Considering taking your dog or cat on a flight with Air Dolomiti, but not sure if the airline will allow it? If yes, then you’re definitely not the only one who has such doubts when planning pet travel with a European airline. In fact, pet transportation is the most popular and at the same time the most puzzling aspect of making a reservation for your flight in Europe due to the fact that all airlines have their own set of rules regarding the pet carrier size, costs, and prohibited breeds. Air Dolomiti, Italy’s regional airline company which operates between Verona and Munich to other European destinations and belongs to the Star Alliance group of airlines, allows having pets onboard, but at the same time, there are a few important things to be aware of in order not to get into trouble. This article provides all the requirements that need to be followed by Air Dolomiti in order to have your pet with you onboard safely.
Can You Bring a Pet on Air Dolomiti Flights?
Yes. Your pet can travel with you when you fly with Air Dolomiti, either in the cabin as carry-on baggage or in the cargo hold, where dogs and cats are accepted. The booking process requires advance notice, and only a limited number of animals are permitted per flight, so early planning is essential.
You need to notify the airline of your plans to travel with your pet at least 48 hours before departure, as the total number of animals accepted in both the cabin and the hold is limited. There are certain limitations for pets carried in the cabin — no more than 2 carriers can be brought aboard a flight. Bookings should be made in advance via Air Dolomiti’s Customer Service; no online bookings are accepted.
Cabin Travel with Pets: Conditions and Restrictions
Small dogs and cats are permitted to fly in the passenger cabin in both Economy and Business classes, provided that they comply with the size and weight restrictions.
- Weight restriction: The sum of the weights of the pet and the carrier should not be higher than 8 kg (18 lbs).
- Dimensions of the pet carrier: Pets should fit into carriers not exceeding 55 cm x 40 cm x 23 cm in size. The carrier should be waterproof, leak-proof, and spacious enough to provide enough room for your pet to move freely.
- Required documentation: Two copies of the filled and signed “Form for Carrying an Animal in the Passenger Cabin” are required to check in.
- Location: After boarding the plane, the carrier has to remain closed and stowed away under the seat in front of you during the whole trip — pets are not allowed to wander about the cabin freely.
- Charges: If it will be necessary to pay extra for the transport of your pet in the cabin, it depends on the type of ticket and the route that you choose. You can check the exact price with the help of Air Dolomiti’s Sales Center.
Pet Travel in the Cargo Hold
Air Dolomiti takes care of large pets as cargo in the hold.
- Carriers: The dimensions should not exceed 100 cm x 65 cm x 70 cm, be absolutely watertight, and have an absorbent bottom layer. The wheels need to be detached, and the carrier should be well ventilated on all four sides. It must allow your pet to stand upright, to turn around, and to lie down with comfort, and the ventilation holes should be located in the upper two-thirds of the carrier. These ventilation holes need to be small enough — or covered with a grate — to avoid injuries.
- Holding charges: The charge is €80 for carriers up to 60 x 45 x 40 cm in size, while it is €100 for those that exceed this size for domestic flights and €160 and €200 for those that are 80 x 55 x 55 cm or 100 x 65 x 70 cm for other European flights. In case of a connection in Frankfurt, a transfer surcharge of €150 will be charged.
Restricted Breeds You Should Be Aware Of
All breeds of dogs and cats are not allowed to fly in Air Dolomiti. Dogs from breeds considered to be dangerous – such as the American Bulldog, Dogo Argentino, Kangal Dog, Anatolian Shepherd, Caucasian Shepherd, and Rottweiler – have to use reinforced containers.
More importantly, brachycephalic animals, which are another way of saying snub-nosed, are prohibited from traveling on Air Dolomiti aircraft because of the increased chances of respiratory problems in the air. The list of animals that cannot be transported by Air Dolomiti includes breeds of dogs like Affenpinscher, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Boston Terrier, Boxer, all breeds of Bulldogs, Bull Mastiff, Bull Terrier, Carlino or Pug breeds, Chow Chow, English Toy Spaniel, Japanese Chin, King Charles Spaniel, Lhasa Apso, Pekingese, Shar Pei, Shih Tzu, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and Tibetan Spaniel, while breeds of cats include British Shorthair, Exotic Shorthair, Himalayan, Persian, and Scottish Fold.
In case of uncertainty about the qualification of your pet’s breed, contact Air Dolomiti.
Restrictions for Flights
There are flight restrictions regarding pet acceptance by Air Dolomiti, whereby pets cannot be flown into or out of London City Airport as well as Birmingham Airport, as stated by various sources. The only exception here is recognized assistance dogs.
In addition, the U.S. bound flights have also been restricted by the CDC dog importation regulations. Passengers flying with pets into or through the USA should always check with the airline whether there are any changes regarding these regulations.
Travel of Assistance Dogs Is Free
Recognized assistance dogs are allowed to travel free of charge in the cabin of Air Dolomiti flights and can make use of the exception to the rule for London City flights, which does not allow other pets. Working dogs, such as rescue and search dogs, can also travel as pets in either the hold or cabin.
Required Documentation
For the transportation of pets, Air Dolomiti needs the veterinary health certificate not to exceed 30 days of age, and in addition to that, certain destination countries may ask for extra documentation. It is totally the passengers’ duty to get all documentation needed for the travel of pets, including the destination countries’ entry conditions.
In case of travel in the EU countries, there are certain regulations regarding pets which include rabies vaccination and identification microchipping. This is done according to the EU regulations of pet travel.
Due to the animal’s ill health, its aggressive nature, poor kennel conditions, and extreme temperature at origin, transit or destination airports, Air Dolomiti retains the right to refuse to transport the animal.
Also Read: ZipAir Tokyo Pet Policy
Booking Pet Flights with Air Dolomiti
Book your pet flights with Air Dolomiti through a special procedure, unlike other airlines, where you can simply add it to your reservation. This is done in the following order, so you can prevent denied boarding and troubles in check-in:
- Call the Sales Centre or Customer Service 48 hours before departure.
- Verify that your pet qualifies for cabin and hold according to their breed, weight, and carrier dimensions.
- Give the measurements of the carrier (length, width, height in cm), together with its total weight with your pet (in kg).
- Collect the documents that are necessary: health certificate, vaccination history, destination regulations, etc.
- Fill in the two copies of the in-cabin pets document if you plan to take your pet on board.
- Find out whether there is a connection in Frankfurt airport, which entails additional fees.
- Come to check-in with all the documents and the correct carrier.
FAQs
It is possible to take pets onboard almost all Air Dolomiti flights either in the cabin or in the hold, yet there are some exceptions to this rule. Pets are not accepted on flights that depart to/from London City Airport except for assistance dogs. Some of the flights to the USA have been restricted temporarily as well.
For transportation of the pets in the hold, the fees will be as follows: starting from €80 (domestic flights, small-sized pet carriers) up to €200 (flights within Europe, largest carriers). There is an additional fee of €150 for connections through Frankfurt airport. Fees for pets in the cabin depend on the particular route and ticket type; they can be found out by contacting the Air Dolomiti Sales Center upon registration.
The weight of the pet plus the weight of the carrier cannot be more than 8 kg (18 lbs). Any pet exceeding that weight will have to travel as cargo in the aircraft hold.
Not all. Breeds which have brachycephalic skull conformation, including Bulldogs, Boxers, Pugs, Shih Tzus, Pekingese, Persian cats, and Scottish Fold, are banned from flying with Air Dolomiti. Dangerous breeds, such as Rottweilers and Dogo Argentino, are accepted but have to be transported in robust carriers.
To register your pet and make sure of the availability of space, you should get in touch with Air Dolomiti Customer Service no later than 48 hours prior to your flight, as the number of pets to be carried on board is limited.