There are some extra rules for flying with pets in the UK. So, on an international trip to or from the UK, you will get different rules from other countries that any pet passenger must follow to get permission for their pet to enter the UK.
Dogs and cats are the only pets that British Airways will let fly to or from the UK. In the next few paragraphs, we’ll try to give you more information about the rules and laws that you need to follow to get your pet on a British Airways flight without any problems.
British Airways Pet Travel Guidance Policy
When you fly with your pet or Assistance dog, there are some rules you need to follow.
- There are a few airlines that will take assistance dogs, but only if they can handle a 10-hour trip or less. But you can also take your pet on trips longer than 10 hours if you let British Airlines know ahead of time.
- When it’s time to take off, land, or when a seat belt warning is given, you must secure your service dog. So, you can use a safety belt or other similar gear to keep them all in the same place.
- When you fly with your service dog, British Airways always suggests that you bring a blanket or a wet bed. This will make it easy for your pet to lie down, and it’s a good idea to put a pad on the bottom of the fleece.
- Make sure that the container you use to hold the pets has a strong base, is the right size and shape for the pets, and has enough airflow.
- The British Airways flight crew is not responsible for taking care of your service dog. So, you have to take care of your dog’s needs and take care of it inside the house.
- Before the day you fly with your service dog, you should make sure you’ve met all the requirements and have all the necessary paperwork. All of this will be needed to check in and also to get into the location.
- The British always let dogs’ containers in after making sure that their bottoms don’t leak, so that the area around the container is clean and free of waste.
- You also have to make sure that your pet’s health care shows that it has had all the necessary vaccinations, checkups, and tests. You should always have your pet’s paperwork with you.
- If you’ve already bought your ticket and want to bring your pet with you, you should tell the airline’s booking department or call the helpline number or chat online 24 hours before your trip.
- Before you check in, you should find out if your pet can travel with you on the same trip in the cabin or if it has to go in the cargo hold.
- You must call the embassy or consultant of the country to which you are flying with your pet. This is to make sure you know all the rules and plans you have to make or all the requirements you have to meet for your pet to enter that country.
- Checking in for your flight at the help desk is much better than using the self-service route.
Pets can only come to the UK if they meet all the conditions for getting permission to enter the UK. The Pet travel scheme, which was set up by the UK government, says these things.
According to British Airways Flight Cancellation Policy, If you cancel the tickets within the time limit set by the U.S., British Airways won’t cost you anything.
Here Are Some Guidelines For Pets Entry and Traveling from the UK:
Travelers with pets who are going to the UK need to know this before they get there:
- You must contact the Animal Reception Centre in the UK at least 72 hours before your trip.
- They will give you a list of all the Pet Travel Scheme standards you need to meet for your pet to be allowed into the country.
- On the basis of the papers, the UK Animal Reception Centre will give you a pre-approval letter for your pet.
- You and your pet will be able to get on a British Airways trip to the UK if you bring this approval letter with you when you check-in.
- From The UK
- To The UK
From The UK:
British Airlines works with PetAir UK, which has been in business since 2004 and has customers all over the world. They have fully trained veterinary doctors who make sure that the guests’ pets are safe, comfortable, and happy while leaving the UK.
To The UK:
If you want to bring your pets with you to the UK, you can use IAG Cargo. This is a sister company to British Airways that has been running for almost a decade. They can take pets from anywhere in the world and care for them as if they were their own.
Cargo Hold for Pets
If you want to take your pet from or to Europe on a British Airways trip, you have to follow the rules for pet carriage. Your pet will spend the flight in the cargo hold.
On British Airways planes, only service dogs or dogs that help people feel better are allowed in the cabin. And the total weight of your pet and the pet carrier, which you are allowed to bring, must be 6 kg.
- The container for your pet must be waterproof or not leak, and it should have absorbing material on the bottom.
- The pet cage can’t be bigger than 20 x 30 x 20cm (7.5 x 11.5 x 7.5in) in length, width, and height.
- There is only room for one pet carrier in the interior of each plane.
- When you change or cancel your flight, you may not be able to get your money back for the pet fee. You’ll need to talk to the booking desk about this.
Assistance Dogs:
If you fly with your dog and someone to help it, the airline won’t charge you for the dog’s help. Your service dog will ride in the cabin with you. You can’t book this service online because you can only bring a certain number of dogs into the cabin. This service has to be booked at the airport.
- Your service dog needs to be trained and licensed by a training center that is known and trusted.
- Second, if the dog is an assistance dog, British Airways won’t charge anything to get it there. This means that assistance dogs can ride in the cabin for free with their owners.
- Assistance dogs that need to travel in the cabin must be booked by calling the customer service center. These kinds of pet tickets cannot be booked online.
- You have to let British Airways know ahead of time if you’re bringing an assistance dog with you on a scheduled trip. Sometimes they have to limit the number of pets in the cabin of British Airways.
- Dog owners have to follow certain steps to plan and book a flight for their service dogs so that everything goes quickly and safely.
Booking Process for Traveling with Pets
When you book online with British Airways, you can’t bring your pet with you. For this, you need to talk to them directly. Help is available at the airport or by calling the Helpline number.
With British Airways, you can even book a trip for your pet at the same time as your own. But if you choose a flight date that is closer than the date you book, there must be at least 14 days between the flight date and the date you book. British Airways needs this time to confirm that your pet will get to where you want it to go.
If you’ve already booked your tickets with British Airways but decide later that you want to bring your pet with you, you’ll need to call their reservation center to add your pet’s tickets to your trip. But don’t forget that you must make this reservation at least 14 days before the date of your flight in order to get proof that your pet will be shipped.
Note: According to British Airways Unaccompanied Minor Policy, Bookings for people younger than 16 cannot be made online; the parent or legal guardian must call British Airways to make the reservation.
Departure Process:
You can check in online, but you can’t check in your service dog online. So, you need to go to the check-in desk at the airport, where British Airways employees will take your service dog to the boarding gate while they check that the flight meets all the requirements.
People with service dogs will be given a seat with enough room in front for their dogs to sit easily near their feet. Usually, people with service dogs are given rows of seats near the bulkhead.
You can bring your service dog into the cabin with you if you use Lounges. Whether or not you can use Lounges depends on your frequent flyer membership or the cabin you are flying in.
Arriving Process:
If you bring a pet to the UK, you have to be careful about how your pet gets into the country at the airport where you arrive.
As soon as you land, an officer from the UK’s animal welcome center will talk to you on the plane and lead your pet out of the airport to get into the country after checking and clearing all the requirements for pet entry.
Officers at the UK animal welcome center will tie a tag on the dog’s harness that says “Pet Travel Scheme Entry Check Passed.” This is proof that your pet is in the country and is a clear sign that your pet has entered the country.
Once the officer has checked that all the requirements have been met and given your pet permission to enter the country, they will take your pet to the comfort area and give it to the owner who is waiting for them.
Connecting Flight:
When you have long-distance trips, you have to take flights that connect. And rechecking on another flight will take time if you are going with a pet. So,
- Airlines give pet owners more time to get their bags rechecked and for their pets to get on their next trip. British Airways lets you take care of all your pet’s boarding needs.
- Also, sometimes a member of the British Airways staff at the airport will help you and your pet and show you where to wait for the next trip.
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