Hi! Wondered if anyone had any experience or could help.

My partner and I are relocating to Zurich in April and I have been worrying about taking our beloved cats.
I plan on flying both cats over via Swiss Air in the passenger cabin and stored under the seats in front of us.

(We are selling our car and think an hour flight is less stressful then a 6-7 hour journey by train).

I have confirmed with the Swiss Air helpdesk in London that this is fine to do from Heathrow; book your tickets online and 24 hours in advance call their helpdesk to reserve the cats in the pax cabin.
I am applying for PET passports and both had their rabies jab yesterday; they are already microchipped.

My main concerns are:

1. Getting the cats through security at London Heathrow. I will try and contact the helpdesk at Heathrow but in all honesty from working in the airline industry I dont think this will help...especially at heathrow.
I am presuming from what I have read that you take the cat through the walk through metal detector and scan their carriers. Does anyone have any experince specifically at Heathrow?

2.My other concern is declaring the cats when we arrive at Zurich.
Obviously they will need all their paperwork up to date (as mentioned above) but I am concerened as the new laws have come in place of January 2012 things wont be straight forward (all be it the laws have relaxed some what)
Has anyone ever had experience of declaring small dogs or cats at the airport upon arriving with passengers?
Does a qualified vet specifically have to check them over? Are they very strict (ie plaque on teeth, weight etc?)

I would really appreciate any comments- especially those having had expereince of the latter so far this year when the new rules have come in place.

Thanks ever so much in advance

They will not look at your cats teeth or weight*. Your paper works should already say the cats are in good health. They will check the papers and compare the chip to the pet.

I've never been through Heathrow as I've never seen pets allowed in cabin to or from the UK. I imagine this is what the new regulars are about.

I've taken pets through airport security many times. Just take the pet out of the carrier and carry the cat through the metal detector. Get them a cat leach just in case they get scared and want to jump out of your arms.



*Sorry I meant when you arrive they don't check those things. They will weight the animal and the carrier at check in.

And me who thought it was a story about a cat actually flying in a cabins because he got out of his box...

Wow I had to read the title twice. I was visualising cats flying around the cabin during a flight and was expecting some kind of you tube post.

Can't help with the question sorry. The company arranged for our cat and rabbit to be moved for us.

Me too. I imagined a cuddlier version of http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0417148/

Thanks for your comments;

http://www.heathrowairport.com/plan-...ling-with-pets

On heathrow's website it says:


Airlines will only carry animals if advanced arrangements have been made, as space is often limited. There are two options and your airline will be able to tell you which services they are able to offer:

• Accompanied baggage – most airlines will accept animals as accompanied baggage providing they are in a suitable container. They will travel in the baggage compartment where a suitable environment can be maintained (note – animals arriving in the UK may only do so as manifested air cargo).
• Air Cargo - in the hold

Have you got an apartment organised yet? If it has a spare room perhaps you could get a friend or family to drive you over with your cats. We drove from Leics via the Tunnel and it was no prob. Cats cried for a few minutes then settled down and slept. We'd bought a large metal cage with plastic floor from Pet store, with enough space for a litter tray and food/water. Stopped overnight in a cat/dog friendly hotel half way. (our dog traveled on the back seat).


PS. If you do not have accommodation organised yet- please note that finding a flat where pets are allowed can be difficult.

Hi Odile

Thanks for your suggestions.
My partner is already out there and we havent had any problems finding apartments that allow pets, it seems much more relaxed in Zurich then when we rented in the UK. (the general rule in the UK with most letting agents is that all pets were a big no no- we have found numerous apartments around Zurich area allowing pets no problem) cats never seem to be a problem anyway from what the landlords have said, dogs were more of a concern. Fingers crossed we wont have a problem but havent experienced any yet.

Unfortunately asking a friend or family to drive them is also out of the question and even hiring a car to drive them to Zurich from Heathrow is in the region of 700-800+ (GBP sterling) minimum, plus petrol ontop of that.

(I have tried to think of all options. Even putting them in as cargo is in excess of 500 GBP) it seems flying them as additional hand luggage is the cheapest and quickest way...
I just dont know if it will be the most stressful way

Just thought that if friends would like a 'free' holiday in CH- the cost of driving over and then have the car here to visit places, etc, would be worth it. Depending on car, and whether you book tunnel well in advance and time/date, it shouldn't cost that much. Glad to hear you've found a flat where pets are allowed- and welcome to Switzerland.

I'd be surprised (and horrified) if you were allowed to carry your cats in the cabin with you. My husband is highly allergic to animals and would risk a serious asthma attack if he comes within yards of a cat, let alone being locked without warning in a closed metal tube with only recycled air for a few hours.
Surely they have to go in the hold? There is usually a pressurised section for such cargo.

Anjela, many - in fact most - airlines allow small cats and dogs in the cabins. The animals must stay in their travel containers throughout the entire trip, so there is no contact with other passengers. It's only the larger animal that must go in the cargo hold.

If your husband is severely allergic, you probably should ask the airline a few 'What if?" questions in case pets are scheduled on his flight.

And presumably the cat or dog would then be refused access to that particular flight?
I've never actually seen an animal on a plane out of the UK, but would certainly make a fuss if I did. Never occured to me that an airline would allow them into the cabin.

This from Easyjet;
14 Carriage of live animals


The carriage of live animals, including pets, insects, reptiles, or any other form of livestock, is forbidden under any circumstances, with the exception of service dogs for blind and/or deaf passengers and helping dogs for the disabled on all UK domestic flights and on all flights starting and finishing within mainland Europe (excluding UK routes). Service dogs and helping dogs will only be permitted to travel on flights to/from UK to mainland Europe from the following UK airports: Belfast (BFS), Bristol (BRS), London Luton (LTN), Luton Gatwick (LGW), London Stansted (STN), Manchester (MAN), Newcastle (NCL), Edinburgh (EDI) and Glasgow (GLA). Service dogs and helping dogs will not be permitted to travel on flights to/from UK or mainland Europe to/from Morocco, Egypt, Israel, Kosovo, Turkey or Jordan. Flights from mainland Europe to Sicily, Sardinia or the Balearic Island (or vice versa) are considered flights within mainland Europe for this purpose. “Mainland Europe” for the purposes of this policy is considered to be all routes on the easyJet network, excluding flights to/from UK to mainland Europe or to/from Morocco, Egypt, Israel, Kosovo, Turkey or Jordan.

It seems Swiss is more lax, allowing them as long as they are 'contained' but I would certainly complain if they tried to put one on a flight we were on.

To calm your mind, and your flying cats' minds, get some Rescue Remedy from the pharmacy. It comes in a dropper bottle or a spray, and you can all take it before the flight. I give it to my cat whenever we move. At your new place, put it in the water bowl to help them settle in.

http://www.science20.com/news_articl...yes_says_study (don't know who paid for this but it explains how RR works)

http://www.bachflower.com/Rescue_Remedy.htm

Good luck and happy landings!

Not willing to scare you off but there is no difference between the air in the hold and the air in the cabin as they're both in the same pressure vessel (i.e. the plane)... so as far as allergies are concerned your husband is exposed to the same "pet-infested" air regardless of where the pet actually is.

Pets below the "cabin size" are allowed in the cabin subject to number and seating restrictions (can't get more than x pets per flight, and can't seat a dog next to a cat for instance).

Not willing to scare you off even further but on Continental / United guide ponies are allowed on board too (i kid you not).

Actually no. I've heard that some arilines do it first come/first served basis - if a pet has been booked then they will not book a person who claims to have severe pet allergy, but I can't find any more specific info about it at the moment.

Most airlines see it as your problem.

Ambler (allergy sufferer) has his own suggestion: During the booking process, he’d like airlines to alert a passenger if a pet is already booked on the flight. “If so, I would gladly say, ‘Hey, they booked first, I’ll take a different flight.’ But if someone with a pet allergy books first, pets should be disallowed on that flight. First to book should win,” said Ambler.

Overhead Bin ran that idea past a few airlines. American Airlines told us such a plan would be too complex, too time-consuming and too unreliable to administer.

http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/08/19/7409552-qa-cats-and-cat-allergies-on-a-plane

It looks like I've found a big plus for sticking to Easyjet then!!!!

I am not an expert on the matter, but I do know at London City airport, you have to drop the animal off before you go through security: there's a funny little hatch down by the side of check-in that looks like a lost property counter I am not sure if that is just for animals that are going into the hold though.

You might want to consider a professional pet shipping company though for peace of mind:

http://www.petairuk.com/?q=flights
http://www.animalairlines.co.uk/faq.html

If not, at least their websites tend to have a lot of info on the process that might give you some necessary tips.

Assuming your husband lives with you, he's most likely living in the wrong country, then. Or you never go out to restaurants or shops, and never travel on public transport.

Ive seen cats and dogs in a plane at the same time. I think it was Austrian. They all stayed in their containers the whole time and if i hadnt seen them on the bus ride to the plane and back, i wouldnt know they were there. Very quiet