Booked the house, pets are fine. I don't intend to drive in Galicia at first. I work online so won't need to drive to work, etc. Also the bus services look reasonable and supermarkets deliver.

I think I will just go to Paris and a friend has offered to take me on from there. Not a great option but would seem like the best one I have.

Have you looked at airberlin.com? Haven't really looked at best connection, but they fly from Manchester and they fly to Asturias/Oviedo and Santiago de Compostela. You'd have to find a relevant connection in amsterdam, dusseldorf, Munster, Palma or any one of 20 destinations that seem to link the routes. From their website...

"You can take dogs and cats with you into the cabin if they are in a suitable pet carrier (max. measurements 55 x 40 x 20 cm) that weighs no more than 6 kg, including contents. The animal must remain in the pet carrier for the entire flight. The carrier must never be placed on a seat, even if an additional seat has been purchased. A charge of 20 EUR per flight will be made."

Why not just leave the cat in a good UK home ? Cat may be happier than having to handle the trip then the heat etc, !

When you get over adopt a new cat and everyones happy .
Your Cat
Your wallet
The new cat

everyones a winner

It's an option, all be it not a good one for me.

I have sent e-mails off to various pet courier services, will see what they get back with. If no luck, I guess he will be stying in England longer than I planned. (until ryanair ditch the route)

No joy with airberlin?

Not so much. Manchester to Hamburg, Hamburg to Palma, Palma to Santiago. It did open some new options up but still not good enough. Thanks for recommending though.

I don't know if you saw a thread a while ago about pets flying over to Spain but my other half, who is a pilot, wouldn't advise anyone to fly their pets. Its very stressful, they are put into crates/carriers for many hours, the temperature fluctuations below deck make it very uncomfortable for them, sometimes they may forget to put on the heating below, which could obviously result in a frozen pet!!so if you can drive, do.

Having just paid £365 to have my cat flown to Alicante in August that was not what I wanted to hear

Indeed!! But if it's good advice, worth listening to. I'm talking with British AIrways world cargo at the moment to see that they can offer. Also waiting to hear back from Pet Couriers that go by road as well. I suspect my cat will be staying here though, which isn't a big issue for him, as he is quite happy where he is. I will miss him though

OOOOH SORRY!I'm sure they will be fine! My friend flew her dog all the way to New Zealand and he was fine. are they going on the same plane as you? if so, just ask the dispatcher to tell the Captain to make sure heat is on,cats are different to dogs though i think, they just sleep the whole way.
He flies racehorses to Dubai that are worth more than the plane and they're all fine too.

Thats who my OH flies for very good company! To be perfectly honest, any form of transport over a long distance isn't ideal for any animal really, we'll be driving our down, not looking forward to Angus whining all the way!!Give them some rescue remedy to calm them.

Any discount?

if only i could!!!

No jump seat for kitties?

i wouldn't wish that on even the most horrid of kitties! went all the way to india on one once. never again!!! back still hurts!!