# Best Airline for Taking Dogs To/From Europe



## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

What is the best airline to book with if I'm going to be flying to Europe and taking dog(s) with me? I know the price for taking the dogs can vary based on who you book through, even if you are on the same flight (IE two airlines are selling seats, on the same plane, but for different amounts)


----------



## Steve Estrada (Mar 6, 2011)

Lufthansa the excess baggage is abt. $400 per dog, they give you courtesy notifications, i.e. dogs on plane, dogs unloaded, dogs escaped, just kidding! Start conditioning them to long periods of time in crate. No food before flying & "don't" sedate them. It's very stressful if the wake half way through. I took a bitch for breeding abt. 15hrs. In crate. When vet wanted to Chk. Her she bounced out like no big deal, even vet was surprised. I said I'd fly in crate next time, I 
was whupped


----------



## Christopher Smith (Jun 20, 2008)

Air France $200 each way.


----------



## Steve Estrada (Mar 6, 2011)

Christopher Smith said:


> Air France $200 each way.


For each dog and is that recently? Is that excess baggage or alone? Where to & from where? Thanks, sounds too good....


----------



## Christopher Smith (Jun 20, 2008)

Steve Estrada said:


> For each dog and is that recently? Is that excess baggage or alone? Where to & from where? Thanks, sounds too good....


Google it.


----------



## Edward Weiss (Sep 19, 2011)

Have had very good experience with 4 dogs on 4 separate flights via Lufthansa.
They are the largest animal shipper from Europe.


----------



## Steve Estrada (Mar 6, 2011)

Christopher Smith said:


> Google it.


From the informative suggestion http://www.airfrance.us/US/en/common/guidevoyageur/pratique/animal_tarifs_airfrance.htm
Googled it :lol:


----------



## Christopher Smith (Jun 20, 2008)

Steve Estrada said:


> From the informative suggestion http://www.airfrance.us/US/en/common/guidevoyageur/pratique/animal_tarifs_airfrance.htm
> Googled it :lol:


So now that you did the work for yourself and seen it with your own eyes I'm sure you believe it now. 8) Air Berlin has similar rates too and the fares are fairly low right now starting at $800 out of LAX.


----------



## Steve Estrada (Mar 6, 2011)

That was very helpful, thanks...


----------



## Stefan Schaub (Sep 12, 2010)

Klm/Delta 200 euro/dollar depends where you book from. you pay when you check in.


----------



## Sue DiCero (Sep 2, 2006)

People fares go up, usually around 4/15... 

As for transport, double check the container requirements (e.g. rivets, not plastic)


----------



## Megan Bays (Oct 10, 2008)

What size crates are the airlines making you put your adult dogs in for international shipping out of the US? I've spoken with two different shipping companies that are telling me for international I need to ship my 60lb Dutch Shepherd female in a size 700 crate bc she needs 3" between the top of her ears and the crate!  I imported a male that is twice her size in a 500 less than a year ago! 

Seemed crazy to me, but both companies I've spoke with have told me the same thing. Curious to know if others have had this same experience.


----------



## Niomi Smith (Jan 15, 2010)

I am travelling to Europe with my two Shepherds this spring.

We are flying Lufthansa, only because we have heard how good they are with the dogs.

However, I think its ridiculous that the cost to fly both my dogs return is more than MY ticket, and they get to sit in a box in the cargo hold with no bon bons or in flight movie 

I also think its ridiculous that the crate has to be so large that the dogs technically get more room on the plane than I do! Realistically my dogs aren't going to be jazzersizing in there, they will be sleeping, enough room to stand up and turn around is more than sufficient.


----------



## Steve Estrada (Mar 6, 2011)

I just checked on flying two dog from Calif. to Minn. & they said the same about the crates,that while sitting their ears can't touch the top of the box & want to ship them in the giant crates. ( abt. 75#@) Just more screwing us of more bucks! The price in 500's was $947 for both not sure I want to know in giant crate. ](*,)


----------



## Jessica Kromer (Nov 12, 2009)

Depends on the person at the counter too. I shipped a 115lb Rott via LAX to St Thomas (Virgin Islands) through ATL in a 500. He is 25.5" at the shoulders and no one said a word... A week later out of a smaller airport and they wouldn't let us ship a 65lb Pit in the same... :roll:


----------



## Steve Estrada (Mar 6, 2011)

Guess I could tape their ears down like a Rottie #-o


----------



## Selena van Leeuwen (Mar 29, 2006)

Megan Bays said:


> What size crates are the airlines making you put your adult dogs in for international shipping out of the US? I've spoken with two different shipping companies that are telling me for international I need to ship my 60lb Dutch Shepherd female in a size 700 crate bc she needs 3" between the top of her ears and the crate!  I imported a male that is twice her size in a 500 less than a year ago!
> 
> Seemed crazy to me, but both companies I've spoke with have told me the same thing. Curious to know if others have had this same experience.


They told me the same, with all the dogs i sended over to you...telling you something and doing it, is not always the same :-\"O


----------



## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Megan Bays said:


> What size crates are the airlines making you put your adult dogs in for international shipping out of the US? I've spoken with two different shipping companies that are telling me for international I need to ship my 60lb Dutch Shepherd female in a size 700 crate bc she needs 3" between the top of her ears and the crate!  I imported a male that is twice her size in a 500 less than a year ago!
> 
> Seemed crazy to me, but both companies I've spoke with have told me the same thing. Curious to know if others have had this same experience.


Continental, now United, has that same rule. I never shipped to Europe but they never enforced it multi times shipping back and forth to Costa Rica.

I have learned a lot depends on who you have checking the dogs in at the counter. I almost didn't get them on the plane back here last time because they were going totally nuts they same way they always do. The attendants were so scared they made me accompany the dogs out on the tarmac to load them. 

I had to have them call the Continental home office back in the US to get permission to load them. It was quite a mess. I told them "you brought the here and now you are telling me you won't bring them back"?


----------



## Steve Estrada (Mar 6, 2011)

Know what you're talking about Lee. Shipped a adult male Rottweiler & when picking him up he was to come out on carousel. In the tilt up building their was about two hundred people around carousel until in the back they loaded him on the carousel & he did the Rottweiler roar that echoed, two hundred people went dead silent as it sounded like Godzilla & when he came out the crate was rocking all over, they jumped back about twenty feet, I picked him up & never had such an easy time recovering my baggage. I was laughing so hard with my two friends I coulda peed my pants. Had to been there.....8)


----------



## Megan Bays (Oct 10, 2008)

Selena van Leeuwen said:


> They told me the same, with all the dogs i sended over to you...telling you something and doing it, is not always the same :-\"O


I'm really surprised they didn't make Reppie come over in a 700.


----------



## Selena van Leeuwen (Mar 29, 2006)

I had an understanding shipping company, 700 crates cant fly into columbus;-) if he had to travel in a 700 i couldnt get him further as houston.


----------



## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Steve Estrada said:


> Know what you're talking about Lee. Shipped a adult male Rottweiler & when picking him up he was to come out on carousel. In the tilt up building their was about two hundred people around carousel until in the back they loaded him on the carousel & he did the Rottweiler roar that echoed, two hundred people went dead silent as it sounded like Godzilla & when he came out the crate was rocking all over, they jumped back about twenty feet, I picked him up & never had such an easy time recovering my baggage. I was laughing so hard with my two friends I coulda peed my pants. Had to been there.....8)


I know the drill. The terminal in Liberia, Costa Rica is a open air steel building with a concrete floor. You have to get the dogs out on a leash so they can inspect the crate for contraband. It is quite a scene with passengers and 2 very aggressive dogs, charging anything that moves, going totally berserk, barking like mad in a echoing building.:roll::-D


----------



## Timothy Saunders (Mar 12, 2009)

I would also go with air france. Their coach is like first class. A.A airlines was $125 Jet airways was $300 and continental was the most expensive


----------



## Carmen van de Kamp (Apr 2, 2006)

Edward Weiss said:


> Have had very good experience with 4 dogs on 4 separate flights via Lufthansa.
> They are the largest animal shipper from Europe.


Also preferer Lufthansa. Had our Mika (about 65cm heigh, 35 kilo) fly in in a 500 crate. Flew with one of our Jagds with no problems. Took a puppy saluki home from Sweden in The cabin. Flew a 10 week old (to heavy) Malinois to Chicago in the cabin with no problems. 

Tried Delta/KLM/AA/UA and booking from the Netherlands thru don't book your dog anymore, but point you to a broker...Lufthansa books directly, have special check in counters for animals. Well arranged.


----------

