Tamsin8

Well the time has come to book our flights thankfully!

I am hoping someone out there can recommend an airline to fly our very big dog, Saruman, who is a lovely 4 year old Briard. So far we have had a couple of quotes, one was £2300 and the other from Air Canada was £1400...aagghh!

If anyone has used a particular airline or carrier who may charge us less can you please let me know???

Many thanks

Tamsin

montreal mike

I can not help you with travel arrangements, or scheduling, or fare structures, but I most sincerely hope that your oversized pooch, for the remainder of its natural days, displays the appropriate sense of gratitude and appreciation, for the money you guys will end up shelling out. You could just as easily have gotten a replacement this side of the pond and left Saruman behind, free to roam the Welsh countryside.

I can think of nothing worse than an ungrateful dog.

islandboy

Hi there
When we flew to Vancouver from Heathrow, 7 years ago, we brought our dog, Jessie, a black labrador, with us on the same flight.
We flew British Airways and they charged Jessie as excess baggage.It cost us 120 pounds. They may have changed their policy since, but we found BA to be very knowledgeable on transporting animals. I think they are better at animals than people! We'll send you a PM with a good website. Good luck!

fledermaus

You can't fly big dogs as excess baggage though. There's a weight limit.

goodpikey

hi there,
if you contact air transat, they can take dog's as cargo during cetain months.
this year was march april if i remember correctly. they had no schedule for next year yet.

i'll look through my old posts and get back to you as i posted a similar question a few months back.

as far as i'm aware there are not any other airlines that let you take pets as excess baggage in the cargo with a relatively low fee. £150

i few people on here recommended ladyhaye

goodpikey

this is the info someone else passed on to me
i started a thread called 'immigrating to vancouver with dog' a few months back and got quite a few replies.
not really sure how you find it but it's on here somewher!

quote:
Hi

From memory I think this has been the case with the info on Air Transat website for a while, however if you contact their cargo area direct you can arrange transportation.

Here are the contact details that 4 bells passed to me a while ago

chap was Dave Swift at Air T cargo - TS Clipper I think is there company name -
David:

[email protected] 01784 431831

Hope this helps

Alphawolf

I just had a quote from Ladyhaye for £2054 for my 2 huskies from uk to Calgary, £1546 was airfare. what the hell is that all about????? Does anyone know of any alternatives, what is the max weight for excess baggage and how does it work? The heaviest is about 26-27 kgs.
Thanks guys!!

montreal mike

There could be some justification if the dogs were politely asked to cuddle up in the seats, desist from barking, wear special doggie-diapers and if they were not too fussy by putting up with the meals fed to human travelers. If that were the case the airline would be deprived of revenue from paying passengers.

Alphawolf

The4BellsLondon

yup - Dave was who we used to fly two dogs over to Vancouver in Dec - 1 x squat lab and 1 x dobie / ridge cross - approx 700 gbp
obv have to pay at Canadian end - approx $200 and get all the uk docs - approx 150 gbp oh and the crates!!

The4BellsLondon

ps - alos if you just ring Air Transatt their peeps will say - ooh no we dont do dogs- you HAVE to go thru the cargo arm!

My two were fine even with a 3 hr delay and long winded immigration at tother end - - -they went in their crates at 4.30pm uk time and came out 2am PST - so . . . 10am Uk time . . .17.5 hrs in crate and only 1 little wee!!

Alphawolf

Bless em, it panics the hell out of us with our 2, the male doesnt like his crate at the best of times

Auld Yin

I must say I'ved never heard of the Briard breed so I googled the name. What absolutely magnificent creatures. I suspect the previous poster that suggested you leave them back in the UK and buy new ones here has never had dogs. I know why you could never abandon these family members. Unfortunately I have no advice about the cost of flying them here and I know you're concerned about their reactions to crating. Just keep in your mind that it's for hours, not days and soon they'll be bounding around their new home. I have heard of others whose dogs have been sedated prior to shipping so perhaps that can be done for your two.

Alphawolf

Thanks I'll look into it, ours are Huskies by the way I think that was someone else earlier on with the Briards. Totally agree about the leave em and buy new comment, they're not furniture they are our babies and if they dont go we dont go its as simple as that!!

Auld Yin

Sorry about that but for what it's worth I have the same admiration for Huskies.