The first way your pet can travel is as carry-on luggage. People often confuse the terms excess baggage with carry-on luggage but in reality, they are very different. Traveling with your pet as carry-on luggage is when your pet travels with you, their owner, on the flight in the passenger cabin. However, there are certain requirements that make it difficult for everyone to travel with their pet this way. Most airlines require pets traveling in the passenger cabin as carry-on luggage be able to fit under the seat. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, you must accompany your pet and be on the same flight as your pet! This option isn’t always available for every furry traveler but more on that later!
If you are starting to research the logistics of moving your pet, you may be feeling a little nervous. One of the most common and emotionally charged questions we receive is how pets travel—especially if they will be flying as cargo.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MANIFEST CARGO AND EXCESS BAGGAGE?
If you’re researching the different ways your pet can travel to their new destination and are wondering what’s the difference between manifest cargo and excess baggage- you’re not alone! So, let’s start with discussing the ways your pet can travel by air.
EXCESS BAGGAGE
The second way to travel with your pet is checking them is as excess baggage. It might sound odd to refer to your beloved friend as “baggage”. However, what it really means is that when you arrive at the airport, you will turn over your pet to the airlines at the same location you check-in your luggage.
Some airlines may impose an additional fee or “excess baggage” charge for this service. This fee is typically more expensive than flying with your pet incabin. Fees for shipping a pet as excess baggage typically ranges from $100 – $200. After you have turned over your furry friend to the airlines, you will collect your pet upon landing at your new destination.
IMPORTANT THINGS TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION:
- Although traveling as “baggage”, animals are always flown in temperature-controlled, pressurized holds.
- Pets flying as excess baggage may be subject to strict restrictions regarding temperature and breeds allowed to travel as excess baggage.
- Because animals transported as excess baggage travel with the luggage, airlines will not expose animals to temperatures less than 45 degrees Fahrenheit unless accompanied by a vet’s certificate stating the pet can handle lower temperatures. If outdoor temperatures are deemed unsafe for your pet, then your pet will not be permitted to fly that day.
MANIFEST CARGO
Manifest cargo is the best option for pets traveling without their owners as they do not require their owner to be on the same flight. This allows pet owners to travel ahead to their new destinations and make sure everything is prepared for their furry family’s arrival! Pets traveling as manifest cargo and excess baggage travel in the baggage compartment in a pressurized, temperature-controlled area reserved just for pets. However, unlike pets traveling as excess baggage, pets traveling as manifest cargo can be tracked throughout their trip by an AWB or Airway Bill Number. Shipping pets as manifest cargo is typically more expensive than transporting them as carry-on luggage and excess baggage. However, there are some perks for a pet traveling as manifest cargo!
Your pets are typically transported in climate-controlled vehicles to and from the aircraft. Pets are loaded last on the plane and taken first off the plane upon landing. Therefore, their time on the tarmac is limited. Airlines employ and train staff dedicated to handling animals appropriately and safely, guaranteeing your pet a safe and easy flight. Lastly, unlike pets traveling as excess baggage, pets flying as manifest cargo must be tendered to the airline at their cargo facility at the airport (not the baggage check-in!). Pets booked as manifest cargo will be received for pick up at the cargo facility in the arriving airport.
IN SUMMARY:
- You must travel with your pet
- Pet must be able to fit under your seat
- Subject to certain breed and size restrictions
- Cheaper than excess baggage or manifest cargo
Excess Baggage
1. You must travel with your pet
2. Pets are tendered to the airline at the baggage check-in
3. Strict temperature and breed restrictions
4. More expensive than carry on
Manifest Cargo
1. Owners do not have to travel with their pets
2. Pets are tendered to airlines at their cargo facility
3. Pets travel with an AWB for tracking their location
4. Pets are the last on & the first off the plane
5. More expensive than excess baggage 6. Usually you require a freight forwarder to take care of the booking.
PETS FLYING IN CARGO: MYTHS AND FACTS
Many myths exist about shipping pets as cargo, so we thought we’d review and debunk the most common myths here! We hope this eases any pre-travel worries about moving with your fourlegged family members this way. Pet Lounge arranges hundreds of pet flights in cargo every year. So let’s dive right into the common myths about flying cats and dogs as cargo, and we’ll share the reality based on almost 10 years of experience.
MYTH: THE PET CARGO HOLD IS DANGEROUSLY HOT OR COLD.
REALITY: CARGO IS CLIMATE CONTROLLED ON MOST AIRPLANES.
On most flights that accept pets, the cargo area itself is climate-controlled just like the passenger cabin above. So why do airlines have temperature restrictions? While many airlines have “Weather Embargoes” during the summer/winter months, it is not because of the cargo hold temperatures. Airlines that are not “pet friendly” take all of their cargo to the plane at one time. Animals often end up waiting on the tarmac while the cargo is loaded or unloaded. This wait on the tarmac is the reason for Weather Embargos and can be the most dangerous to pets—not the flight itself. We only work with pet friendly airlines that keep pets in climate controlled environments throughout their entire trip. This means that we are able to move pets year-round without any temperature embargoes. Working with these select airlines, all pets are kept in a climate-controlled area of the airline’s cargo offices until all of the people and luggage have been loaded onto the plane. Pets are then driven out in climate-controlled vehicles and boarded on the plane, which means they are never sitting out on the tarmac waiting. Then, when the plane lands, the pets are the first ones off the plane and are driven back to the climate-controlled area at the pet cargo offices.
MYTH: THE PET CARGO HOLD IS NOT PRESSURIZED. REALITY: CABIN AND CARGO PRESSURE ARE THE SAME ON MOST FLIGHTS.
In most large, “wide-bodied” aircrafts, the pressure is the same in cargo as it is in the cabin above. Just like Pet Lounge only works with pet friendly airlines that keep pets in climate controlled environments throughout their journey, we only book pressurized flights for all live animal transportation. The air the humans breathe in cabin is the same air that is circulated through the bottom of the plane.
MYTH: ISN’T IT SAFER JUST TO DRIVE MY PET?
REALITY: DRIVING A PET IS NOT NECESSARILY SAFER THAN FLYING.
Unless you are planning on driving your pet personally or having a friend drive your pet, it is safer and faster to relocate your pet by air than it is to have a ground transportation company drive them. Long distance ground transportation can be more distressing for a pet than flying, and potentially more dangerous due to the amount of time it takes, variance in ground transport companies, and the number of stops/starts/bathroom breaks involved. We have a network of vetted ground transport partners who we hire whenever a pet needs to be transported this way—because there are instances when pets can’t fly due to breed restrictions, weather, or a lack of flight availability, and we wouldn’t trust just any driver with your most precious cargo.
MYTH: PETS SHOULD BE SEDATED BEFORE A FLIGHT TO REDUCE STRESS.
REALITY: SEDATING YOUR PET BEFORE A FLIGHT IS NOT SAFE!
• Tranquilizers suppress the respiratory system, which makes it hard for a pet to cope with changes in altitude and temperature. This is particularly true for “snub nosed” breeds such as bulldogs and pugs.
• A pet may react differently to the same drug, in the same dose, depending on their state of excitement and the altitude. No studies have been done to determine the effect of tranquilizers on pets at high altitudes, so we do not recommend sedating your pet before a flight.
What do we recommend instead? Crate training, crate training, crate training! A pet that has been acclimated to their pet travel crate well in advance will have much less stress when flying.
What are the similarities between excess baggage and manifest cargo?
• Pets fly below the plane in temperature and pressurecontrolled cargo hold.
• Pets always need to travel in airline-approved travel crates.
• Airlines will require a health certificate issued by a vet prior to travel (usually within 10 days of departure).
• Tickets must be booked in advance (often at least 24-48 hours depending on the airline).
What are the differences between excess baggage and manifest cargo?
TRAVELING UNACCOMPANIED
When a pet is traveling as excess baggage, they must be linked to their owner’s flight booking. However, the best flight for you may not be the best flight for your pet. If you are taking your pet as excess baggage, Pet Lounge cannot arrange this booking for you nor provide assistance on the day of travel. Please make sure to contact your airline to ensure you are aware of check-in time and procedures.
When a pet travels as manifest cargo, they are booked on their own ticket (called an air waybill). This means that your pets can arrive before or after you. Many pet owners enjoy this option as it allows them time to get their new home set up so their pet is able to be welcomed into a happy and calm environment (and not into a chaotic moving day). When your pet travels as manifest cargo, Pet Lounge can arrange flight booking and all details related to check-in on your behalf.
NUMBER OF PET RESTRICTIONS
Many airlines only allow two pets to be booked as excess baggage. For some larger families. that simply won’t work. If you have more than two pets, manifest cargo isn’t just the safest option, it’s often the only option.
LAYOVERS
If you are flying your pets as excess baggage, a layover could be an extra challenge to your travel plans. For all kinds of live animals, most airlines will require the pet owner to ensure they are checked into their connecting flight. This could add unnecessary headaches to your journey, especially if your layover is on the shorter side.
If you are flying your pets as manifest cargo, the airline has strict regulations on handling pets during their layover. Lufthansa´s animal Lounge in Frankfurt is a great example! When a pet is traveling as manifest cargo and has a stop at the Frankfurt Animal Lounge, the pet is fed and looked after by trained animal handlers before being checked into their connecting flight.
COUNTRY RESTRICTIONS
Lastly, some countries require pets to arrive as manifest cargo. Australia, for example, will not allow pets to arrive incabin or as excess baggage. So, if your family is planning a move down under, there is only one acceptable means of transportation.
Why manifest cargo is our preference:
Every year, we relocate more than 2,000 pets and the vast majority of them fly as manifest cargo with no issues! We prefer manifest cargo because:
• This method allows our clients the freedom to make the travel arrangements that work best for them.
• Manifest cargo routes allow larger pet families to travel together.
• Airlines are trained to handle pets on their layovers.
• All countries accept pets arriving as manifest cargo.
EXCESS BAGGAGE AND HOW WE CAN STILL HELP:
Pet Lounge can still help you if traveling as excess baggage is the right move for your pet. Our team of experts can still assist you in choosing the right travel crate, providing crate acclimation tips, guiding veterinary consultations, managing import permits (if applicable), and government endorsements. However, we will not be able to assist with anything related to your flight such as how to book your flight, the check-in process, or customs clearance upon arrival into your new home country.
