Checked Baggage Pet PolicyLive animals of any type are not permitted to fly in the cargo hold of RyanAir aircraft.
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Cargo travel is stressful for any pet, young or old. Senior pets, pets prone to anxiety, or those in general poor health are at increased risk of heart failure during travel. Please consult your vet before travel to ensure your dog or cat has a clean bill of health and is an appropriate candidate for cargo travel.
We do not carry animals on board any Ryanair flights, except guide/assistance dogs on certain routes. For more info on guide/assistance dogs, please click here.
Usually dogs are only allowed to fly in the cabin—known as carry-on pets—if they can comfortably fit in a carrier that you can stow under the seat in front of you. A small number of airlines, including JetBlue, Alaska Airlines, and Etihad Airways, allow passengers flying with dogs to buy an extra seat for their pet.
Example Estimate: Flying one small dog (like a Chihuahua) domestically via cargo with a pet-friendly airline, will likely cost between $275 USD to $300 USD. Larger dogs' airfreight (like a Great Dane) can go up to around $1000 USD for a domestic move, especially if you have a custom kennel.
Although your pet will most likely be fine, you will ultimately have to decide if flying your pet as cargo is worth the risk or if you can pursue any other options for traveling with your pet. Some dogs are naturally better suited to fly than others depending on age, breed, and other health conditions.
Thanks for your questions/concerns about the safest method of travel for your dog! Many other pet owners have pondered the same question, and we're happy to provide some guidance. Having your pet travel via cargo instead of checked baggage would be best.
If your pet is too large to fly in-cabin with you, The ARK strongly recommends that owners book their companions as cargo rather than excess baggage for these reasons: Animal Welfare – Concern for animal welfare is regulated when pets are shipped as cargo.
Throughout the loading and unloading process, your pet likely will encounter many strangers, which can be scary. Your pet's experience flying as cargo will depend on his natural personality and temperament, as well as which airline you fly and the quality of the staff.
Cargo travel is stressful for any pet, young or old. Senior pets, pets prone to anxiety, or those in general poor health are at increased risk of heart failure during travel.
Contrary to the myth, the cargo area on most flights that accept pets is climate-controlled, just like the passenger cabin above. Airlines have Weather Embargoes during extreme temperature months to protect pets during tarmac wait times, not because of cargo hold temperatures.
For this, pets need to have a suitable travel bag or kennel to be allowed on. Arrangements for bringing pets in the cabin must be made prior to flying. Pets can also be taken on KLM flights and stored separately to the cabin, in a ventilated and pressurised section of the aircraft.
1 cat or dog per passenger is allowed, maximum 4 per flight. The animal needs to be at least 12 weeks old and needs to travel in a sealed cage, specifically made for air travel. Dogs with flat snouts will not be accepted. When in the cage, the animal must be able to turn around its axis and stand completely upright.
For travelers bringing their pets in the cabin, she said, book a window seat, as the pets will be farther from commotion in the aisle. Those seats also may have more space underneath. Thompson said most airlines only allow dogs and cats in the cabin, though some allow birds.
By Plane: Fly with your dog. Several airlines do accept large dogs by storing them in the plane's cargo. The hold is temperature-controlled and pressurized, so it is a humane way to transport them. For most airlines, pets weighing 17 pounds or more qualify as large and must travel in the hold.
On all flights where national rules permit, we can carry registered assistance dogs when accompanying customers require them. Just so you know, we can't carry any other animals on board.
The simple answer is yes, you can send your pet on a plane without you. But the more detailed answer is a bit more complicated. When it comes to transporting a pet internationally, most airlines let you send them in the cargo hold.