformative. Because my dog is big, I just booked the flight so we were on the appropriate aircraft and he flys the same time as us. He will just be waiting for us in baggage,as far as I am told. Sounds pretty easy.[/size][/size]
Does anyone know about taking dogs back to the U.S. after vacation? I will be bringing my in cabin dog through Liberia in November but haven’t searched the return to the states issue yet. Any information appreciated.
Barbara
[quote=”sstarkey”][quote=”artfulgal”]I think there may be some confusion with regard to the word CARGO. Being a retired American Airlines ticket agent, maybe I can offer some clarification. A pet can travel 1 of 3 ways:
1- as “cabin baggage” – where the pet travel in the cabin with you, and must fit in a kennel, under the seat in front of you. Because the number of cabin pets are limited, you must make a reservation for the same flight you are traveling on.
2 – as “checked baggage” – where the pet travels on THE SAME FLIGHT AS YOU, but in the “cargo hold” with the other checked baggage (it is pressurized and temp controlled)
3 – as CARGO – where the pet travels ALONE and not on the same scheduled flight as you are traveling. Pet also travels just like #2 in the “cargo hold” with the baggage.Many airlines have “embargoes” when the temperature gets too hot or too cold outside. If you are planning on traveling with your pet,I would reccomend traveling on non-embargoed time so that the pet can travel on the same flight as you. Otherwise, if you travel on one flight and then send for your pet later, he will travel as CARGO and on international fights, that entail additional fees and often a broker to “clear” the “carg”.
Hope this helps :D[/quote]
This is true for most airlines…EXCEPT Continental. They do not fly pets internationally from the USA as checked baggage, only as Cargo. Whether or not you fly on the same flight makes no difference, and the dog must be cleared as Cargo.[/quote]
BS I brought my German Sherpard here on Continetal from newark to San Jose on a non stop flight and the dog was with the checked baggage, and he came up with the checked baggage. Ron USCG RetWe returned to the States after being here 4 months one time and all customs wanted to see was a current rabies vac which was duly noted on his international traveling papers. but. . . it WAS a hassle because they made me go in a special section to have the dog examined by a special customs agent who looked the dog over, and asked me dozens of questions about the dog, blah blah blah why i took him to CR in the first place, blah blah blah. i did not have any additional paperwork from CR — just the USDA health certificate.
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