ugacrew

Would she use PUPS?

Tarkak9

I don't think it absolutely needs to be there on time.

ugacrew

Well you don't want your package producing 'packages' along the way.

mayhemuk

We flew Heathrow to San Fran. Our boxer was around the 55lbs mark.
No chance of taking her in the cabin. I think with Virgin Cargo it was around £850.
Bit like immigration lawyers we found the pet shipping companies money for nothing though if you have other family members to organise then perhaps it's value for money.

milkyjoe

I flew my German Shepherd out with me with BA when I came over 6 years ago.He was picked up from my home in Cornwall by a company specializing in pet carrying 2 days before we flew and I picked him up at the other end.We flew Gatwick to Dallas and his ticket etc cost more than mine!
All I can say is that to me it was worth it!

Sally Redux

You could have a nice tea-party tableau with a couple of kittens

Ray

Sal... do you remember a posting some years back

where somebody wanted to bring some parrot over budgie from somewhere and somebody suggested letting it fly itself over ...

and a nutter animal lover went mad and said it was so cruel ....

Sally Redux

You're having me on lol lol

Were they going to hang a piece of cuttlefish from the plane or something?

LondonOllie

I just tried to call BMI and of course got put through to an Indian call centre where they did not really understand what I was trying to explain.

We want to fly with our dog that is just under 15lbs to the USA and if possible want the dog in the cabin. Earlier post said that this was possible but the call centre said you can't take an animal in the cabin.

Does anyone have a number to call about this as I can't see much on the BMI website.

Ideally we want to fly into Florida, but we can also head to Texas too.

Cheers,

Ollie

wokster

Hi folks, thanks for all the replies.

I have been informed by several agents that it is not possible to go down the route of excess baggage- unless of course as someone suggested we have him stuffed which is not an option

I have however managed to secure him a place through a firm in Glasgow who will put him in kennels for two nights, take him to Glasgow airport and fly him to Houston via schiphol with KLM the day after we arrive for an all inclusive cost of £700., so I am pretty pleased with that, as some were quoting upwards of £1500!!

Thanks again

scrubbedexpat099

Well to be fair, I think that would only have worked with pigeons.

But then again would not a pigeon try and return home?

Unless you could put it on a leash.... U Haul it behind the plane?

Terminal

I think it might be something with the airline and UK rabies/quarantine laws. AFAIK no animal can fly out of the UK as excess.

Our cat came as cargo, he flew out a few days after us and apart from a few days of shell shock he's settled in just fine.

dunroving

There seems to be at least two questions going on here: 1) Can you have a dog in the cabin, and 2) Can you ship a dog as excess baggage.

It's also important to note the OP is flying UK to US, so comments on flying into the UK aren't helpful, except for comparison.

The dog in the cabin/under the seat thing depends on the size of the dog and the route. I believe that dogs can not be carried in the cabin for international flights, but I'm not sure ....

The excess baggage thing - definitely not possible going into the UK (because PETS regulations require the dog is shipped as cargo). However, it used to be that if you were flying to the US on the same plane as pooch, you could check in your dog as excess baggage (cost me 50 quid with BA). The dog goes into exactly the same place as dogs travelling as cargo. Now, this may have changed since the PETS scheme, but it seems if you are flying OUT OF the UK, not INTO, then PETs doesn't apply, surely?

Jerseygirl

Don't think you can fly out of the UK with a pet in the cabin. You can from France to the US and probably other Euro countries. Check on the weight restriction...Continental will take pets in the cabin if they weigh less than 10lbs.

matt_griffiths

AA will probably take your dog as excess luggage for about $150. AA fly direct to Houston from Gatwick airport. However AA will not be able to guarantee that your animal fly's on the same flight as you since it depends on the outside temperature in both London and Houston on the day you fly (suggesting your animal will be spending some time on the tarmac !!!). For this reason I am shipping my cat as Air Cargo with BA (who also go direct to Houston from Gatwick). Its costing around £500. One additional tip is that you can pay another $105 to have BA clear customs in the US. At least in DFW this saves a LOT of running back and forward yourself paperwork, and since the customs office closes at 5pm sharp, and your flight arrives mid-afternoon, at least gguaranteesyou will get your dog back on the day you land. Having said all this - im not doing until Monday 10th - so will let you know if I learn anything else. Hope this helps. Matt.