FAQ

Your pet does travel on a commercial passenger flight.  Not all airlines fly pets and some have certain restrictions on breeds. Depending on the route Domestically or Internationally will sometimes dictate the airline.  Check with your Aeropets consultant for more details.

Pets are kept with airline staff separate from other cargo to minimize stress. Pets get priority over other flight cargo; they are put on the flight last and taken off first and are treated like VIPs by the airlines.  During their flight no airline staff can access them. In case of long haul flights, during transit pets are checked by airline ground staff and their water bowls are refilled. They are not allowed to come out of their crates due to quarantine regulations. If any pet appears unwell they will be let out of their crates for vet access, this is only as a last resort.  The caption is made aware if Live Animals are aboard the plane in the cargo hold and the they have full control in order to regulate and oversee the temperature and pressure from take-off to landing.  As soon as the flight lands, your pet will be offloaded from the plane and checked on straight away.  

The travel crate is fitted with a water container and external funnel so that the pets water can be replenished to ensure your pet has water on the flight.  The water container is filled before the flight leaves and at any transit points.  There is no food allowed inside the travel container.  If you pet has a comfort stop it will be provided with fresh water, walks for dogs and the crate refreshed before continuing on its journey.

We do not recommend sedating pets for travel.  Sedation can lead to dehydration and also disorientation if they wake up part way through the journey.  It can also be difficult for customs to assess the health of an animal after arrival if it has been sedated. There are many natural products which can be used to calm your pet before travel.

It is recommended that pets are not fed for at least 6-8 hours before the flight checkin time.  We also recommend that they get plenty of exercise and outside time to go the toilet. The airline staff will not load a pet onto an aircraft if the crate has been soiled.  As airline staff are not permitted to removed pets from crate and clean the crates our AeroPets will be called to the airport to clean out the crate.  If we are required to attend the Airport to clean a soiled crate there will be an additional charge for this service. It is also likely that the pet will need to be put on a later flight by the time the crate has been cleaned and the pet is ready to go.  Soiled crates are one of the most common causes of late arrivals and missed connections and the only solution is not to feed your Pet before the flight. They should be given water as normal.

We recommend putting a soft toy or blanket with a familiar scent as long as they don’t take up too much room, this will help your pet settle down whilst in transport. Airlines prohibit any sharp or metal items, pet food, bean bags etc.  Please avoid anything small which may be choked on and be aware that some Customs may remove and destroy them upon arrival to satisfy their quarantine requirements.

Your pet needs to be able to stand up, turn around and comfortably lie down in the travel container.  A travel container that provides a lot of extra space is not recommended by the airlines for your pet’s safety during turbulence.

Yes you can, but we will remove them from your pet for it’s own safety whilst travelling and attach them to the outside of the travel container.  The airlines do not accept any responsibility if they are misplaced whilst travelling.

We do not recommend attaching original copies of your pet’s vaccination records to their travel crate.