Chicago to Korea with my dog...

[bailey]

Hi!

I'm new to this forum and feel a little out of place because I'm not actually in Korea right now, but if all goes well, hopefully me and Bailey will both get there in one piece very soon!:D

So I'm currently in Chicago and will be moving out to Korea in a couple months. I am currently looking into pet-friendly airlines. (Any suggestions?)Since Bailey is 15 pounds by himself, it looks like I won't be able to take him as a carry-on with any airline. (Are most airlines pretty strict about the weight or could I get by a few pound over?) I also measured him and when he stands, top of his head to the floor is more than 17 inches. :(

So since it looks like I'm gonna have to check him in, I was wondering if anyone had any good/bad experiences with certain airlines they'd like to share. I hear about these horror stories where dogs are killed or lost and it really freaks me out.

Thank you!!!:)

[Ryan]

Hi. Usually, NWA is a little bit relaxed about the weight allowances, but it is no guarantee. All airlines are decent from the states regarding pets. Korean Air and Asiana are fine, and so is U.S. Airways, which also flies to Seoul direct. I would recommend putting him in cargo, and taking a non-stop flight, so you arrive quicker, putting less stress on the dog. Welcome to korea. Korean Air is probably your best bet, as I have found them to be the most professional. Check with Gina at Petairlines (you can find her info by searching this site), and she can help you further.

[bailey]

Thanks for your help!:)

I've been looking into the paperwork I'll be needing and it seems so complicated! So they say the health certificate must be no more than 14 days prior to the flying date, but it must also be endorsed by the USDA. So that means I have to go see the vet, mail the certificate and cross my fingers that they get it back to me before I have to leave the country? Man...that's kinda stressful.:(

Also, I just wanted to make sure I was doing this right...so I have to order the certificates ($7.50 on pettravel.com) and then get them endorsed by the USDA ($24 per form). Does that sound right? Is there anything I'm forgetting?

Thanks again for your help!:)

[Karen]

Hi Bailey,

Where did you read the certificate had to be USDA endorsed? There might be a special circumstance, but I haven't heard that that is required for entering Korea. It should be fairly simple (though I was always nervous about it, too). Your vet should be able to take care of all the paper work you need. Definitely ask your vet and/or airline before ordering anything from pettravel.com, I really don't think that is necessary.

I've flown to Korea from Canada with my dog twice (2005 & 6). We got her health certificate (proof of rabies vaccination & statement that she is healthy to fly) from the vet, we did not have to order a special form or get it endorsed by anyone other than the vet, but it did have to be within the time frame specified by the airline. Rules may have changed since then, but it was pretty easy.

Here is the English link for Korean quarantine info (http://www.nvrqs.go.kr/eng/rese_quarantine_02.asp?pageNumber=3-0) (the NVRQS) for pets entering Korea. It tells what certificate is required in order to avoid quarantine.

My girl is 7kg and too big to fly in cabin, too, but she did fine. She was very comfortable in -and still loves- her crate!

[bailey]

Thanks Karen!:)

That definitely seems more reasonable. I was wondering...what airline did you take? We took Bailey to Petsmart today and tried out some soft carrying cases to see if he could fit. He actually fits comfortably in one that has a total dimension of less than 115cm (which is the maximum size for in-cabin with Korean Air). The only thing is, he's a total of 17 lbs with the carrying case. It seems like the size would be more important than the weight since fitting under the seat is the issue. Being a little heavier just makes a little extra work for me, but I can't see how that would cause problems with anything else. What do you think?

[alibuch]

I would contact the airline you're booking with to find out about bringing your dog as a carry-on. I think they charge more for cargo because of the weight and if he's over the weight limit as a carry-on then that'll probably be an issue for the airline.

[Karen]

We took Korean Air & Air Canada. I don't actually know the weight limits for in-cabin pets + carriers. Do you know? I thought it was around 5kg including carrier ?

Our schnauzer might have made the weight limit in her puppyhood, but she is now too tall to fit into the soft-sided carriers and still have space to stand and turn around, so I never looked into it closely.

You should call your travel agent or the airline directly to find out if the weight limit can be upped if your other carry-on baggage is minimal. I would think that weight limit matters less than carrier size, but who knows?

[Scarlet13]

I think that 5kg is correct for in cabin and 30 kg for cargo.

[bailey]

Yup, those are the right weight limiations.

It seems Korean Air has the most number of votes at this point. I also tried calling a travel agency and both KAL and Asiana. They won't budge on the weight limit so it looks like Bailey will be riding in cargo. Is it safe? No one has had any bad experiences with them?

[LolaMarigolda]

I had to ship Bretta (Malinois) as checked baggage. We flew Korean Air through Delta from Baltimore to Atlanta then Atlanta to Seoul. I'd suggest zip tying the crate in addition to how it fastens and to bring extra zip ties so you can secure the door. (In 95% of accidents, the crates were not tied and the dogs/cats were not acclimated to the crates.)

The airline advised me when she had been loaded and the flight attendants on the Atlanta to Seoul leg watered her at least 4 times and kept me advised of her condition. I had made a point of getting her out before we left for the airport to make sure she had completely emptied out.

The paperwork I was given to look through in preparation for this move did call for the USDA International Health Certificate. I called around to find a vet that was authorized and ran the certificate down to the nearest USDA office to get the stamp. Military vets have the USDA stamp and can issue the complete certificate.

Someone had already put her on a cart for me and showed me where to take the paperwork for both dogs (Scooter flew in cabin). They kept 2 copies of the USDA certificate and I think they also kept copies of the rabies certificates. We breezed through customs and high tailed it to take the dogs outside.

[Scarlet13]

I would also suggest zippy ties, and make sure your crate is screwed together. They don't always check on that but make sure you do it. My dogs flew cargo but with Air Canada. They were just fine, make sure your dog has a water bottle. Be the last person on the plane and ask them to check that your dog has been loaded. Don't be afraid to ask questions-I flew my dogs westjet in July and they forgot to record that there would be animals on board-that could be dangerous so ask just in case.

[bailey]

YAYYYYYYYYY!!!!!

So I called Delta Airlines (even called a second time and talked to another customer rep just to make sure) and they have a 20 lb. weight maximum and a 18"Lx12"Wx12"H maximum dimensions of a soft carrier, which is perfect for Bailey to go in-cabin!!!

I also called the Quarantine Service office at Incheon airport and they said the only thing we need is a letter from the vet saying when Bailey's last rabies shot was. No USDA endorsing, no special health certificate forms. Guess I got all worried for no reason!

Thank you for all your input!

[luvadog]

I also called the Quarantine Service office at Incheon airport and they said the only thing we need is a letter from the vet saying when Bailey's last rabies shot was. No USDA endorsing, no special health certificate forms.
Thank you for all your input!
Wow! That's good news. I took Toby home and back with me 3 times and 2 times I didn't get the USDA vet to do extra paperwork because the vet at Petsmart said he was USDA certified. But on the last trip, the other vet was unsure of the procedure and did the health check and then sent me all the way across town to the USDA vet in Nashville to get him to endorse it also. I was so worried that time even though I had done it before. One other point though, if the rabies was done in Korea, and you're going out of the country and return, make sure you get a copy in English with the rabies stamp (blue) because that was required by my vet when I returned. (The vet didn't speak Korean.:rolleyes:) Another thing that worried me then and even now is that they said I could not bring him back to Korea if there had been a rabies case in my county within the last 20 days. Scarey!

[luvadog]

Bailey looks like my present foster. Is he a Maltese, Poodle or mix?

[bailey]

He's actually a cavachon. Half cavalier spaniel and half bichon.

[Karen]

They won't budge on the weight limit so it looks like Bailey will be riding in cargo. Is it safe? No one has had any bad experiences with them?


I've never had a bad experience. Having crate-trained the dogs beforehand made it less stressful for them, I think. And I super-over prepared by reading about pet travel for weeks before the flight.

Here are a few pictures from travelling days:

My girl and my parents' adoptee packing their crates the night before our flight:
http://i35.tinypic.com/jb70is.jpg

My parents' girl saying goodbye to Korea at Incheon airport:
http://i38.tinypic.com/15vx1v.jpg

:)

[LolaMarigolda]

A couple of months ago, I read through all of the airline animal incident reports for the last year. The biggest causes of mishaps (dogs getting loose) is dogs not being acclimated to their crate and the crates not being zip tied (including the door). The main cause of death is undetected heart/lung problems with the snub nose breeds being lost prone (English Bulldogs, Frenchies, Pekes, ect).

I've shipped/flew a lot of dogs over the years (going to shows, selling, sending off to be bred, ect) and have never had a problem.