16th December 2008

Low Down On Taking Pets Abroad

Read more: Travel | Comments (0)

If you’re thinking of flying to see relatives this holiday season, did you know you could take your pet with you? Celebs like Eva Longoria, Paris Hilton and Rihanna have all been seen travelling with their designer dogs, so why shouldn’t you?

Cheapflights.co.uk has produced a tips page comprising the ins-and-outs of flying with pets. Find it at http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/travel-tips/flying-with-pets/.

The page includes details of obtaining a pet passport under the PETS scheme which allows animals from certain countries entry into the UK without a six month quarantine period. Provided they have been micro chipped, vaccinated and blood-tested, they will be cleared for travel and issued with their very own EU passport, but this process can take up to seven months, so start planning ahead for your summer trips.

Moreover, depending on the traveller’s airline of choice, pet frequent flyer programmes are also available. Virgin's Flying Paws allows animals to win gifts for themselves and air miles for their owners, while other international airlines such as British Airways, KLM, and Lufthansa allow pets either on board or in the hold (depending on airline policy and pet size). Cats and dogs are the most widely accepted travel companions, however Virgin Atlantic will take ferrets and American Airlines accepts birds during domestic flights.

Nadine Hallak, Travel Expert for Cheapflights.co.uk says, “Owning a pet is similar to having a child, they are an integral member of the family and just as precious. So if you’re like me and can’t leave home without your favourite fur ball, call the airline before flying to reserve your pet’s travel and check which animals they allow. Travellers may also want to find out whether pets can go as hand luggage or not – some owners may not want their canine classified as cargo.”

Cost-wise there are always administrative charges, and if you’d like to go the low-cost airline route, try Flybe and Germanwings who allow pets in the hold.

And if you’re ringing round to book your pet’s ticket, you won’t want to waste time with an automated telephone service. Speak to a human being and take advantage of the telephone cheat sheet at http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/travel-tips/telephone-cheat-sheet/

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