Avianca Pet Policy In Support Of Pet Travel In Flights

Looking to book your pet flights with Avianca Airlines? Yes, you can get your pet on flights of Avianca Airlines under certain instructions and rules of Avianca’s pet policy.

Avianca’s pet policy only permits dogs and cats as pets transport either in-cabin or as in cargo hold. Just you have to follow all the guidelines and standards to get approval for pet flights.

Though Avianca is a Colombiana-based airline that does not allow pets entry-exit to or from Colombia as airlines are flying all over the world, other destinations except Colombia and UK locations, under Avianca pet policy, pets are permitted to fly on the Avianca flights.

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Transport pets in-cabin

Avianca pet policy allows toys pets transport in-cabin of the flight along with you and other co-passengers. As your pet will be flying among other flyers in the same cabin, airlines have to keep both pets and passengers comfortable and safe.

Thus being a pet owner on the flight you have to follow certain rules to get your pet permitted to fly in-cabin:

When you well board the flight of Avianca with your pets, you have to bring them in a close pet container.
Your pet along with the container must be measured as not more than 8 kgs in weight for pet travel in-cabin.
Other dimensions of your pet container must be approx 40 to 40.6 cms in length, 27 to 27.9 cms in width, and 20 to 20.3 cms in height.
The height of the container you will keep your pet must be strictly within 20 cm.
As you have to place your pet container under your front passenger seat of yours in the Avianca aircraft.
The container must be water and leak-proof if carrying your pet in a soft pet bag type.
You have to keep your pet inside of the container when flying in-cabin over the entire flight journey.
Its been mentioned by Avianca’s pet policy that each passenger can board with only 1 pet in the container if you want your pet to travel with you in-cabin.

Pet transport in-cabin is totally dependent on the availability of the space allotted according to the Avianca pet policy for pets in-cabin.

Transport pet as in cargo hold

As pet traveling in-cabin has rules, similarly pet transported as in cargo hold has also some guidelines, which pet owner have to follow to get permitted to fly in Avianca flights.

When your flight flying hours is 4 hours approx, then your pet weight can be up to 20 kgs (excluding container weight).
When your flight flying hours is 5 hours approx, then your pet weight can be up to 10 kgs (excluding container weight).
The dimensions or size of the pet container will completely depend on the size of your pet.
When your Avianca flight will be operated by Airbus A330 or Boeing 787 aircraft, then it’s been restricted that if your pet is traveling in the cargo hold, then the weight of your pet including the pet container must be within 46 kgs, regardless of the flight flying hours.
Each passenger is permitted to come up with one pet carrier for making your pet transport as in cargo-hold also.

As you know Avianca flight has limited space for pet transport in-cabin as well as in the cargo hold, so book your pet flight tickets in advance. Though you can even book and pay for your pet flight tickets on the day of your flight at the airport, it will be risk-taking as pet transport is subject to availability.

General guidelines of Avianca pet policy

There are some usual guidelines that will be the same for pet transport either in-cabin or in the cargo hold. Being a pet owner you have to keep all this in mind.

Though you know you can not bring your pet outside when you are once boarded in-cabin or sent in the cargo hold of a flight. But you can unlock your pet from the pet container at the airport with a collar, leash, and muzzle mandatory.
The container of the pets should be strong with the bottom hold and also have proper ventilation so that your pet can breathe properly and not get suffocated.
It’s important to show the health certificate of your pet at the check-in point to get approval for pet transport by Avianca.
When you will make your pet travel in flight, you must keep in mind that Avianca flight allows pets who are born 4 months back but not less than that, as that’s the minimum age to get all the animal vaccination for rabies and others.
Although different countries and different age limits for pets to travel in flight. So to get further information regarding the country’s pet transport, then visit IATA Travel Center
When you are having the plan to go to Galapagos Islands along with your pet, then it’s sad for you that Avianca flight does not allow pets to this island.
If you are traveling to the UK, then you must have to know that pet transport to or from this country, the reason is Animal Reception Centre restrictions.
Though the facility of pet transport in Avianca flight is prohibited in the flights flying to or from Europe and also other countries such as Aruba, Curacao.

Restricted pets

Avianca’s pet policy has listed which pet breed is permitted and which are not, and these are set up according to the rules and regulations of pet transport from all over the world.

Pets permitted:

Dogs which are been allowed to transport in the Avianca flight are American Staffordshire Terrier, Bull Terrier, De Presa Canario, Doberman, Dogo Argentino, Dogo de Bordeaux, Fila Brasileiro, Mastín Napolitano, Pitbull Terrier, Rottweiler, and Tosa Japonés.
Though each country has its own restriction regarding breeds of animals to entry into the country due to health regulations.
Besides these breeds of animals are allowed to travel, but if their health documents will meet the requirements then, Avianca will not be responsible for the cancellation of pet transport.
When flying with pets in Colombia, then according to Article 108-E of Chapter XIII of Law 746:
- The country strictly prohibited Staffordshire Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier breeds of dogs, or hybrids of these breeds to import from the flight.
- Another one is if your pet is actually born in Colombia and you have to fly them with you from Colombia, then on the return flight back to the country, you have to get your pet’s entry documents again.

Pets not permitted:

Below we will list up all the brachycephalic breeds which are strictly not allowed on the Avianca flights in cargo hold or in-cabin.

Dogs that are not permitted to fly:
Chinese Shar-Pei, Boxer, Dogue de Bordeaux, Bulldog, English Bulldog, Belgian Griffon, Brussels Griffon, Petit Brabancon, Chin, Japanese Spaniel, Boston Terrier, French Bulldog, Tibetan Spaniel, Boxer, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, English Toy Spaniel, Pekingese, and Pug.

Cats that are not permitted to fly:
Burmese, Persian, Exotic Shorthair, and Himalayan

Pet carriage

General information regarding the pet container which should be followed due to safely and comfortable flight of your pet only:

The material of the container must be strong right made up of non-toxic metal, wood, hard plastic, or fiberglass.
Pet containers must be kept hygienic and clean and also leak-proof.
You can place water and food containers empty and secure inside the pet container, which can be easily accessible. So that in case of flight delay and your pet needs water, staff can provide them when traveling in cargo.
Your pet container must be spacious enough for your pet so that they can move inside the box comfortably.
The container side and corners either it’s from the inside or outside, should be smooth and harmless to your pet, passengers, and even to the infrastructure of the aircraft.
You should keep this in mind while buying your pet container, that it should have proper ventilation from all the side walls.
But ventilation should not be large enough, that your pet’s body part like paw or tail, or mouth can come out and the pet gets self-harmed or harm others.
The opening door of the pet carriage can be of sliding type or hinged but should have proper lock laches, to make your pet secure inside. Moreover, door material could be wood, metal, or plastic.

Refusable conditions:

Your pets’ travel on the flight can be refused by Avianca Airlines, even due to the unmatchable pet container, required mentioned by Avianca’s pet policy.

If you are coming up with your pet in a container, which is in bad condition like broken or teared up from anywhere or having rusted mesh, hinges, or inoperative closures.
At the time of check-in if your pet is found to be quite an aggressive large pet, then it should be locked up in a metal or wood container, which has been locked from both the way of the dogs.
If your pet container is fully build-up of welded mesh or wire mesh, then also pert travel flight can be refused by Avianca.
It’s mandatory that if your pet has a basket-type muzzle, then you have to lock them in a plastic pet carriage and make them fly in flight.

Assistance or emotional support dogs

According to Avianca pet policy, assistance or guide or service dogs, or emotional support dogs are permitted to fly along with their owners (disabled or dependent passengers), in-cabin, and that too free of cost.

But there are following advice by Avianca flight when flying with such types of dogs in-cabin:

You have to place a special training certificate for disables, which has been issued up to the one-year age of the dog and it should also have a doctor’s license number.
Dogs which are been used for search and rescue (K, B, & R) must be with a bib, a microchip for identification, respective certificate, and also be collared and double leashed in the entire flight journey in-cabin.
If you are flying with such dogs in-cabin, then you can not reserve seats near the emergency exit gate.
For check-in with these types of dogs, you have to come early, at least 3 hours before flight timing.
(Get more knowledge of Avianca check-in)
You have to create documents for your service or guide or emotional support dogs which states the origin and destination you are flying to.
You even have to place your disability certificate and documents sating that you are depending on your dog.
The service dog’s age must not be less than 4 months, its been mandatory under the Avianca pet policy

This service of pet transport even service/ assistance/ guide dogs or emotional support dogs is not permitted to fly to or from UK-based locations.

General information:

Carrying an emotional support dog with you in-cabin, according to Avianca pet policy, each passenger is permitted to carry only one such pet along with them.
If you have to travel with rescue or service dogs then, you are permitted to take 3 approx at one time.
Certificates and documents should be ready for these emotional support dogs at the time of check-in. Moreover, you have to arrive 1 hour before the check-in time of general passengers, as checking documents required a little extra time than usual.
Make it clear that, if your flight will be operated by any codeshare airlines of Avianca, then pet transport or service of assistance/ service /guide dogs are not work according to Avianca, but will go according to the operating airline.
Though flight of emotional support or service or guide dogs is free of cost. But it should keep it in mind that, the size of the pet should come on the lap of its owner (just like small children sit over their parents). In any case, you are not allowed to occupy one such flight seat.
Regardless of the size of assistance or guide or service dogs are accepted in the cabin, until it’s been comfortably sitting and does not create any obstacle or getting problematic to other co-passengers.

In case you fail to get anyway to fly your pet abroad, then these measures can be taken by the owners:

You can opt to make your dog travel by the warehouse of Avianca flights, free of cost.
Or you can even buy one separate seat on the flight for these types of pets, though they can not sit over the chair, but have to get seated on the floor of the cabin near the feet of their owner.
Or you can simply reassign to other airline flights.

As it’s been informed that only dogs as service animals, or emotional support or rescue type animals have been accepted by Avianca flights.

The normal behavior of the assistance dogs which has been expected by Avianca staff at check-in time or during the flight is:

Must be settled in one place, i.e seat silently near the feet of their owner.
Should not bounce or roam around the aircraft freely during the flight journey.
Should not make noise by barking or make anyone uncomfortable or feel scared by grunting at any other passengers.
Do not jump over anyone or try to bite.
You should avoid any physiological needs when you are on board or when at the airport.

Note:
The behavior of your service or emotional support dogs if not looks unusually or aggressive or simple not according to the norms given above, Avianca flight can refuse your pet travel in-cabin of flight. Thought, Avianca airlines can ask you to arrange your pet transport in cargo hold according to the availability of the space for pets and will charge applicable fees for that.

Documents required:

There are certain documents or certificates required for getting approved that your animal is an emotional support dog or service/guide dog. So below we will separately be mentioning the requirements.

Service dogs:

Your pet should have a harness or mark on it to get identified as a service or guide dog.
Your service or guide or assistance dog also has separate identification cards or labels.
Get a written approval for the breed of dog as service dogs, if it does not match up with the restricted breed of dogs by Avianca pet policy.
For verbally disabled passengers, your service dog will accept until its behavior acts according to its owners.

Emotional support dogs:

All the documents for emotional support dogs must be issued within 1 year of the flight date, stating that the respective owner is emotionally dependent on his/her dog as a pet. This letter or paper must have the signature of a valid mental health professional or be certified by the personal physician of the pet’s owner.

If a passenger is emotionally disabled or mentally unusual, then emotional support dogs are approved for in-cabin flights.
Passengers whose activities at the arrival destination need their pet emotional support or simply say that their presence is necessary for such emotional imbalance peoples.
The certificate above mentioned should be signed with the date and also mentioned the location from where it’s been issued.

According to ICA, if you are flying to Columbia with emotional support or service pet (Columbia does not accept pet entry or pet transport to or from), then you have to issue a document by any licensed physician, stating the condition of the passenger or the pet owner and it’s very badly required o take their pet along with them where ever their owner goes.

Where can you purchase a pet transportation service?

Whenever passengers need to fly with their pets the first question raised in their mind from where can get the transportation service for their pets or how I transport my pets from the origin to my destination. So for you to get all your answer at the Service Center of the Avianca Airlines if you travel by the Avianca. Here you can get through another way of transportation service by Avianca given below:

Travel Agencies: If passengers need transportation services for their pets then they can contact the travel agencies which help to transport their pets to the destination. They can help with all the procedures and the final documentation and inform you about the charges which apply to the pet transportation.
Contact Center and Sales office: Passengers can contact the nearest office of Avianca and get the solution to all problems related to the flight even related to pet transportation. They can also call their helpline number for pet transportation. You can visit the office which is nearest to your location which is situated in the different countries. You can click on the link to select the location with the drop-down box and know the nearest office to your location.
At the Airport: If passengers’ plans changed and they need immediate transportation of their pets and reach the airport with their pets then they can book tickets for their pets if they reached at least 2 hours before the scheduled flights. At the airport, the Avianca executive help to get them all procedures for transportation of your pets with the proper documentation.

Note* If you find helpless and get confused by all the paper and documentation mess then you can chat directly to the executive and get help and information in real-time. You can click on the link to chat directly with the executive. Click Here

For further information on Avianca pet policy or booking for pets in advance, you must get in touch with the Avianca customer care center or visit the official site of Avianca to get detail of each thing you want to know. In Addition, if you fail to contact them directly, you can call us, Treknova on +1-800-831-1547 toll-free number which is available for you 24*7.