farjojo71

I'm so excited that I wanted to share our news! Just booked our flights to Calgary on 28th April So thats me, 11 yr old and 4 yr old and 2 cats....valium please!!! My hubby has been working in Canada without us since last September so I cant wait until our family are at least on the same continent again if not always physically together (OH is a trucker)

Ok about my cats....I wanted to book our flights with Canadian Affair so I rang Thomas Cook cargo this morning to be told that although I wanted my 2 cats to be on the same flight as us, I would still have to go through a pet agent to obtain the required customs documentation....I had a little rant at them because I was a bit peeved that I was sorting out the cats container, taking them for their rabies shot and taking them to the vets a couple of days before the flight for their health check and certificate but I still had to go through an agent.

I then went on to look at other options such as Air Canada and BA. Not sure how much it would be with AC but with BA, it would have cost £770 without the documentation and the flights with AC were a ridiculous price so I didn't bother looking any further with them.

Anyway...once I realised that booking through TC would still be the better priced option, I then rang around a few pet agents. Ladyhaye quote: £668, another one which I cant remember the name: £650....however Petsaway were fantastic!!! £502 for the cats flights plus customs forms. £50 deposit with the balance to be paid 21 days before the flight.

When I spoke to the guy at Petsaway, he told me TC charge £9 per kilo for the cats and container...Ladyhaye told me it was £11.50!!! Naughty naughty! So obviously I booked with the cheaper option as the price difference was £166, not to be scoffed at. Bare in mind, these quotes were for exactly the same flight so there is no reason for the price difference to be so big.

HTH someone who might be looking for info into transporting their pet.....I'm going to have a cheeky baileys later to celebrate

Devil Girl

Ooh very good, well done

You have got a date that you can look forward to now.

Will the cats be on the same flight as you then?

DandNHill

Is that per cat or for both? I wasn't sure whether to take ours or not but at that price the cats might come too...

veeandsimon

That must be a relief for you! I am in a similar position as I am hoping to fly to Toronto in March with two cats. Think I will probably use Air Canada as prices are low at the moment and they allow more baggage.

That being said, was wondering where you were flying out from (sorry if missed that) as I might look into Thomas Cook if it is significantly cheaper.

farjojo71

Yes the same flight thankfully

That was for both cats going in the same container. My cats are 5 year old brothers and have been brought up together so can go in the same container. You basically measure the largest cat you have then work out the required container size from that. The height and length of the container is the same if you have 1 cat or 2 cats, its just the width that is bigger. For example, the width required is C x 2 for 1 cat and C x 3 for 2 (C being the measurement across the widest part of the cat, I did the shoulders)...so for mine, C was 7" so the container would have to be at least 14"w for 1 cat and 21"w for 2 cats....not teaching you to suck eggs at all, I just go around the houses explaining things HTH

farjojo71

I'm flying out from Manchester....was £486 for my kids and I to fly and £502 for the cats.

DandNHill

No that's brilliant, thank you. The cats might be coming too, the kids will be really pleased.
Thanks again

lancashirebird

OMG.......................i think the bridge needs to get that gate installed quicker













































(quickly runs of to call the city that there dates are wrong, need it installed asap pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, nutter on her way)

farjojo71

haha very bloody funny missus....not just content with writing this on my FB wall

jan the piglet

£502 for how many cats that's brilliant. who was the pet agent and did you fly with Thomas cook?

Devil Girl

That is excellent, well done

That sounds like a good price for you all.

Is there a special section for you cats on the plane?

Bali2010

a) Congrats on the last stage for you
b) Thanks for the info - am off to put these Co. names in my little book, as I am sure Sparkle (see left) will appreciate it later
Thanks
Bali

JulieandDave

Hi

We used petsaway from TC gatwick to toronto when we came over, they were excellent.

We paid £670 (I think) and that included them building a custom sized crate for our two cats. One of our cats is a bit on the large size so the crate was quite big to accomodate them!

They met us at the airport we popped the cats in the crate and off they went. When we were on the plane we could see them sitting in a luggage container waiting to board. I think they go on last.

Picking them up from Toronto was ok as well, you have a bit of running around to do 'take this form here with some cash then come back here and collect them' etc.

They were a bit wobbly legged when we let them out, well they are in the crate for a few hours, and one of them was a little damp but otherwise all was fine.

Julie

lancashirebird

YOU know we love you really.............
Little one is waiting to play horse's

farjojo71

The price is for 2 cats in the same container and the agent is Petsawayuk (01903 872248). Dave is the guy I spoke to, what a little cherub he is . What happened was I looked on Canadian Affair for prices and dates that I liked...I then called Dave back and told him which dates.

He was able to check via his PC whether there was any room on the flight for my boys and that there was not already any dogs booked on it because that would mean that my cats couldn't go on that flight. He then said that there wasn't any dogs so he reserved the spaces straight away for my boys so I could then book myself on the same flight. Did just that then called him back, paid the deposit over the phone...job done phew!! The only stipulation is that you go on a direct flight...apparently it has been found that take off and landing are the most stressful times of the journey for the animals (I'm so with them there ) so therefore direct flights only.

They will go into a heated hold area of the plane....as far as I know, this is kept in darkness as apparently the animals settle better in the dark and will just sleep.



I think my quote was less because they don't have to meet me at the airport, I just needed them to book my boys on the flight and prepare the documentation for me.