Air Canada Pet Policy – Travelling With Pet In Cabin & Cargo

Air Canada understands how special furry friends are to us. Air Canada Pet policy is in place to help us understand the Airlines policies when we plan to travel with our pets in Air Canada. With this policy in place it becomes easier to understand all the rules and regulations while you carry your pet on board or either in cargo. Pet Travel is in place to lay out in detail the do’s and don’ts for your pets Air travel with them. If you have questions and you find yourself wondering things like does allow pets on board, how to add pet to flight, pet policy in cabin, pet in cabin weight, pet in cabin fee, pet cargo policy, pet cargo rates, pet carrier size, book pet in cabin then you at the right place. This article will answer all your questions.

What is Air Canada Pet Policy?

Flying with pets has a pet policy in place for you. Air Canada offers you many ways your pet can travel with them. Flying with pets means that your pets can either travel in Passenger cabin, as Checked Baggage or in Air Canada Cargo. At all the time during the journey it is important that your pet is in a carrier that checks all the boxes as per pet carrier. As per Air Canada International Pet Policy If are traveling to or from hawaii then pets are not accepted in the cabin or the baggage compartment. travelling with pets becomes easier with this policy in place. All the travel options available by are described below in detail.

Pets in Cabin

If you wish to travel with your pet in the Passenger cabin then Air Canada allows it but there are certain sets of rules to keep in mind.As Air canada pets in cabin policy only cats and dogs are allowed in the cabin only if they can fit in the carrier and it can be placed underneath the seat in front of the passenger.You need to make sure that the pet inside your carrier is free to move,sit and lie down in the carrier as it is very essential.Only small breeds are allowed as only they can fit comfortably in the carrier as per Air canada flights with pets policy.It is recommended to notify the Airline in advance so that they can make reservations for your pet.Only one pet per person is allowed in the Cabin.Pet needs to be 10 weeks old and fully weaned.Its is recommended to arrive at the Airport when traveling with pets at least 30 mins prior your check-in time.Also you cannot self check-in online or at the Airport science you’re traveling with pets.

As per Air canada pet travel some things to keep in mind that can stop you from carrying your pets in the cabin with you.They are listed below:

• If a passenger is an unaccompanied minor then he/she cannot travel with pets.
• If your seats are in exit or bulkhead rows, you cannot carry your pet on board with you.
• For passengers with medical conditions that require them to travel with a medical device that is required to be placed under the seat in front of them. It makes it impossible to bring a pet on board
• Air canada pet cabin policy states that If passengers are traveling in premium economy then no pets are allowed as the seat space and dimensions does not provide enough space for a pet.

As passengers are allowed one carry-on item and your pet in its carrier counts as one so if you are traveling with pet strollers and car seats then they are accepted as checked baggage only .

In-Cabin Pet Travel Fee 

As per Air canada flying with pets in cabin policy, Air Canada charges a pet travel fee based on the destination you are flying your pet too. Table listed below shows Air canada pet in cabin cost for one way fare charged by the Airline for all Air canada pets in cabin.

Air Canada Pet Carrier

As per Air canada pet carrier policy, Pets along with carriers are allowed on board as a carry-on baggage on board. It is very important that your pet remains inside the carrier at all times during the whole flight. Air canada pet carrier in cabin policy states that the carrier must be comfortable for the pet so it can move freely inside. Fail to do so, then your pet can get rejected by Air Canada to fly in the passenger cabin with you.If the pet is big then they can travel as checked baggage. Your pet along with the carrier cannot weigh more than 10 kg to travel in the Cabin.

Tabel listed below shows the maximum dimensions of the carrier that can be allowed in the cabin.

Sometimes pet carrier size may vary depending upon the Aircraft Type.Tabel listed below shows the pet carrier dimension for In-Cabin based on the Aircraft types:

Air Canada Pets as Checked Baggage

Your pet can’t fly with you in the passenger cabin? Don’t Worry they can always travel as checked baggage in pressurized cargo compartment. The weight of the pet and carrier combined can be up to 45 kg and the maximum dimensions of the carrier allowed are 292 cm (length+breadth+height).The Maximum number of pets in the same carrier can be 2 provided same species are placed inside. The age of the pets needs to be within 12 weeks and 6 months if you wish to put them in the same kennel. It is essential to notify the Air Canada Cargo no more than 30 days or less than 7 days prior to your departure date.

Checked Baggage Pet Travel Fee

Air Canada charges a pet travel fee based on the destination you are flying your pet too. Table listed below shows one way fare charged by the Airline for pet travel as the checked Baggage.

Breed Restrictions

Short or Snub-Nosed breeds of cats and dogs are not allowed to travel in the baggage compartment as they can develop breathing issues when exposed to stressful or heated environments. Here listed below are some examples of cats and dogs that are not allowed.

• Cats: British ShorthAir, Himalayan, Persian, Scottish Fold, Burmese, Exotic ShorthAir.
• Dogs: Chow Chow, English Toy Spaniel, Japanese Chin, Lhasa Apso, Pekingese, Pug – all breeds including the Chinese Pug, Affenpinscher, Boston Terrier, Boxer, Brussels Griffon, Bulldog – all breeds including the American, English, French and Dutch Bulldog, Chihuahua (apple-headed),Shar-Pei, Shih Tzu, Teddy Bear (also known as Zuchon or Shichon),Tibetan Spaniel

Carrier

It is very important to have the right carrier for your pet as for the entire journey they have to be inside it. In order for your pet to be able to travel in the pet carrier in the baggage compartment you need to make sure that the carrier is hard-sided which means that the top of the container cannot be mesh and must always have holes for ventilation. Additionally wire carriers as well as collapsible carriers are also not preferred the reason being all parts of your pet needs to inside the carrier at all times. Also the carrier needs to be spacious enough for your pet to able to move freely. If you pet comes under strong breed then it needs to carried in a carrier that is not made of plastic. The carrier door must have a secure lock that can’t be opened accidentally by your pet.

Strong Breed Dogs: Caucasian Ovcharka (Caucasian Shepherd Dog), Karabash (Kangal Dog, Anatolian Shepherd Dog), Pit-bull – all breeds, Including: American Pit-bull, American Bully, American Staffordshire Terrier (Amstaff), British Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Mastiff – all breeds Including: American, Argentine (Dogo Argentino), Bandog (Bandogge), Brazilian (Fila Brasileiro), English, French (Dogue de Bordeaux), Italian (Cane Corso), Neapolitan, Presa Canario, Rottweiler, Wolf Dog Hybrids, English Bull Terriers.

If these breeds are traveling as puppies between 3 and 6 months old then this rule is not applied to them.

Pet Travel in Air Canada Cargo

Lastly, big pets and animals are transported via Air Canada Cargo. You pets travel alone in the Air canada pet cargo. Air Canada as trained staff that takes care of your pet throughout the journey. Additionally your pet gets priority one service.

Cargo Pet Travel Fee

Air Canada pet cargo cost is based on the carrier size and weight. Table listed below shows the Cargo fee charged within Canada(Domestic).

Table listed below shows the Cargo fee charged for travels to/from the US (Transborder).

How to make a booking for Air Canada Pet Travel?

Bookings for your pet can be made by calling Air Canada customer care. Air Canada recommends making your pet travel bookings within 24 hours of your flight booking  by providing the Airline your pet’s breed, carrier size,and age. Once done arrive at the Airport with all your pet’s documentation at least 30 minutes prior to the recommended check-in time as the only way to check-in while traveling with your pet is at the Airport counter.

What documents are required for Air Canada Pet Travel?

Just like we have to carry our documentation and show our ID proofs, the same is for our furry friends. We need to submit all the required paperwork for our pets to the Airline. Air Canada accepts animals/pets that are healthy and are fit to fly. Listed below are the list of documents and reports: 

• Veterinary results 
• Local health verification results 
• Special test results 
• IATA required documents 

Service Dogs/Emotional Support Animals

If you plan to travel with your support dog with Air Canada then the Airline allows you to travel with them on board in the passenger cabin free of charge. Your service dog must be professionally trained for assisting people with disabilities and proof of the same needs to be shown to the Airline. It is essential to keep your service dog on leash all the time and it should be seated below in front of the owner at all times. You need to make reservations 48 hours prior your flight departure.

Air Canada no longer accepts emotional support animals in the cabin. They are considered as pets and can travel  in cargo or as checked baggage.

In this article all your queries regarding your pet travel with Air Canada are answered such as does Air canada allow pets on board? How to add pet to Air canada flight? What pet travel fee is charged? What happens when cancellation happens? What is Air Canada pet in cabin fee? What is Air Canada’s pet in cabin policy? What are Air Canada pet in cabin rules? What is Air canada pet in cabin size? Are answered. This will help you understand Air canada pet travel policy better if you are planning to travel with your pet. All the things you need to take care of are all listed here. So now you can be carefree and plan accordingly and make your Air canada travel with pets a memorable one.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)