Ryan NI

Hey we have a cat that we obviously want to bring with us when we move to California in November. Looks like we'll be flying with BA.

Anyone know the ins and outs of the process? Do we go through the airline or a specialist company? What are average costs?

We've just moved into my parents and the cat is finding it hard enough to move 6 miles out the road so god knows what she'll make of another 5000!!!!

Beaverstate

Good choice, Clovis is a full 6 miles from downtown Fresno

Beaverstate

Sorry about that. It's 2 am here, more serious answers to your question should follow in a couple hours.

rpjs

BA require pets to be handled by a shipping company, some other airlines allow you to DIY. We flew with BA and used PetAir UK who were good but expensive. There are loads of threads on this topic, with lots of people (including me) giving details of their experiences so have a play with the search function.

Mr Weeze

*Edit - for some reason I thought you had a dog - oops. It may just be worth ignoring the links below now. Sorry*

Moving a dog:
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...&highlight=dog
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...&highlight=dog
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...&highlight=dog
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...&highlight=dog
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...&highlight=dog
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...&highlight=dog

Discussion on expenses:
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...&highlight=dog

I have also (hopefully) attached the checklist I compiled from the KLM website for when we moved our dog, ourselves, using KLM.

RICH

Here is a recent thread on the subject (Cat). Towards the end, it worked out fairly straightforward!

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=749891

MrBaker2011

We used Airsupply from Heathrow to Colorado - pretty easy and cost between £500-600. I think the specific requirements of vaccinations etc vary depending on State so you might want to check that out.

Ryan NI

Hi Folks,

Thanks for the replies.

I'm going to have to research this a bit more and see what is actually realistic and doable.

The BA flights are working out the cheapest but with having to use a specialist pet travel company, it may not work out the cheapest.

Another set of flights I've been looking at are aer ligus & virgin atlantic (DUB-LHR-SFO) from a travel site. Just off the phone to Virgin who will obviously only take reponsibility for the LHR-SFO. Will phone aer lingus to get their take on it, but I'd doubt we'll have time to collect her in heathrow and get her checked onto the sfo flight especially as we will have a 2 yr old and 4 month old with us!!!

Mr Weeze

Again, it's about dogs, but ones under a certain size could be taken in the cabin on KLM. The same may apply to cats.

Poppy girl

No animals are aload in the cabins on international flights period.

Weeze

Has that changed recently as we had a dog sat behind us last year?

Poppy girl

This is what was stated to me by Virgin BA and Delta when I made enquires...maybe there is an airline that has an exception but the 3 above said no... OK I was flyingto the UK not from but I cannot see it making much of a difference!!

Weeze

It was KLM to the USA. You can't reach KLM from the states except via twitter though, as we found out with our nightmare journeys last month.

Edit:it was business class, don't knoW if that makes a difference

Mr Weeze

From KLM.com. I freely admit I know nothing about any other airline though.

Pets in the cabin
A small cat or dog can be taken into the Economy Class cabin of all KLM flights, and in Business Class on KLM flights within Europe:

In a hard shell kennel no higher than 20 cm (7.9 in). Your pet must be able to stand up and lie down comfortably.
Total weight of pet + travel bag or kennel may be no more than 6 kg (13 lbs).
The kennel must be put under the seat in front of you.

Always make a reservation by telephone or through Manage my Booking at least 48 hours in advance. Please note that we have room for a limited number of kennels in the cabin.

Contact KLM Telephone Reservations
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Pets as check-in baggage
Your cat or dog may travel as check-in baggage in a ventilated part of the aircraft:

In a kennel that complies with IATA rules – for example those of the 'Sky' and 'Vari' brands. You can purchase such a kennel at larger pet shops or specialist shipping agents. Read more at www.iata.org.
Total weight of your pet and kennel combined may be no more than 75 kg (165 lbs).
On all KLM flights and on KLM Cityhopper flights of less than 2 hours. Between 1 November and 31 March each year, pets cannot be carried in the hold of KLM Cityhopper flights because the baggage hold of our Fokker and Embraer aircraft cannot be heated.

Jerseygirl

There is a big difference. Pets can only be flown into the UK from the US using a designated airline...on a designated route...because of the rabies restrictions set out by DEFRA. That does not apply when flying from the UK to the US. Some of the US airlines allow it...Continental used to...not sure now they are United. Worth trying all the US airlines to find out if pets can be transported in the cabin.