This Canada-based airline, Air Canada has been flying the whole of the world, giving a good service to its passengers, which leaves a satisfaction to feel in them. When its customer asks for pet permission in flight, they launched the Air Canada pet policy with all conditions by which you can make your pet fly along with you.
So under Air Canada’s pet policy, they allow only cats and dogs as a pet either in a cabin or in the carriage department of aircraft of Air Canada. While traveling with a pet you have to be concerned about many things that may affect your pet during the flight journey.
So below, we will be discussing all the measures to be taken which are been guided by Air Canada if you want to travel with your pets too.
Operators of Air Canada which allow pets in the cabin:
- Air Canada or Air Canada Rouge flights permit small animals in the cabin
- A flight operated by Air Canada Express is Jazz, Sky Regional, or Exploits Valley Air
You have to alert the airlines that you want to travel with pets and the Air Canada reservation is done according to that. In case of any cancellation of the Air Canada booking, you have to inform separately about the cancellation of your pet booking.
What will be the carrier mode of travel for your pet is basically different to fly in a Cabin or in the bagged department or as cargo when traveling on Air Canada.
At the check-in point, your pet carrier will be counted as one of the carry-on baggage in the cabin or checked baggage to the carriage department of aircraft. It will depend on the size and weight of the pet along with the container or carrier box.
Here in below every possible detail of each of them will be described for pet carrier passengers.
Guidelines for Pet Policy of Air Canada
Air Canada has its own set of rules for the pet policy and they are very strict in their rules and regulations. Here we discuss some guidelines which you have to follow while traveling with your pets.
- The first thing you have to do is book your own ticket with the Air Canada and after that, you should register your pet at least 24 hours prior to the flight departure.
- Make sure you have a strong base container to hold the pets which is suitable and comfortable for pets with the proper ventilation so they can breathe.
- Always choose the container which has an absorbent bottom or you can cover the bottom with that type of material, it helps to guard the excretion so the aircraft floor remains clean.
- Be sure you have to bear proper documents and vaccination certificates for your pets.
- Trained your pet and make it familiar with the container so that your pet feels comfortable during the journey in the container and moves freely inside.
- The airline doesn’t take any responsibility for the care of feeding your pets so, feed your pet at least 4 hours prior to the journey.
- Always keep in mind that your pet doesn’t Tranquilize and got with other medications. It may harmful during the flight journey.
- Check and verify that your pet is allowed to travel at the destination or not. Because some countries don’t give permission to enter their borders due to different rules and policies of the country’s government.
- Before check-in, you should check the eligibility of your pet that airlines allow for travel with you in the same flight in-cabin or travel separately with the cargo like Australia, their government doesn’t allow pets either in-cabin or checked baggage. They allow pets only to travel as cargo.
In-cabin Rules and Regulations
While you are wishing to take your pets along with you and that too in the cabin of the flight, you must read the requirements and limits which will allow doing so by Air Canada.
Under the Air Canada pet policy, they allow you to take off your small cats and dogs in the cabin if their weight with the container is a total of 10kg weight. They must be that must small so that, your pet can stand up, turn around and lie down in its natural way in a carrier box and can be kept under the seat in front of your eyes.
Situations or conditions in which your pets are not allowed to travel in-cabin, though they are small enough are:
- If you are flying with small children i.e. comes with unaccompanied minors.
- Only one dog and one cat are allowed to travel in-cabin per passenger.
- If your seat has been allocated near the exit gate or you can say in the bulkhead row.
- If you need to use the medical support which has to be fitted in under your seat, then you are not allowed to carry your pet in the cabin.
- If you have a booking of Air Canada’s Premium Economy, then their cabins are designed in such a way that they will not allow fitting your pet carriage underneath the seat. Thus pets cant come up with you in the cabin.
About pet container
While you are flying your pet with you in the cabin, you have to know, what is the measure you have to follow for the container to carry on in flight.
There are two types of containers, one is hard and one is soft. And their dimensions are different from each other.
- Hard pet container dimensions must be 23cm x 40cm x 55cm in height, width, and length which must be strong enough and comfortable for the pet to do things in a natural way.
- A soft bag for your pet should be 27cm x 40cm x 55cm in height, width, and length with the absorbent leak-proof surface of the bag.
Pets Traveling Fee Charges
Air Canada not only flies within Canada and USA states but also flies out to international destinations. So the rate of carrying your pet as a carriage will be charged differently and taxes are additional.
- For Canada or other states of the USA, Air Canada charges $50.00 – $59.00 CAD/USD, except Hawaii.
- And when flying out to some other international states with your pet in the cabin then Air Canada will charge you $100.00 – $118.00 CAD/USD.
Some Exceptions According To The Aircraft Type Or Cabin
- On Boeing 789 Aircraft, the dimension of your pet carrier should not be exceeded 20 cm x 40 cm x 43 cm or 8 in x 16 in x 17 in (height x width x length).
- On Boeing 788 Aircraft, the dimension of your pet carrier should not be exceeded by 20 cm x 40 cm x 36.83 cm or 8 in x 16 in x 14.50 in (height x width x length).
- On Boeing 777-300 ER and 777-200 LR Aircraft, the dimension of your pet carrier should not be exceeded 21 cm x 38 cm x 43 cm or 8.25 in x 15 in x 17 in (height x width x length).
- Other Restriction:
- Each passenger is allowed only one cat or dog along with him in the cabin.
- Your pet’s age should be at least 12 weeks and fully weaned.
- The pet carrier should be properly closed and also should remain under your seat during the travel.
- You need to reach the airport at least 30 minutes before the provided check-in time for your aircraft so that the agent can complete the check-in process for your pet because the pet’s check-in can not be done online.
Pets allowance as a checked baggage section
When you have a big size animal pet and want to travel with them, but its weight doesn’t match the limits of the Airlines to travel in the cabin. Then Air Canada organizes the facility of carrying your oversize pet as a carriage in a baggage department of the aircraft.
So if your pet’s weight with the container or box in which it will be traveling is under the limit of 49kg then you can make the pet fly in a baggage section. Otherwise, you have to leave your pet in the same country from where you are departing.
Limitations or restrictions which lead your pet to travel as a carriage in a baggage section of the aircraft without any hindrance
- As you read above Air Canada only allows one pet to carry by each passenger in-cabin. But when pets travel as checked baggage, you can carry 2 pets.
- While two pets are traveling either in the same container but will be counting 2 pets no matter what the total weight is.
- You have to confirm to Air Canada Cargo that you will be transporting more than one pet on a flight within 30 days of the departure date or at least 7 days before your flight.
- A strong category of dogs is accepted in a strong metallic or wooden container other than plastic. And its gate of the opening must be of wire mesh, locked up properly so that they can’t come out and harm anybody.
Breed of pets usually cat or dog who has short/snub-nose are not permitted to travel as in the carriage department of aircraft. This is because the baggage section is built up in such a manner that its extreme heat release will not be handled by these types of per. And end up risking the life of the pet due to suffocation or breathing problem.
About pet container
It’s petty obvious, as the weight and size of the pet change the carrying type i.e either in the cabin or in the baggage section. Thus its container size and measurements will change for the pet box if traveling in the baggage section.
Under the Air Canada pet policy, when animals are been traveling in a carriage compartment then, the carriage of pet containers must be 292cm with linear dimensions of length, width, and height.
Fee charges
Air Canada’s pet policy doesn’t let your pet travel free of cost in the carriage compartment, you have to pay for your pet container like other extra carriages whether it’s within USA states or all over the world.
- If within Canada or with all other USA states, pet traveling charges for you will be $105.00 – $120.75 CAD/USD.
- If traveling abroad i.e to an international destination, then the pet carrying charge is $270.00 – $318.60 CAD/USD.
For more details of the Air Canada Baggage Policy, CLICK HERE
Additional information
- It’s quite important to have a veterinary certified commenting that your pet is fit and fine and has completed all its vaccination and are not in those periods to get one such.
- Under the Air Canada pet policy, they will conduct an inspection session of your pet animal with the Government Veterinary official of the country you landed, even though you have your veterinary prescription for your own pet.
- Charges for inspection by doctors will be asked in some cases. It’s compulsory to go to this session for government approval of that country you have been traveled to.
- Other than this, if you need government approval or confirmation to travel your pet to some other country, you may have to contact the country’s embassy or consultant.
- Rules for partnered flight or codeshare flights with Air Canada for pets may be different from the Air Canada pet policy.
- If the flight allocated by Air Canada on the particular itinerary does not allow pets either in-cabin or as a carriage hold, then Air Canada can’t help you with this. You have to travel, leaving your pet in the same country.
- Just make yourself confirm by the airlines you are allocated for the pet travel rules and regulations. And see whether they may co-operate with you for pet travel in any case.
Pets are allowed to reschedule if any passengers need to change their flight or reschedule?
If any passengers want to make a change in flight due to any reasons then don’t take stress regarding your pets if you booked your pets previously. Air Canada allows rescheduling your pet booking also but only things you have to inform or contact the Airline staff for further procedures.
So here in the above, we have tried to cover all such facilities and information regarding Air Canada Pet Policy, which will help Air Canada passengers who are planning to have a flight with pets.
If anything is not clear to you and want to get the exact information of y0our question, then do contact the Air Canada Customer Support Team Who are pretty much cooperative and understanding. If you fail to contact them you can even contact us, Treknova, on our toll-free helpline number +1-800-831-1547 for kind help for you.
