Tag: flying in cabin

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Flying with a Dog/Cat in Cargo as Checked Baggage

This is a follow up from out post about flying in-cabin. If you wish to read more about flying in-cabin, please click here.

For all the pets who do not qualify for flying in-cabin, you will have no choice but to fly your pet as excess baggage in-cargo.

I have flown with pets in-cargo many times and always fly them as excess baggage with Singapore Airlines because it is the cheapest method so far.

Please note that when I am talking about in-cargo, I am specifically referring to your pet travelling on the same flight with you as checked/excess baggage. If your pet was not flying with you, but flying individually as a cargo, you will have to check with the airline/your agent for the exact details.

Flying with Nina and Yuzu

Upon arrival at the airport, you will need to bring the pet to your check-in counter, to handle check-in for your pet. Be sure to arrive in advance to give them ample time to handle everything.

I have flown several times, but only have the video of my travel with Yuzu and Nina. Yuzu flew directly from Shanghai to Singapore; while Nina flew from Chongqing to Singapore, with transit at Guangzhou. Every airport has a slightly different policy when it comes to pet travel, so please check with the airport you are flying out of, on what requirements they have.

Nina flew from Jiangbei Airport in Chonqing and the airport required double nets on the crate for safety.

As Jiangbei is a domestic airport, they only served short flights and does not allow for a water bottle.

Yuzu flew from Pudong Airport in Shanghai and the airport only requires the standard straps on the crate. I wrapped her crate with a layer of cotton blanket since she was flying in the winter, and I was worried it will get too cold.

After handling the check-in, we then handed over the dogs to the ground staff. I went through my standard security checks and boarded the plane.

When flying with Nina, we had a transit flight in Guangzhou, so after arrival in Baiyun Airport, I picked her up along with my luggage before checking in again for my second flight.

Give some food and water to replenish their energy, but be careful not to give too much in case they need to go to the toilet. It’ll make their trip miserable.

Also, if you transit time is longer, or if the next flight will be long, then be sure to let your pet out for a toilet break. But because the transit time and the second flight was short, I did not take her out.

And finally… HOME SWEET HOME!

For more information on the procedure for arrival in Singapore, please click here.

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Flying with a Dog/Cat in the Cabin

I’m sure that everyone misses travelling this year and just can’t wait to visit other countries again. However safety comes first, and we just gotta put the travel plans aside for now and save up for a trip!

But, this might be the perfect time to start preparing all the necessary documents, health check-ups and planning for the trip if you wish to bring your pet overseas for travelling when borders are open again!

Today I’m gonna share about how you can travel with your pet along with our personal experience (because I have travelled with pets way too many times).

First thing first, air travel is split by in-cabin and cargo for pets. In-cabin means your pet is flying with you inside the aircraft. Cargo means the pet will be in the luggage holding area. I’ll split the two forms of travel into two different posts as the post will get pretty long. To find out about flying in-cargo, please click here.

The flight with Mitsuko

I’m sure this is everyone’s preferred way of travelling with pets, to bring your pet into the cabin with you. But do note that there is quite a bit of restriction and costs for flying in-cabin, so do read the following information carefully.

I’ve only flown in-cabin once with this little cutie called Mitsuko. We flew from Shanghai, China to Jakarta, Indonesia; with a transit stop at Seoul, Korea.

Mistuko in Pudong Airport, Shanghai, as we are sorting out check in for me

It was really cool to fly with your pet in-cabin to be honest. I’ve always enjoyed flying, and having a little dog with me just made it even better. Plus, I was lucky to have been met with a really nice passenger beside me who absolutely loved Mitsuko.

P.S. So technically you are not supposed to bring your pet out from the carrier, they are expected to be kept inside the carrier at all times. But the passenger who sat beside me loved Mitsuko so much, she told me to bring her out and will warn me when an air stewardess was coming so we could hide Mitsuko under my blanket. I had a really nice chat with her throughout the flight as we spoke about Korea and Singapore.

So once we in the air, Mitsuko sat on my lap throughout the flight. In the very beginning, Mitsuko was really nervous and was shaking quite a bit. But she soon calmed down after 30 mins and was sleeping comfortably or moving around our seats the rest of the flight. I was able to feed her some treats on the flight, brought her to the toilet to pee, and she basically got to enjoy herself on the flight.

Then we landed in Seoul to transit to Jakarta. It was supposed to be a relatively tight schedule, but our flight got delayed so I could end up taking my own sweet time in Incheon Airport to shop and walk around with Mitsuko.

The first thing I did after arrival was to bring Mitsuko for a toilet break, then gave her some food as it was her usual mealtime. After her tea break, it was time to go shopping.

She was most nervous during take-off and landing, plus the crowded airport did not help. So it took her a good 10-15 mins to calm down and stick her head out from her carrier. I pushed her around on the trolley as I went around shopping, and she got so many compliments along the way!

Finally, it was time for our connecting flight to Jakarta, and Mitsuko and I went to security to get ready for flying. She had to go through a round of check, and all the security guards were so cute when they saw her. They crowded around her as we were doing security clearance to play with her haha. At this point, Mitsuko was comfortable and enjoyed all the pretty security guards pampering her lol!

It was pretty late by the time we were on the connecting flight, and I got pretty hungry by then. But the good news was there was no one sitting beside me, so I got both seats to myself and Mitsuko.

Once again, Mitsuko took a while to relax before enjoying herself on the flight.

On a side note, the dinner on Asiana Airlines is honestly really good.

Then we finally reached Jakarta and I handed her over to the mum. Didn’t take any photos here because I was busy sorting out the paperwork for her entry into the country. But anyways the procedure for this will differ for every country, so it will not be too helpful to share the experience in Jakarta.

For all entering Singapore with pets, please click here to see the step-by-step procedure for what you do after your pet arrives in Singapore.

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What to Do After Your Pet Arrives in Singapore

If you have not read my previous post on the paperwork for importing your pet, please do take a look at it here, before coming back here.

Up to the final paperwork, you can find all the information available on the Nparks website, but here are the bits that first-time importers may be unsure about. What happens after my pet arrives in Singapore?

After touchdown in Singapore

In Changi Airport
Welcome to Singapore / Welcome home!

Go through the arrival process as per normal and get your passport stamped. After picking up your luggage, go to the lost and found office at your arrival hall to submit the import licence and fill up a GST form. If your pet is in the cargo, they will then inform the staff to send your pet directly to Changi Animal and Plant Quarantine Station (CAPQ). If you are flying with your pet, you will handover your pet to the staff.

After leaving Changi Airport, head to Changi Airfreight Centre
Tip: There is no need to rush, grab a meal first if you are hungry

At the pass exchange counter, present the import licence and your IC to exchange for a pass. Make sure that your name matches that on the import licence as the importer.

Drive into CAPQ and make sure that your pass is displayed at all times.
Tip: To facilitate your entrance and exit, do not remove the luggage tags from your luggage so that the security knows it is yours, and not brought out of the checkpoint – trust me, I’ve done this 5 times.

At CAPQ, sign in and hand ALL original documents to the staff there. Depending on the speed of the staff, your pet may or may not already be there waiting for you. If they have yet to send the pet to the inspection office, then simply wait a little while.

After your pet arrives at the inspection office, it will be brought into an isolated room and you can go in to visit him/her while waiting for the paperwork to be processed. This will be a good time for you to rehydrate your pet, give it some treats/food, and let him/her do its toilet business.
Tip: If your dog/cat requires quarantine, you can also bring along a bed, a water and food bowl and pee tray. Whatever is left in the room will be brought together with the pet to Sembawang. As the room at Changi is a little cold, you might want to bring a small blanket for your dog/cat to snuggle up in if necessary.

If your pet requires quarantine, you will have to leave once everything is sorted out. Your pet will be transported to Sembawang Animal Quarantine Centre at 10am the same day/next working day. If your pet does not require quarantine, you can bring your pet out of CAPQ and go home.

Quarantine

At Sembawang Animal Quarantine Centre
On your first visit, there is some administrative work to be handled. You will need to sort out the check-in paperwork and make the balance payment. After you are done, they will tell you the kennel or cattery number your pet is in, so head on down to visit once you’ve sorted out the administrative work.

Be sure to bring along your pet’s favourite treats and toys, whatever he/she is comfortable and familiar with, so that the stay in quarantine is comfortable.
Tip: It will be good to use things that they are familiar with which you will want to dispose of, especially if you are staying in the non-air-conditioned rooms, as it can get pretty dirty (yes there are ticks too). Anything I can’t clean completely is thrown away after quarantine.

Visiting hours
Mon-Fri: 4pm – 6pm
Sat: 2pm – 6pm
Sun & PH: No visiting allowed

Walking Fields
Walking fields are open until 30 mins before the end of visiting hours. Please let the staff outside the kennels know when you wish to go for a walk so that they can schedule you a slot.

Shower Rooms
To reserve a shower room, let the counter staff know that you require a shower room and book a slot.

After Quarantine
On the day of release, you are able to pick up your pet from 10am to 12pm. They will hand you everything you have inside the room. You will wait outside the office as they bring your pet to you.

Things to take note of

Try to make sure that you are touching down in Singapore between 7am and 8pm from Monday to Saturday on non-public holidays. This is because the inspection office is closed from 10.30pm to 8am and on Sundays and public holidays. So if you arrive outside of the opening hours, your pet will be kept in its carrier at the inspection office till the staff arrives.

It is also better to travel during your pet’s natural sleeping hours so that they will feel less stressed during the flight.

It is important to crate train your dog/cat if you are flying in cargo. This can help to prevent unnecessary stress on your pet in the process. Same goes for during quarantine, do try to ensure your pet is crate trained as it will help prevent separation anxiety.

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So, I got a pet from overseas, how do I bring it back to Singapore now?

I will be creating a series of posts detailing the breakdown of the process, including the paperwork and the experiences with some tips. I’ve done this paperwork 7 times, so I am pretty familiar with it by now.

Let’s break this down for you, there are essentially three parts – export, flight, and import, and it is easier than you think.

Export

The export paperwork will differ depending on the domestic policy of the exporting country, but they usually require a health checkup and that is all you need to be awarded an export licence. However, please check with the local guidelines on how to bring your dog/cat out of the country.

Flight

Next step, you will need to handle the flight, you can choose between your pet flying in-cabin with you, or in the cargo. However, take note that there are size/weight restrictions for flying in-cabin. From my experience, I have taken Asiana Airlines, Korean Airlines and Singapore Airlines for travelling with my pets. (I will be making a detailed breakdown into the air travel portion soon, for this post, I’ll be focusing on the import paperwork).

Import

And for the domestic paperwork which seems to scare many, here is a detailed breakdown on how and when to sort out all your paperwork to bring your pet into Singapore. The following instructions are for Category D countries. Please refer to the end of the post for the link to a detailed breakdown for the other categories.)

>6 months before import:
Step 1: Microchip your pet (All vaccinations and health documents MUST carry this microchip number)
Step 2: Get rabies vaccination

4 – 5 months before import:
Step 3: Send your pet for serology test (>30 days after rabies vaccination)

<3 months before import:
Step 4: Send pet for vaccination
Dog: Canine Distemper, Canine Hepatitis & Canine Parvoviral infection
Cat: Cat Flu (Feline Calicivirus and Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis) & Cat Enteritis (Feline Panleukopaenia/ Feline Parvovirus) 
Step 5: Reserve quarantine space (only if your pet is flying from a Category C/D country)

<1 month before import:
Step 6: Apply for a dog licence (for dogs only)
Step 7: Apply for an import licence
Step 8: Book inspection with CAPQ
Note: Be sure to inform the airline that you have a pet and will need to reserve a space

2 – 7 days before import:
Step 9: Send pet for external and internal parasite treatment and fill up the veterinary certificate (See the end of the post for the link)
Note: You may need to send the veterinary certificate and the import licence to your airlines, be sure to check with them. This is also the time to receive the export licence and health clearance declaration from the exporting country.

Just before departure:

Step 10: Submit a declaration of facts to Singapore Customs (for GST)

What’s next?

Click here as we bring you through the step by step guideline of receiving your pet in Singapore.

Common FAQs

How long do I need to handle the paperwork to bring in my dog/cat?
Category A: at least 6 weeks
Category B: at least 2 months
Category C: at least 4 months
Category D: at least 6 months

How much does it cost to import a dog/cat?
This will only include the import licence and quarantine (if required)
Category A: $50++
Category B: $50++
Category C: $307++
Category D: $693++
The prices above are exclusive of the cost of dog licence (for dog owners only), airfare and all costs in the exporting country (i.e. vaccination costs, etc)

For more information

Click here for the detailed breakdown for the respective categories of exporting countries. The veterinary certificate is on page 7 to 9 of the links.
Category A – Australia, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom (Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
Category B – Cayman Islands, Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Iceland, Japan, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, USA (Hawaii and Guam only)
Category C – Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain, Taiwan, USA (except Hawaii and Guam)
Category D – All other countries not listed above