Effective immediately, Lufthansa will not transport 10 breeds of dogs (or mixed breeds thereof) in the cargo hold if the temperature exceeds 27?C or 80?F at the originating or destination airport. The affected breeds are: Boston Terrier, Boxer, Brussels Griffin, Bulldog (all breeds except American Bulldog), Chow Chow, English Toy Spaniel, Japanese Chin, Pekinese, Pug (all breeds), and Shih Tzu. Additionally, Lufthansa will require that the exact breed be listed on all pet transport documents. The restriction affects snub nosed dogs as their brachycephalic condition impairs breathing. Owners of these breeds should plan their pet travel during periods of cooler weather or avoid cities with higher temperatures.
UPDATE:? Issues in holding areas have been corrected in all locations (DFW still unconfirmed) so ban has been lifted.
Manjula – the temperatures in Sri Lanka are the concern with the transport of your English Bullie. A quick Google search showed temps are the coolest in January. You should try to find an airline that flies into Sri Lanka in the early morning or late evening hours when temperatures are no so extreme. When temperatures exceed 75 degrees, most airlines will not transport this breed. You may want to check with Sri Lankan Airlines if they fly your route.
Jason
Hello, I am planning to relocate from Canada to srilanka and looking to transport my 85 pound English Bull Dog. Please advice me what time of the year is good due to the temperature restrictions and what airline will service this matter.thanks
Paula – temperatures are always a concern in the heart of both summer and winter. Not sure where you are traveling from, but you should look at the mean temperatures along your route to make sure they remain above 45 degrees F. If not, contact your airline for direction.
Phil
We are trying to transport two Boxers to Frankfurt, Germany. Would this be a problem in February?
Cristina – it would be far preferred to carry your Shih Tzu with you in the cabin to Rome so keep it within weight limits. Lufthansa will accept soft sided carriers which are great because they allow your cat extra room and can squish down under the seat. Make sure your cat can stand up and turn around in the carrier, it has a waterproof bottom, adequate ventilation and is secure (zippers, not snaps). Get your cat used to the carrier as far in advance as you can.
Susan
Hi to everyone i just want to ask if it is ok carrying my shihtzu of 4 months old (she will be 7months old when we will leave the philippines due to her blood test) to rome with lufthansa? Or any carrier which are pet friendly?, because i will move to rome for work and i dont wanna leave her here.
Gloria – this post was generated from a bulletin issued by Lufthansa originating from issues with holding areas in certain airports. Since that time, corrections have been made although DFW is still not confirmed. Post will be updated. Thank you.
Susan
The article states: “Effective immediately, Lufthansa will not transport 10 breeds of dogs (or mixed breeds thereof) in the cargo hold if the temperature exceeds 27?C or 80?F at the originating or destination airport.”
On Lufthansa Airlines website it is stated that for the mentioned breeds “Dogos which belong to the pug-nosed breeds are escpeically sensitive to temperature and stress. We (the airline) therefore recommend that you do not transport your dog if the emperature at your departure, transfer or destination airpor exceeds 27C(80.6F)
Therefore on the airline webpage it is recommended not mandated.
Where can I find the information source as noted in the PetTravel.com Blog that the airline will not transport the 10 breeds? Thank you
Jatin – this is very difficult as Bulldog breeds are banned from many airlines due to their breathing problems. You may discuss with Air France, but temperatures may be a real problem. If they are higher than 85 degrees, it is not safe and the airlines will not transport them.
Susan
Hello i buy a american bulldog adult female from hungary europe.is it possible to send this female to nepal from hungary or from germany to nepal .tell me please which airlines do this
There is always a chance of a scam when dealing on the internet, but do some research. I am not sure how you got this agency’s name or where they are located. Best to Google the agency and if they are a member of IPATA (International Pet and Animal Transport Association) all the better. You can go to IPATA.org and search for them. However, if they are not a member, this does not mean they are not a transporter. There will be requirements for bringing a pet to Saudi and the transporter should know them. Ask lots of questions. You should be able to get in touch with them over the phone easily. They should take credit cards. If they are asking that you wire money in advance, I would be wary.
Susan
I want to ship my 4mo. Old French bull dog to Saudi. Most services and airlines said “no”. Finally got a company to do it using Luftansa. The agency will pick my dog up at my house and deliver at my new house in Saudi. Chance of a scam? Little worried.
Hi Anskar – in a quick look, I could not find any direct flights from Brussels to Buenos Aires. However, there are relatively short layovers in Europe for these airlines: Iberia, Air Europa, Lufthansa, and Alitalia. Routes will undoubtedly change in two years but it is a start. We have seen restrictions for bracycephalic breeds like Bulldogs and Boxers increase over the past few years because the airlines have identified those breeds as being involved in more “incidents” during transport. There are airlines that will take them however, but I would definitely plan to travel in the spring or fall and not in the summer when temperatures are high.
Hope this helps.
Susan
In about two years i’ll immigrate with my argentinian wife to argentina. Where living in belgium.
I want to take my boxer on a direct flight ,means out of europe to buenos aires. Not neccesarly leaving from brussels.
Wich would be a good airline for this?
Is there a possibilty of change since some call a boxer snub nosed. Where not allowed to fly them over, or is there no tendency of change. There thousands of pets fly every year.
Anskar
Hello Kenny,
It’s going to be difficult finding an airline due to the breed of your dog. Frenchies are brachycephalic, meaning they are snub-nosed and are prone to respiratory issues which can be magnified during cargo flights. A lot of airlines are restricting these breeds for these purposes. All pets entering Australia have to arrive as manifest cargo.
The only airline I could find that would take them is Qantas, which has a direct route into Melbourne. For flights over 5 hours in length you have to complete a liability waiver for snub nosed breeds. You can find more details at their website: https://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/travelling-with-pets/global/en.
Importing pets into Australia, especially entering from Malaysia, is a long and complex process. The steps required for entry are detailed at the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s (DAFF) website: https://www.daff.gov.au/biosecurity/cat-dogs/cat4?name=Malaysia.
Jason
Dear sir/madam,
I am currently looking for airlines to fly my two year old french bulldog from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Melbourne, Australia. I have asked several airlines already but they have all come back to me with a negative reply. I would be most grateful if anybody could advise me on the matter or if anybody has done that before. I have the frenchie since he was a puppy and I have spent so much time training him also. He is considered as part of the family and leaving him behind in Kuala Lumpur would be heart-breaking. I look forward to your reply.
Kenny
I have just moved to Saudi Arabia with my wife and we are awaiting the arrival of our dog and cat. As Saudi is not a DAFF approved (AQIS) country we are looking to house them in Bahrain six months prior to us leaving. Has anyone got any experience with this ?
Hi Camila – the temperature is a concern for the airlines, and it is for your pet’s safety that the temperature is below 85 degrees on the tarmac when your pet is in the hold. I would contact Lufthansa again and speak to another representative. I am assuming that you would like your pet to travel as checked baggage as you are traveling with it, and, you are correct in that the airline will enforce the temperature rules. You have another option to ship your pet as manifest cargo in which case your pet will be kenneled in Frankfurt in Lufthansa’s facility if there are temperature problems. It is more expensive, however, but the airline assumes more liability for transporting your pet when shipped as manifest cargo. In this case, you can contact their cargo department and discuss this with them.
Susan
Hi there,
I’m relocating from Denmark to Seattle-USA mid August and need to bring my Cairn Terrier with me.
Normally, I fly KLM / Delta but was informed Delta has summer embargo until Sept. 15
I talked to Lufthansa, which told me they do not have any weather restrictions, however, I read otherwise in different sites that they MIGHT not fly your pet in case the temp is too high. Doing Billund(DK) – Frankfurt – Seattle.
Does anybody has any experience with flying pets with Lufthansa?
Camila
Maylia – we do not recommend airlines, and airline routes can change by 2014, but I would also check KLM through Newark or JFK and Lufthansa as well. Both have comparable routes through Amsterdam and Frankfurt respectively. As for requirements, the US will require rabies vaccination at least 21 days prior to entry and a screwworm check. You can find instructions and forms here: http://www.pettravelstore.com/pet-passport-united-states/
Susan