Pet passports

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  • Anonymous
    Guest

    Spartan
    Participant

    Nearly two years ago, I relocated to Greece taking my pet dog with me.

    I booked a flight with Aegean and as the dog was over 8 kilos, she was booked in the hold. At Heathrow airport, her passport was checked and I had to take her to a “special size luggage/pets” area to load her on plane. She was nicely tucked in her kennel with toys and a little food for her 3.5 hrs journey to Athens. The service was amazing and even the pilot reassured me that she would be in an area of 18 degrees with plenty of light and air.

    The cost for transporting the dog was £65

    Last month, I had to return to UK. I was meticulous about the dog passport being in order with up to date injections and the required tablets. I then called Aegean to check the dog in, and this time they asked me to call Aegean Cargo. I did, only to be told that the cost for transporting the dog to UK was nearly £700. Convinced they were making a mistake I asked for the manager, only to be told that that was the correct information.

    I automatically blamed the Greeks, trying to make money out of the crisis.

    I couldn’t have been more wrong.

    I rang BA and I was told that they don’t transport pets (from Greece, at least).

    Then, I tried Air France/KLM and I went through the same procedure, where I had to call their cargo department and was quoted a similar price. They blamed UK rules and regulation for this.

    When I looked into it further, I discovered that due to “British regulations” pets had to be shipped under cargo rates, as they have to be collected from the cargo area of the UK arrival airport. This sounded like a money-making exercise, especially when I discovered that pets are transported in the very same pet area of the plane as before (ie: the same area as had been used on the way out).

    So, in summary, on the way out of the UK, this normally costs £65. How do they justify the extra cost of £635 to bring them back?

    For those interested, this Aegean link

    http://en.aegeanair.com/travel-information/travel-guide/travelling-with-pets/

    shows at the bottom of the page (“shipping pets to UK’) that pets have to go as cargo, as cargo staff in Greece (or any other country) have to ensure that all details are correct. In fact, this is exactly what happens when you ship a dog out of the UK, but the details are checked at the ticket desk.
    So when I flew from Gatwick to Athens, the ticket desk person checked the dog’s passport was in order. Surely cargo staff checking a pet passport doesn’t cost an extra £600?

    This KLM link
    http://www.klm.com/travel/gb_en/prepare_for_travel/travel_planning/pets/index.htm
    similarly details “ transport pets to UK” where pets have to go as freight.

    Many of you may think this is an example of the UK having stricter requirements for incoming pets than for outgoing.

    This is not the case… as the conclusion of the story makes clear.

    What did I do?

    I booked with Transavia from Crete to Amsterdam for £125 plus £60 for the dog.

    Then, from Hoek of Holland to Harwich £55 for me plus £15 for dog.

    Total for dog arriving in UK £75.

    Verdict:

    In my opinion, it’s not the country that requires pets to be transported as freight, but UK airports and maybe the airlines?

    Considering that we are in EU and the passports are up to date (both mine and the dog’s), there can’t be fear of rabies (in either of us) which seems to be the main excuse. I say excuse as with a valid passport and proof of vaccination, where is the need for £700 cost?

    This has also led to a huge industry of Pet service agents, who easily charge £1000, for bringing pet to UK, which cost me £75 albeit in a fairly convoluted manner.

    Why are the airlines using this system? What are the reasons and why can’t they still go as “luggage” where the owners collect upon arrival from main terminal and not freight building?

    In Amsterdam, as most other European airports, dogs are collected at terminal, from oversized baggage desk. Why is the UK so different?

    I will not accept that “cargo” is required in order to check the passport thoroughly. The so-called dog passport is a very simple document with little on it. Anyone who can read can see if it’s valid and read the microchip number. It certainly doesn’t need a special department to check it at £700.

    Also how come by boat it is so easy and only costs £15? The pet arrives to same country with same rules as the airline.

    I’m sure there are others out there who have encountered similar inconsistencies when travelling with pets. I’d love to hear their stories.


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    We bought our cat from Switzerland to South Africa recently. The cat cage weighed less than 8 kgs but S. African regs say he has to be bought in as cargo, even though for Swiss he can travel in the cabin. Result, about £600 (CHF 1,000) of costs plus another ZAR 500 to clear him here. The cargo area is on the other side of the airport so you have to get a taxi to get over there and back.

    As a by the way, the internal flight from JNB to George was very easy. Pay R. 350 and into the hold he went to be collected in perfect condition on arrival.

    PS. On a distance basis I guess we had the better value than your trip Spartan. The kids by the way only paid CHF 700 “return” for their ticket! If we take him back he can travel in the cabin as Switzerland allows this.


    Spartan
    Participant

    Does anyone know the real reason for these charges?! why cargo?and why so expensive?
    if it was the country ie UK, then the same would have applied when she arrived by boat, which only cost me £15


    fatbear
    Participant

    I used to regularly take my cats to/from the UK to Belgium on Eurotunnel. It used to be free for the cats from the UK with a small charge ( I think 10 gbp per cat ) for the inspection at Calais.

    Looking at the Eurotunnel website today they are now charging 16 gbp per journey regardless of direction


    Spartan
    Participant

    Can anyone explain the costs charged by airlines /airports into UK? and why? we have established is not the country as the cost to Harwich from Amsterdam was £15

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