Taking pets on Air Transat - procedures on the day
 

We have PR and are moving to Hamilton, ON (at least initially) in April. We're back in the UK for a wedding in September and when we then return to Canada we are taking our two Shetland Sheepdogs with us.

They are booked on to the same flight as us as checked baggage flying Manchester-Pearson. It's pretty easy to find all the paperwork requirements online, but the lady at Air Transat was more vague about the exact procedures on the day for handing them over and collecting them at the other end.

Has anybody flown pets with Air Transat from the UK to Canada recently who can shed any light on what happens on the day please?

TIA

Re: Taking pets on Air Transat - procedures on the day
 

Yes, forgetting the paperwork side, simply show up at airport as normal (we went from Gatwick), follow the flying with pets signs, near to where you check in, they checked our paperwork, there were some signatures, then they tell you where to take the crate, we dropped him off and walked away. At the other end you collect from 'Oversize Baggage' area. There really isnt much more to it than travelling with bikes, skis, or other large sports goods, as long as all your paperwork is in order. I was terribly worried about my dog in the crate for 11hrs or so (remember its not just flight time but loading and unloading time aswell) but he was totally fine at the other end and even voluntarily went back in his crate once we arrived so he cant have been that bothered by it all.

Re: Taking pets on Air Transat - procedures on the day
 

That’s great, thanks!

Re: Taking pets on Air Transat - procedures on the day
 

Forgot to ask - is there somewhere you can take them for a wee at Pearson before leaving the airport?

Re: Taking pets on Air Transat - procedures on the day
 

Pet Relief Area

Pet Relief Areas are available in Terminals 1 and 3, pre and post-security, providing a comfortable space for dogs to relieve themselves.

Locations

Importing an animal into Canada?

To see which rules apply, check the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) website.
Terminal 1 – Departures level – Exit door at Aisle 15, turn right

Terminal 1 – Ground level – Exit Door S, turn right

Terminal 1 – After security – Near Gate D30

Terminal 3 – Arrivals level – Exit Door A, turn left

Terminal 3 – After security – Near Gate B26

https://www.torontopearson.com/en/wh...avel-with-pets

Re: Taking pets on Air Transat - procedures on the day
 

Thanks FL

Re: Taking pets on Air Transat - procedures on the day
 

crofty82 Did you have to call and book with Air Transat or could you do it online? I emailed Air Transat about flying our pooch over in June to try and get a bit more information but the reply I got wasn't very helpful! He'd be very close to their weight limit of dog + cage so we don't know whether he has to go on a cargo flight or not. What we'd hate to happen is us book him on and there be some kind of problem! We also need to find out whether we have to be on the same flight as him or whether a family member can check him in at manchester and us collect him at Pearson.

Re: Taking pets on Air Transat - procedures on the day
 

Yes you have to call them, there’s no way to book pet travel online with Air Transat.

As far as I know you don’t have to travel on the same flight as them, as there’s someone to drop them off at one end and pick them up at the other, but if I were you I’d ask them that on the phone also.

Re: Taking pets on Air Transat - procedures on the day
 

Things *might* have changed with Air Transat and weight limits since we flew our dogs over in 2013, but one of ours was an Airedale weighing 23kg, in a large crate. The combined weight was well over 32kg. I was told over the phone that there were no weight restrictions so long as the dog was in a proper travel crate. I was very wary about this and how it would work on the day (flying Manchester to Calgary) so I asked for confirmation in writing. In case it helps, and if their rules haven't changed, here is the relevant snippets of my emails:

Me to AT customer service:My dog is an Airedale Terrier, who weighs about 23kg. His travel crate will weigh about the same, as it will be a large crate. Please confirm that this combined weight of 46kg will not present a problem when we check-in at Manchester airport on Wednesday 7th August?

I am worried that the staff who work at check-in at Manchester are agency staff, and not direct employees of Air Transat, and as such they do not know the rules and regulations appropriate to this matter. I have been told that weight will not be a problem, there will be no extra charge because the crate+dog weight is over 32kg.
Please can you confirm in writing that this will be the case, so I can show your confirmation to the staff at check-in if required?
Customer Service reply:
We would like to confirm to you that, the weight that you have specified for your animal and cage will be accepted at our check-in counters.

Re: Taking pets on Air Transat - procedures on the day
 

Current regs according to their website:

Re: Taking pets on Air Transat - procedures on the day
 

Thank you for clarifying that! Our boy would have had to go on a diet and have a haircut to make the weight if those rules were in place in 2013 :-)

Re: Taking pets on Air Transat - procedures on the day
 

We flew over with our Labrador 18 months ago, after much stressing and going over every rule regarding paper work, weights and crate size I was most disappointed when we got to check in the only checked his pet passport didn’t really look at him or the crate apart from swabbing the inside for drugs one note to say don’t put cable ties on the door until this has been done. When we got to customs at Pearson they didn’t check him either didn’t even really want to see the numerous bits of paper and certificates I had. But you can guarantee if I wasn’t as over cautious they’d have wanted to see all the paperwork.
As far as I am aware they will not let a dog go in checked baggage unless someone is on the flight also, if no one is on the flight they have to go in Cargo and this can only be done by a specialist company.

Re: Taking pets on Air Transat - procedures on the day
 

No pet passport requirement unless you intend to return to the UK with the dog - just a 'fit to fly' certificate... see more in the wiki: https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Transporting_Pets-Canada
To the OP - Do be aware that you may have issues finding a rental that will accept 2 dogs.

Re: Taking pets on Air Transat - procedures on the day
 

Yes this is a concern. They are both small, well behaved and and have never damaged anything, and we can offer an extra deposit.

I realise some landlords still won’t want to know, but at the end of the day we have to take our dogs with us so we’ll just have to accept a smaller choice of rentals.

Re: Taking pets on Air Transat - procedures on the day
 

Yes we only got the pet passport as a back up in case we did return to the uk, we where advised on this site to get a certificate from DEFRA which we did with great confusion from our vet, but didn’t need that after all.