Kenya Airways Pet Policy

When going on vacations or trips, most people like to bring along their pets. Flying with pets is generally the most common concern for many pet owners. All these concerns of the passengers can be solved by Kenya Airlines through its pet policy. In this regard, the Kenya Airways pet policy facilitates the visitors to fly with their dogs, cats, and other animals. This airline also puts its best effort into making pet travel safe, convenient, and efficient. Hence, being aware of the general regulations and rules of this policy and analyzing them can ensure a good journey. All of these rules are elaborated further in this pet policy. 

General Terms of the Kenya Airways Pet Policy

To assist the travelers in the easy carrying of pets, this airline has given certain basic regulations. It is required of each and every passenger to adhere to these Kenya Airways pet travel guidelines in order to board the flight safely. Your animal will only be allowed for transport when you follow these policy rules. By adhering to these regulations, even your pet will be safeguarded on the flight. Further, these guidelines also help the airline authorities in sanctioning the requirements. 

Given below are some of the most essential rules and regulations mentioned under the pet policy of Kenya Airlines: 

• This airline does not permit the carriage of live pet animals as checked-in luggage. That means the pets also cannot be taken as cabin baggage in addition to check-in bags. 
• Your live pet animals can only be carried or sent in the Kenya Airways pet cargo. 
• Passengers who have made their reservations through official and legitimate sources will be allowed to carry their pets under this policy.
• Service dogs and emotional support animals will also be permitted following the policy. 
• Before your pet is accepted for transport, you will have to seek approval from the airline by submitting the necessary documentation to the authorities. 
• Travelers must be in compliance with the rules of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) to send their pets to the United States. 
• Sometimes, a part of your trip might be reserved with Kenya Airlines and the rest of it might be controlled by another airline. In such circumstances, you will have to check with the pet policy of the other airline as well. 
• Certain fees can be charged for transporting your animals onboard. The details of these fees can be known by contacting the airline officials. 

Note: This airline can make modifications or updates to these guidelines from time to time. To know more about the recent updates in the Kenya Airways pet policy, you can visit its official site.

Transport of Service Dogs on Kenya Airlines

Service animals refer to those who have been trained to help a person with a disability. These animals support people with both physical and emotional distress and help in need. Hence, they are also known as emotional support animals. Mostly, dogs are trained to be service animals. Since these pets play an extremely vital role in their owner’s life, there are some exceptions that apply to the transport of these animals. These exceptions have been made by the airline concerning the safety of both pets as well as the passenger.

The Kenya Airways pet travel policy has given the following regulations for service dogs:

• Only service dogs and emotional support animals can be allowed to travel on the flight in the cabin. This is because they have to assist their owners who may have physical disorders like blindness or mental disorders like anxiety. 
• Travelers who wish to bring their emotional support dogs on board due to their mental health issues must submit medical certificates from a professional. These certificates must not be more than one year old. They must confirm that the said passenger needs the service animal’s assistance during the journey. 
• The Kenya Airways pet policy permits the flying of service animals for free. You will not be required to pay any additional charges when it is confirmed that your pet is needed for your assistance reasons. 
• These animals do not necessarily need a cage or a kennel to be carried in the cabin. However, it is important that they do not reserve a seat and are geared with the proper harness. 
• The behavior of the emotional support animals, especially dogs should be calm and appropriate. Any pet showing irritable or inappropriate behavior might get rejected to board the flight.
• For long-distance flights of more than 8 hours, passengers will be needed to submit documents that the animal will not need to free itself from the cabin. All the items related to the pet like sanitary equipment should be approved beforehand by the airline. 
• The Kenya Airway pet travel rules for service animals do not allow guard dogs to be placed on the exit rows. 
• Since these animals cannot occupy a separate seat, they must be seated near the feet of their owner. Otherwise, they can be seated near the seats next to the owner. 
• Free movement of the aisle must not be interrupted by the animals on board. 
• Passengers who have booked their tickets with advance bookings like “ESAN” will also be allowed to bring their service animals on board. 

Note: Although the aircraft crew might be informed in advance regarding your pet, you can try personally letting them know. This can help you to ensure the safety of your animal. 

Kenya Airways Pet Cargo Policy

Other than service animals, all other pets have to be transported in cargo. This means that your pets will fly separately from you. They will not be allowed to fly inside the cabin of the aircraft. Upon arriving at the destination point, you can collect them up from the cargo pick-up location. 

There are several important regulations highlighted by the Kenya Airways pet cargo policy. Some of these are detailed here as under: 

• The cargo aircraft in which your pets will be transported will have a similar temperature and pressure as in your cabin. This temperature is set by the aircraft for the safety and health of your pet in flight.
• All the IATA conditions will be duly followed by the airline in order to ensure the safe travel of your pets. 
• To accept your animal as cargo, the airline will ask you to submit a valid medical report and vaccination certificate of your pet. 
• You will be required to submit an acclimation certificate in case you wish to transport your pets in cold temperatures. Generally, cargo pet travel is limited when the temperature falls below 45 degrees Fahrenheit or 7 degrees Celsius. 
• Kenya Airways pet travel as cargo is not allowed when the temperatures reach more than 84 degrees Fahrenheit or 29 degrees Celsius. 
• The pet travel rules on certain destinations can differ. For instance, some regions may require “Pet Passports” or “Pet Passport Forms” for cargo transport. You will have to take note of these requirements while booking your ticket. 
• To be accepted for cargo travel, your animal should be free of any disease that is communicable to humans. They must also be properly vaccinated. 
• Cargo transport of your animals will only be allowed when your pets are kept in a pet crate or a carrier. These crates/carriers should be designed in accordance with the rules of IATA.
• The hardware and the construction of the crate should be made with safe materials without any scope for harm to the animals kept inside. 

Note: Sometimes, the rules at various airports might be different. Hence, to avoid any kind of hassle, carry all the necessary certificates required under the Kenya Airways pet policy. 

Sending Pets to the US Kenya Airlines

For sending your dogs to the US, you must follow special regulations. These regulations were recently implemented by the CDC to control rabies in pets and passengers. In this regard, the Kenya Airways pet travel policy identified a few countries which are at a high risk of rabies. 

To transport dogs from these countries, a valid ‘Dog Import Permit’. The dogs coming from these countries can be departed at any of the following airports in the US:

• Anchorage
• Washington, DC
• San Francisco
• Philadelphia
• Atlanta
• Chicago 
• Dallas 
• Detroit
• Honolulu
• Minneapolis
• Miami
• Los Angeles
• Minneapolis

Note: To see more airports listed, you can go to the official site of Kenya Airways.

All the passengers are required to follow these rules irrespective of the purpose of their travel. Be it a short vacation, a trip, a permanent stay, or a visit, you will only be allowed to fly with your pet if you obey these regulations in case you are traveling from a high-risk country. 

Documents Required for Pet Travel on Kenya Airlines

Certain documents and certificates are to be submitted when traveling with pets on this airline. The authorities will scrutinize these certificates after which you will be given the approval to carry your pets. 

The following are some of the main documents to be submitted to send your animals as Kenya Airways pet cargo: 

• Vaccination certificates 
• Rabies vaccination certificate for dogs coming from high-risk regions 
• Medical license proof in case of service animals 
• Acclimation certificates for animals flying in unusual temperatures
• General medical reports 
• Veterinary certificates

Note: Pet Passports might be required in certain destinations. You can contact the airline to know whether you need the passport for your destination and hence avail this passport from it. 

Fees Charged for Traveling With Pets on Kenya Airlines

The charges for transporting pets as cargo will depend on the flight itinerary, your ticket fare, the size and weight of the animal, as well as the arrival destination. You can connect with the cargo department of this airline to know the exact Kenya Airways pet travel charges. 

You can dial the following numbers to reach the cargo department of this operator: 

• +254 741 207226 
• +254 741 267057

Otherwise, you can also visit the online site of the carrier to access the “KQ Cargo”. Here, you will be able to view information about different topics related to cargo transport. Other than this, the online website of the airline can be used for various purposes like Kenya Airways name change, flight change, or seat selection. 

Note: No charges will have to be paid for the carriage of service animals, guard dogs, or emotional support animals. 

To Conclude, 

The Kenya Airways pet policy proves to be extremely accommodating and convenient. It gives extra importance to passengers with disabilities who wish to fly with their pets. This policy is simple and straightforward. The fee for carrying your pets is also minimal, hence easily affordable for the passengers. When you want to transport your pets, you can choose to fly with Kenya Airlines since this airline makes your travel hassle-free.

FAQs- Kenya Airways Pet Policy

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