Hi everybody and welcome to the start of the silly season which promises to be like no other! Firstly I would like to apologise for the extreme congestion on our phone and email systems. We understand this is causing a lot of frustration and stress. We are still adding more staff but recruiting and training takes time so please be patient with our staff as we work through unprecedented numbers of enquiries. I can assure you we are working long hours behind the scenes to move as many Pets as possible. However please do not expect to be able to make urgent bookings with us as our staff already have a large pile of bookings to process which will be actioned before we get to any new bookings.
Processing of Bookings
A lot of Clients have had questions about how the process works and how long it takes. The fastest way to get your Pet booked on a flight is to click on request a Domestic (or International) quote and then fill out the form. The price given is a best case scenario and assumes we can secure a flight with the cheapest Airline and complete your Pet(s) travel in one day. Obviously during COVID this is not always the case, we often have to use a more expensive Airline, use indirect flights, provide a comfort stop or even overnight boarding. You may have to wait several days, weeks or occasionally months to get your Pet through.
Once you have filled out our booking form if you wish to proceed you need to complete our booking form. When you complete the Domestic Enquiry form you can ask for the Estimate to be emailed to you. The email will have a link in it which says “If you would like to proceed with booking your pets’ travel with us, please click here.” This link will open our booking form. Please complete it but do not make payment yet. The completed forms go to our booking team who book a flight as close to your preferred date as they can and then send you a Confirmation email. We will then contact you for payment and discuss if any extra charges are applicable, eg if your Pet will require a Comfort Stop. Please understand that completing our booking form does not guarantee we can get a flight on the date you require. It also does not guarantee we can move your Pet(s) for the Estimated Price.
We cannot advise on availability on any routes/dates until we have received your booking form so please do not ask as this adds to the congestion and wastes everybody’s time.
Age Restrictions
There is still a lot of confusion out there so here are the main things to remember;
- Qantas does not accept Pets under 12 weeks. Not at all. With or without Fit to Fly Certificate they are not accepted. If their staff think the Pet may be less than 12 weeks old you may be asked for proof of age and refused carriage if you do not have it. We advise providing a vaccination certificate showing the date of birth or similar Veterinary document so you can prove your Pet’s age if necessary. When buying a Pup or Kitten you need to consider most regional Ports are only served by Qantas, or their affiliates Rex and Air North, and we will not be able to fly your new Pup or Kitten from these Ports until it is 12 weeks old. Spaces for Pets on flights with Virgin to some places, particularly East Coast to Perth, are very limited so we suggest you check flight availability by completing our booking form before you purchase your Pup/Kitten.
- Virgin do accept Pets at 8 weeks of Age but you must have a Fit to Fly certificate if it is less than 12 weeks old.
- Both Airlines require Fit to Fly Certificates if Pets are over 12 years old or have pre-existing medical conditions
Breed Restrictions
Both Qantas and Virgin have an identical list of Pets they consider Brachycepahlic Breeds but there are major differences in their rules with respect to these breeds. First let’s start with the List.
| Dog breeds | Cat breeds |
|---|---|
|
|
Qantas Rules;
- Pets on this list may be accepted but only if they are traveling between the following Ports;
- Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Cairns, Coolangatta, Darwin, Hobart, Launceston, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and Townsville
- Pets must have a Brachycephalic Vet Check. This is not to be confused with a Fit to Fly Certificate, it is a specific Vet Check for Brachycephalic Breeds which includes checking their Airways and Nostril width. We shall email you a copy at time of booking
- Owner is required to sign and email us an indemnity form, we shall also email this to you at time of booking
- Our Agent has to be present at Origin, Destination and any Transit Airports
- The crate used has to be one size larger than for a non Brachycephalic Pet of the same size
- If temperature is forecast to be more than 35 degrees at any Airport your Pet is passing through your Pet’s flight will be postponed
- Crosses of these breeds are permitted (without the Brachycephalic Vet Check)
Virgin Rules;
- These breeds are not accepted
- Crosses of these breeds are not accepted
Because we have to supply larger crates and have our Agents attend the Airport the cost of shipping Brachycephalic Breeds is far higher than for normal breeds. We shall give you a costing for each movement.
Banned Breeds
American Pitbull Terriers are not accepted by any Australian Airline.
Route Updates
We are relieved to announce most domestic routes now have enough flights to move Everybody’s Pets without significant delays waiting for Cargo Space. However there are some notable exceptions;
Melbourne to Perth: little to no capacity on direct flights until January. We have been able to move some Pets via CBR or BNE.
Sydney to Perth: little to no capacity on direct flights until January. We have been able to move some Pets via CBR or BNE.
Brisbane to Perth: little to no capacity on Virgin flights until January. Some availability on Qantas but pls remember their minimum age is 12 weeks rule
To and from Adelaide: Adelaide flights continue to be disrupted due to recent border closures. There may be delays getting Pets in or out of Adelaide and if you have an existing booking please bear in mind there is significant risk your flight will be cancelled and you should have a contingency plan in place.
International Bookings
We are accepting booking to NZ, Hong Kong and Singapore. Most other routes remain difficult due the severe lack of flights and exorbitant prices being charged.