My wife and I (in Charlotte NC) have rented an apartment in Antwerp for a couple months next summer.
We will be taking our two dogs (Jack Russells) that are each right at 20 pounds.
American Airlines, which is most convenient for us, does not do pets, in cabin, transatlantic. And the other airlines are vague about size of pets in cabin.
So how do we best move make this trip? do we need to ship them separately?
Thanks in advance.
Unless you can find an airline that will let you take them “carry on”, I think the only other option is to ship them separately. How long is the flight? If they can put them in the special hold for pets on the same plane you will be on then at least you can theoretically get to them once you get through customs and immigration.
You might want to talk to your vet about giving them a tranquilizer that will calm them for the flight. I have a Parson Russell Terrier and even at 12-years-old he is still fairly high strung and wouldn’t enjoy being in the bottom of a loud plane for that many hours.
I think you should also check with your vet or someone with regards to what is required to bring your dogs. They may have different rules for pets, and you don’t want your guys stuck in Quarantine.
We are on top of the vet part, it is fairly straight forward.
My concern is most airlines are vague about size, and we seem to be in the margins.
Most sites say something to the effect - if they fits under the seat in front
But have users comments saying, that it effectively means 20 pounds.in their experience.
They are Jack Russells, short; but very muscular dogs.
They would fit under the seat, but with carrier would be over 20 pounds.
Hoping someone had similar experience to share.
Really need to this get right on the first try.
I haven’t tried to take a pet on a flight, but I can tell you that a pet carrier that’s large enough to fit a Jack Russell isn’t going to fit under the seat in front of you. I have a bag I take on both domestic and international flights that’s 15.5" long and 11.5" high and that just fits under the seat in front of me. Only the smallest of small dogs is going to fit in that.
I just ordered a soft sided pet carrier, to see if it fit under the seat I front of us.
Yes, if drugged enough he would likely fit - but same goes for me.
I was looking for a general rule, so we could do this with some bit of confidence.
So after a couple months research
Seemly in cabin may or may not work - saw similar sized dogs in the airport yesterday, but also heard stories of dogs be allowed, on one leg of a flight but not on the next.
American Airlines would take them as cargo - if it was less than 85 degrees - which is unlikely in summer here
We looked into specialist pet carriers, about 4k all together…
Being a passenger on a cargo ship - no longer done transatlantic
Taking the Queen Mary 2 both ways - about the same as specialist pet cargo + airfare , but they would be quarantined in England.
Shared private jet, one of us with dogs, about 2x the Queen Mary
Finally found Lufthansa, which will allow us to take them to the gate, carry them in the cabin separately from us and return them at the gate.at select airports.
So driving to Atlanta, and flying to Frankfurt.
Trains from there which is doable.