Air France Pet Policy for Dogs in Cabin and in Cargo

Flying with your dog is becoming more and more common and, above all, easier! With Air France, you can transport your dog in the cabin, in the hold and by freight. These means of travel and the terms and conditions of transportation are described in the following article.

How to Buy Your Pet an Air France Ticket

To book your animal’s flight ticket, contact Air France Customer Service by phone at 1 800 667-2747, Monday to Sunday from 8am to midnight. The purchase of a pet plane ticket is done by phone. You must book the animal plane ticket before the human plane ticket. It’s the way to proceed.

Dog Travel With Air France

The basic conditions for a dog to travel on board Air France are as follows: the animal must be more than 10 weeks old and have all its vaccinations up to date.

For flights in metropolitan France (including Corsica), and between metropolitan France and Guadeloupe, Martinique and Reunion Island, animals can fly from 8 weeks and for Guyana, it is 15 weeks.

Air France Dog in Cabin : Their Pet Policy

Pets that weigh less than 8kgs, bag included can fly in the cabin with their owners. Air France accepts snub-nosed animals in the cabin but advises owners is to seek the advice of a veterinarian as these breeds may have respiratory problems in flight. The breeds concerned are: affenpinscher, Boston terrier, boxers, bulldogs, bull mastiff, cane corso, pugs, chow-chow, dog, certain breeds of spaniel (Tibetan, Japanese, English, King Charles), Brussels griffin, lhasa apso, mastiffs, Neapolitan mast, Beijing, small brabançon, shih tzu, shar pei and staffordshire bull terrier.

Air France does not accept pets in a Business cabin on intercontinental flights.

Air France Cargo Hold Pet Transport

Cargo hold travel is for dogs between 8 and 75kg (including the crate), with the exception of snub-nosed dogs which are prohibited in the hold on Air France flights. Carriage in the hold is limited to 3 animals per passenger. Your pet must travel in an IATA approved cage.

Other Travel Means

The freight trip is for dogs weighing more than 75kg (including cages). In some cases, the country of destination may only allow the transport of animals by freight. Roll-up dogs are allowed on Air France cargo flights. To book your dog’s flight ticket by freight, you will need to contact the AIR FRANCE KLM Cargo freight service.

Air France Transport Cage and Bag Sizes

Cabin Bag Sizes for a Dog

If you travel with your pup in the cabin. Your animal must travel in a specific closed soft bag (no rigid box!) whose dimensions do not exceed 46 x 28 x 24 cm. The bag must be sufficiently ventilated and allow your pet to get up and turn around in the bag without difficulty.

Here are the instructions to follow for cabin bags:

• The bag must be able to slip into the space under the seat in front of you in flight
• Under no circumstances should your companion leave its bag during the flight.
• You can only carry one animal per bag.
• Each passenger may only travel with one animal.

The bag in which your pet travels is considered as part of the luggage allowance on Air France

Cargo Hold Guidelines for Dogs

Your companion must have an adequate transport cage. Please follow the instructions carefully as your pet may be refused boarding! On Air France flights, only “shell” boxes, made of rigid plastic or fiberglass, closed with bolts and approved by IATA (International Air Transport Association) are accepted.

• The shell of the box must be made of fibreglass or rigid plastic only.
• If the box has wheels, they must be removed. If they are retractable, they must be secured with adhesive tape.
• The door must have a central locking system that simultaneously locks the 2 locking points located at the top and bottom of the door. (a) The hinges of the door shall extend at least 1.6 cm beyond the horizontal edge above and below the door. (b)
• The 2 parts of the hull must be secured by bolts. Any other lateral locking system is strictly prohibited. Another locking system may be added to the bolts. (c)
• The animal must be able to stand upright with its head completely upright, without touching the top of the crate. He must also be able to turn around and lie down comfortably.
• The crate must have a double bowl for water and food. It must be empty, fixed and accessible without opening the box.

The bottom of the box may be covered with a blanket, newsprint or other absorbent material (straw prohibited). Your dog should not wear a leash or muzzle. These accessories must also not be left in the cash register. The animal must not show any signs of physical weakness, be injured or be under tranquilliser.

What administrative procedures do I need to do in addition to purchasing the ticket?

You must fill in the form of conditions of acceptance of a dog in the hold and present yourself with this signed paper at the airport counter. Your dog must have all its vaccinations up to date: go to the vet shortly before your trip so that he can provide you with a vaccination certificate and fill in your pet’s European passport (mandatory). Your dog must also be identified by means of a microchip.

For travel to Ireland, Sweden, the United Kingdom or Malta, additional health conditions are required. We recommend that you check with the embassy of your destination country.

For your trips outside the European Union, remember to check the regulations for departure and arrival countries.

How much does an Air France flight ticket cost for my dog?

Check the official airline prices to make sure the information is up to date. We gathered the info for you on relevant flights below:

France

– cargo hold: 80 €
– cabin: 40 €

Caribbean

– cargo hold: 75 €
– cabin: 30 € (except to and from Miami 55 €)

Flights within Europe or between Europe and North Africa** or Israel :

– cargo hold: 100 €
– cabin: 55 €

Any Other Flight Aboard Air France:

– cargo hold: 200 €
– cabin: 125 €

These fares are defined on the basis of a one-way ticket and for a single bag (or cash register). If your trip includes one or more connections, the fare is calculated according to your departure country and your final destination country.

Things to Know About Your Trip

Check in at the check-in counter 3 hours before the departure of an intercontinental flight, or 2 hours before a flight in France or Europe (including between Europe and North Africa or Israel). You will need to present the vaccination form made by your veterinarian and the form of conditions for accepting a dog in the hold. The Air France employee will check in your pet and you will have to install it in its transport cage, then leave it in the care of the staff who will take care of it.

If you have a connection, make sure you have more than 2 hours between your 2 flights. Indeed, you can only check in your pet on your first flight. When you connect, you must therefore have the necessary time to collect your luggage and your pet, then check them back in on your continuation flight. Make sure you have all the documents required by the authorities of the country in which your flight stops: you must go through the police formalities before boarding your connecting flight.

During the flight, the captain is informed of your pet’s presence in the hold and takes all necessary measures to ensure that it travels comfortably (lighting, heating, etc.).

If you have a connection between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly, please note that animals travelling in the hold are not accepted on board Direct Buses.