One question I keep getting asked as an adventurous dog parent is, "How did you take him on vacation with you??". This article aims to address exactly that and all other related questions that I had myself, that would hopefully help you be able to take your dog with you on your next adventure!
Our first experience doing this was actually due to a lack of choice. We got our Rodrigo from Madrid, and we had to fly back to Malta. At that stage, Rodrigo was a puppy and weighed a mere 3kgs, which made things a whole lot easier. But before we get to that, we first need to get all the paperwork done.
Flying Preparations
In summary, the process looked something like the following :
Pet Passport Issuing - This cost around 40/50 euros and we did it at a vet we were recommended to. However, we later found out that not all vets were able to provide this, so you will need to check in your area who has the necessary license to do so.
Microchip Issuing - Usually this would have already been done, but we had just gotten Rodrigo as a puppy and he still needed to be micro-chipped. If your dog is not microchipped yet, you must ensure you do. The microchip number is then referenced on the passport.
Rabies Vaccine - The rabies vaccine is a necessity if you're flying with your dog. If you have a puppy, it will need to be at least 12-16 weeks of age to be able to get it. Once done, this will need to be renewed every year, and the information is also reflected in the passport book. It's also good to note that most countries require 21 days to have passed from the date of the rabies vaccination. So plan accordingly.
Vet Check - This is the part where the vet does a quick health check on your dog to ensure that he is fit for travel. They feel around his bones and check his eyes, ears, temperature etc. This needs to be done 24-72hrs before your flight departure, and the relevant part in the pet passport needs to be updated and stamped by your vet. As part of this visit, the should also do a De-Worming Treatment and Ticks and Fleas Treatment (I am not entirely sure this is an official requirement, but some vets check when the last ticks and fleas treatment was, and will suggest you another one if 2 months have already passed)
Although these steps might appear to be long and complicated, after the first time doing it and getting the passport, microchip, and rabies sorted (try to not let this expire even if you are not traveling), the process will then simplify to only a vet visit, 24-72 hrs prior to flight departure (as long as the rabies vaccine is still valid)
Flying Journey For Dogs
The next common question is, can he get his own seat on the plane ? Unfortunately, this only seems to be allowed for assistance dogs in the US (currently). However, our first trip with Rodrigo did kind of look that way.. Let me explain below.
Dogs Weighing Less than 8/10kg (including carry bag)
Depending on the Airline, these dogs are blessed with the right weight to be able to board with you in the plane cabin. Airmalta allows up to 10kg, but other airlines like Vueling only allow up to 8kg, whilst other airlines like Ryanair do not provide this service at all.
Booking Process
Allegedly, with Airmalta you should be able to do this directly on the website, the same way you can book extra luggage. However, I believe the website was not working well when I went through this process, as I remember calling and doing it all over the phone (+356 2166 2211). This included payment, and the cost was of 70 euro per trip.
Check-In Process
It seems like the check-in process can vary from place to place, but in Madrid, they did not attempt to weigh him (perhaps he was too little to even bother). However, at the airport security, they did pass him through the scanner whilst inside his travel bag, just as they would scan your carry on luggage. But that was all, and we could carry on to our boarding gates with him.
Flying Experience
The main rules at Airmalta are that :
The dog is required to fit into a collapsible (soft) dog travel bag, measuring L40 cm x W34 cm x H18 cm. (varies slightly depending on the airline)
The travel bag is to be placed under the seat in front of you and left there for the entirety of the flight.
In our case, we took a risk and brought him out of the bag and onto his tiny dog bed placed on our lap. We were also blessed with a free seat next to us which made this easier. Rodrigo looked like a small teddy bear, and the only feedback we got from the crew was exactly that, "Look how cuuuute ! He looks just like a teddy bear !". Considering he was still quite young and still needed to pee often, I also took him with me to the bathroom, placed down a pee pad for him, placed him on it, and pee he did. I threw away the pee pad in the bathroom bin and returned to my seat, feeling very relieved. When it was close to landing time, we put him back into his bag, and carried on home. (No one was present to check anything upon landing in Malta, I am not sure if this is because this was during COVID).
Dogs Weighing More than 8/10kg up to 60kg
Unfortunately, these dogs will need to be checked in like 'Bulky Luggage'. Supposedly, they are meant to have their own dedicated section in the plane. With Airmalta, this is referred to as AVIH.
Booking Process
You will need to book this service with AirMalta atleast 5 working days before the flight departure. This will ensure there is enough time for them to do the necessary preparations and to confirm availability (so far, I was never told there was no availability *touchwood*). You start this process by submitting this form online. They used to call me back to confirm availability and request payment details, but they've changed this and you will need to call them on ( +35621662211 ) once you receive a confirmation e-mail. The cost of this depends on the size of the dog + crate, as indicated below.
Check-In Process
The check-in process is a little bit longer in this case. As you might have guessed, you do this at the check-in desk where you check in your luggage. They will ask for your AVIH ticket details (which are provided to you via e-mail once the payment is submitted), and weigh the crate with your dog inside. Rodrigo has exceeded the weight stated in the submission form by 1-2 kgs once or twice, and so far we always got away with it (*touchwood*). Once check-in is done (this is such an uncommon service that you will find that some of the check-in crew will be very confused and unsure about the process themselves), you will be guided to the bulky luggage offloading area, wherein they will scan the crate with your dog in it (as they would any luggage), and take him in for on boarding.
Tips :
You can place a small GPS tracking device in the crate (such as the Apple air tag) so that you can be more at ease when seeing where he is before landing and after landing.
Place some clothing with your scent inside the crate to serve as bedding, together with his favorite toy to help make this confusing experience a little bit more familiar and comfortable for him. For example, I like to leave my used bathrobe since its also soft.
Give some water to your dog before parting ways to ensure he is hydrated. Since there can be turbulence, you cannot leave a full bowl of water, but you can get away with leaving a tiny bit.
Take some cable ties with you to further secure the crate. Our crate has 6 clips, but they sometimes break, so in the holes present on the sides we usually tie multiple cable ties, that way there's extra security to keep the top and the bottom parts together.
Flying Experience
You will not be able to get to your dog after handing him in. Our advice is to always inform the crew that you have a dog onboard as soon as you get on. If you speak to the cabin crew, make sure that the message is passed on to the pilots. This is to ensure that they have been informed of there being a dog onboard and to slightly mitigate the risk of horror stories, such as the temperature not being correctly set in the dogs' section on the plane.
Once you land at your destination, the crate will either be placed on the luggage belt together with all the other luggage (not very humane.. I know) or, as done in Malta, dedicated personnel will bring the crate out from a dedicated section for bulky luggage.
Dogs Weighing More Than 60kg or Travelling to the UK
We once planned a trip to the UK to visit family over Christmas with Rodrigo, and had to cancel everything when we discovered that this can only be done through a dedicated service that they call Pet in Cargo Hold. (This is due to the UK having very strict rules.) As we understood, this means that the dog will be transported by a separate plane that will go to the same destination at the same time. For us, it sounded a little too complicated, and we did not want to risk it. If you have a dog that weighs more than 60kg, you will also need to use this service. Unfortunately, at this point in time, I cannot provide much information about this as I have not yet experienced it myself.
Conclusion and Final Tips
With all this being said, it is also a confusing and somewhat stressful experience for them (more so if they are checked in than if they are in the cabin with you), so I would personally suggest not putting them through the stress for only a vacation of just a few days.
I would also suggest getting them used to being in the crate slowly at home before the actual flight. One way we did it was by encouraging him to get in the crate by placing treats or toys. Once he got in and out a few times, we left him in a dark room in the crate for around 30 minutes at a time or more (to simulate being on the plane), and rewarded him every time we got him back out. This will at least start to get him familiarized with the experience so that it is not such a shock. Rodrigo was quite confused the first time he went through this experience, but he was still overall calm, distracted by his favorite toy. However, some dog parents resort to medication recommended to them by vets, that will help keep the dog calm and sleepy, in case the experience is far too stressful for them.
Although flying with your beloved dog can add some more preparation work and potential stress, it is well worth it for the joy that they experience when visiting a new country, and discovering all the new scents !
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