Finnair Oyj

Keywords

Pets
Cat
Dog
Rodents
Allergic to animals
Guide/Assistance dog
Fees
Pet passport
Animal unit
Water container
Sedating pets
Transportation boxes
Pets in the cabin

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• Carry-on baggage
• Checked baggage
• Dangerous materials
• Electronic equipment
• Excess weight
• Sports equipment
• Wheelchairs

Note before the flight

• You should make a reservation for the pet you intend to carry at the same time you make the flight reservation for yourself, through your travel agent or Finnair Customer Care Centre, so that we can confirm there is still space available in the animal quota on that flight.
• The dimensions of the pet transportation box and the total weight of the box and the pet must be declared when making the reservation.
• Except for guide dogs, a fee is always charged for transporting a pet, that is, pets are not allowed in the baggage allowance.
• When transporting pets, matters pertaining to the welfare of the animal, as well as country-specific restrictions must be taken into consideration. For example, in Finland, the minimum age for air transportation of puppies is 8 weeks. For country-specific regulations concerning required documents and age restrictions, please contact the authorities in your destination country.

On flights to Hong Kong, pets are allowed as cargo only; on flights to other destinations in China, only cats and dogs are allowed in the cabin or in the hold, while other animals must be transported as cargo. On flights to England, Ireland and Australia, pets are not allowed in the cabin or in the hold as baggage, as they are only allowed to be transported as cargo.

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Fees for transport of pets

• Pets cannot be included in the free baggage allowance and a fee is charged for their transportation. Only assistance dogs are transported free of charge.
• One-way fees for transporting pets on Finnair's scheduled flights within Finland, Europe and Asia are listed in the table below. Fees apply when travelling on a Finnair-operated flight with a ticket bearing a Finnair flight number.
• On flights to the United States, an excess-baggage fee for one piece of excess baggage is charged for a pet transported in the cabin of the aircraft (US$90–110); the excess-baggage fee for a pet transported in the hold is €252. In other cases, a fee equal to 1.5% of the highest fare for an Economy Class ticket will be charged regardless of travel class.
• On Leisure flights, the charges for one-way transport of pets are as follows: €100 for flights shorter than 5 hours, €160 for flights of 5–8 hours' duration and €200 for flights over 8 hours' duration. On Leisure flights, pets are transported in the hold of the aircraft only.

One-way fees for the transport of pets on Finnair's scheduled flights:

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Pet passport

According to a directive issued by the European Union, all dogs, cats and ferrets travelling on the same flight with the passenger, within the EU, must be identifiable by a microchip or a clearly readable tattoo. In addition, the pet must be accompanied by a certificate (known as a pet passport), which includes information on anti-rabies vaccinations, as well as other information concerning the health status of the animal. Further information is available on the Internet pages of Evira (the Finnish Food Safety Authority).

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Animal unit

Pets belonging to the same litter, or pets that are otherwise familiar with each other and are included in the same reservation, are treated as one animal unit. Several animals of similar size can be carried in the same transportation box under the terms and conditions mentioned below.

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Preparing the pet for transportation

• The pet should be familiarised with the transportation box in good time, at least a few days before the flight. It's a good idea to place a blanket with a familiar scent in the box.
• Give your pet only a light meal before the flight, as most pets are house-trained and do not want to soil their own bedding.
• If the duration of transport is longer than 12 hours, a water container must be placed in the box. Do not overfill the water container; the airline will check the amount of water during stopovers.
• Pets are generally good travellers and do not need to be sedated. Should this be necessary, however, you need to arrange the medication with a veterinarian and clearly mark the details of the medication, as well as contact information on the transportation box.

A special permission from the airline is always required for the transport of pets in the cabin or in the hold. Finnair adheres to the regulations issued by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) concerning the acceptance of animals for air transport (Live Animal Regulations). Most pet shops and kennels sell transportation boxes that conform to the IATA regulations regarding pet transport. Size requirements for live animal transportation box.

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Pets in the hold

• A pet that weighs over 40 kg or 88 lbs. must be transported in a strong, wooden transportation box.
• At most, three puppies less than six months of age may be transported in the same box, provided that each of the puppies weighs less than 14 kg or 30 lbs.
• Only two animals over six months of age are allowed in the same box. Maximum allowed weight of each animal is 14 kg or 30 lbs.
• If the total weight of the pet and the box exceeds 50 kg or 110 lbs., it must be shipped as freight.
• Only two pet boxes at a time can be transported in the hold of the aircraft and only one pet box in the Embraer aircraft. Approved pet transportation boxes are sold at large department stores and pet shops.

Further information on shipping your pet as cargo is available on Finnair Cargo's pages.

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The transportation box of a pet carried in the hold

A few things have to be taken into consideration when choosing a transportation box for a pet. The pet will be in the box for the duration of the flight; therefore, international standards have been issued for the pet's comfort whilst traveling

• The transportation box must be sufficiently large, so that the animal can stand up straight, turn around and lie down with ease.
• The box must be strong enough for the safety and protection of the animal during the flight.
• In addition, there must be air holes on each of the four sides of the box to ensure sufficient air supply during the flight.
• The door of the box must be locked to ensure it does not open accidentally, or that the animal cannot open it during the flight.
• The pet's muzzle or paws must not protrude from the air holes to ensure the animal does not injure itself.
• The water and food containers must be reachable from the outside.
• Boxes or show cages made of chipboard or chicken wire are not acceptable for air transport.

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Pets in the cabin

Small pets, such as cats, dogs and pet rodents can be carried in the cabin of an aircraft; certain restrictions apply. The airline has the right to refuse transportation if the transportation box or bag is too large for transport in the cabin if or the animal is too large for the cage. The animal may also be moved to the hold if the transportation box or bag exceeds the maximum allowed dimensions.

• The total weight of the pet and the transportation box or bag may not exceed 8 kg or 17 lbs. The maximum dimensions of the transportation box are the same as for carry-on baggage (56x45x25 cm or 22x18x10 in.).
• Only one transportation box or bag per passenger is allowed.
• The animal must remain fully in the box or bag for the duration of the flight.
• For transporting a cat or dog in the cabin, a soft bag is recommended, as it is easier to fit under the seat. The bag must have a solid bottom and be suitable for animal transport. On flights from London to Helsinki only a hard box is accepted.
• Bags designed especially for the transportation of pets are available at well-equipped pet shops. Rodents must always be transported in a cage.

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