Korean Air Pet Policy

In recent times, it has become a necessity to travel with pets. Many pet owners refuse to leave their animal home alone or without any company. This is why they insist on flying with their pets, especially when going on long trips. To fulfill these requests of the passengers, Korean Air has determined a pet policy. This Korean Air pet policy permits travelers to carry their animals on flights. It makes travel convenient for both the pet and its owner. Therefore, in case you plan on choosing this airline, it is important to know the pet policy regulations. 

Basic Terms Of The Korean Air Pet Policy

Flying with pets comes with its own risks and dangers. To avoid such circumstances, certain guidelines and regulations have been determined by the Korean Air pet travel policy. These rules help to keep in check the safety of the animals. 

Also, the airline ensures to strictly implement these conditions so that there is no room for any kind of hassle. In order to be able to get approval for animal transport, you have to adhere to these terms without fail. 

The following are some of the basic pet travel terms that are to be followed by pet owners: 

• All travelers who have made their reservations using the official sources of the airline will be allowed to fly with their animals. 
• In case you have made your booking via a third-party agent, you will have to contact them directly to book a spot for your animal. 
• On domestic flights, pet travel reservations should be made at least 24 hours in advance of the flight’s departure. 
• To bring a pet on international flights, bookings have to be made at least 48 hours before boarding the flight. 
• Passengers who wish to fly with their pets must first contact the service center of the airline. 
• Sometimes, based on the arrival destination and the type of airplane, approval might be given for pet transport. 
• Domestic and calm animals like cats, dogs, and birds will be allowed by this airline. 
• The airline will only accept your animal if it is kept in a safe container. This container must meet all the Korean Air pet carrier requirements. 
• Pet owners are required to check in their animals. For this, you will have to arrive at the airport at least 3 hours before the take-off of the flight. 
• Passengers who are allergic to animals can get their seats switched with a seat far from the animal. However, the airline does not guarantee such seat-switching due to space accommodation. 
• On this airline, you can bring your pets as carry-on items. Further, they can also be carried as checked baggage or transported as cargo luggage. 
• Any food and water for the pet must be given 2 or 3 hours before the flight. 
• Some countries deny the entry of animals that are being carriers for domestic purposes. These might include purposes like breeding, research, or for events. 

While opting for the Korean Air’s flying with pet feature, keep in mind that the above-mentioned terms might get updated or changed. The best way to know about these updates is by occasionally visiting the official site of the airline. The site also reveals information about the Korean Air name change policy, seat change, and flight modification policy. 

Does Korean Air Allow Pets in the Cabin?

Being a pet-friendly airline, it does allow animals inside the cabin. These animals can be dogs, cats, or even birds. The Korean Air pet in cabin feature is available on both domestic and international flights. In-cabin animals are those which fly alongside the owner on the flight. They can be brought inside the flight and will be seated with all the passengers. 

To make certain that your animal can be safely brought on board, there are several conditions imposed by the airline. These may include some basic guidelines, weight and size limitations, and other breed restrictions. All of these rules concerning the pet in the cabin of Korean Air are discussed below. 

General Rules Of the Korean Air Pet Policy for In Cabin Service

• Only animals that are 8 weeks or older will be allowed inside the cabin. 
• Animals other than dogs, cats, or birds like hamsters, snakes, turtles, ferrets, chickens, rabbits, pigs, turtles, or chicks will not be accepted. 
• Before traveling on board, do not give any kind of sedatives or drugs that might induce sleep to your pets. 
• The airline will reject your pet if it is extremely aggressive or unstable. 
• Animals that are unhealthy and unhygienic cannot travel as per the Korean Air’s pet policy for carry ons. The same applies to foul-smelling and pregnant animals or pets with other medical conditions. 
• The owner should make sure that the animal will not continuously bark while on the flight. This may cause disturbance to fellow passengers and the cabin crew. 
• During the flight, the owners must listen to the instructions given by the cabin crew regarding the transport of pets. 
• If your animal happens to be violent, fierce, or hyper-active, it will be categorized as an aggressive pet and the boarding will be denied. 

Any animals not obeying these in-cabin conditions of the Korean Air pet policy will not be able to get the required travel approval. 

Size and Weight Restrictions Of In-Cabin Animals

As per the guidelines given by the transportation authorities, an aircraft must not be overloaded. For this reason, each airline gives a certain weight and size limit for all its baggage types. 

Similarly, there are certain Korean Air pet policy size and weight limits that are not to be exceeded. These limits ensure that the aircraft does not exceed its overall weight limit. These restrictions are given below: 

• The maximum weight allowed on your carry-on pet is 7 kg or 15 lbs. This weight is the combination of the weight of the animal and the pet container. 
• The maximum allowed dimensions on Korean Air for pet carrier for carry-on pets is 19 cm * 32 cm * 45 cm or 7.5 in * 12.5 in * 17.5 inches in terms of height, width, and length respectively. 
• In the case of soft pet containers, the height of the container must not exceed 25 cm or 10 inches. 

All the containers exceeding the weight and size limits may be charged an additional fee. Otherwise, they might even be rejected and the reservation can be canceled. 

In-Cabin Animal Restrictions

 As mentioned earlier, certain breeds of dogs and cats will not be eligible for travel on this carrier. This might be because they are too aggressive or fierce. Otherwise, animals that are prone to dangers are also restricted. 

These generally include snub-nosed or brachycephalic animals. These animals cannot access the Korean Air pet shipping service as carry-on luggage due to their higher risk of medical conditions. 

You may need to acquire special permission from the officials of the airline to transport the following types of fierce or aggressive dogs: 

• Laika and its mixed breeds
• Ovtcharka and its mixed breeds
• Kangal and its mixed breeds
• Wolf Dog and its mixed breed
• Tosa and its mixed breeds
• Pit Bull Terrier and its mixed breeds
• Rottweiler and its mixed breeds
• Mastiff and its mixed breeds

Other than these, the following breeds of snub-nosed animals are also subject to several restrictions. They might even be prohibited at certain destinations. Given below is the list of these pets: 

In the case of cats, restrictions are imposed on the following breeds: 

• British Shorthair
• Persian
• Scottish Fold
• Himalayan
• Exotic
• Burmese

When you wish to carry any of the above-mentioned breeds of animals on international flights, you will have to contact the airline in advance as per the Korea Air pet policy for international travel. Only if the airline gives you the necessary permission, will you be able to transport these pets. 

Korean Air’s Pet Checked Baggage Policy

Not only as carry-on luggage, pets on this airline can also be transported as checked baggage. This means that the animals will be traveling in the hold of the aircraft rather than the passenger’s cabin. Generally, animals will be transported on the same flight as their owner. 

But, the owner will not be in a position to access the animal directly throughout the entire course of the flight. In order to seek approval for the transporter of your pets as checked baggage, you will have to meet several Korean Air pet travel requirements. These include crate requirements as well. 

Checked Baggage Pets and Rules

Most of the basic guidelines remain the same for all types of baggage transport types. Only a few points might be modified based on the flight conditions. Given below are such points: 

• The animal must be kept in the Korean Air pet carrier at all times. It should not be let free from its container when traveling in the hold. 
• Each passenger is permitted to transport 2 animals under the checked baggage allowance. 
• In the case of small dogs and cats younger than 6 months, 2 birds, 2 dogs or cats can be kept together in the same container. 
• All the required documents like the medical certificates and reports must be submitted in advance to get approval. 
• The owner will have to attach the name, telephone number, and other important details to the animal container. 
• When the temperatures in the hold reach extremities, it is unsafe for your pets to travel. Hence, make sure to book your reservation at such a time when the weather conditions are not extreme. 

The transport of these animals will be subject to a Korean Air’s pet fee. However, this fee differs based on various factors and may not always be equal. 

Weight And Size Limitations Of Checked Baggage Pets

The hold of the aircraft will be able to bear only a certain amount of weight. Keeping this in mind, the airline has given weight and size restrictions for checked baggage pets. These are as follows: 

• The weight of the animal and its container combined cannot be more than 45 kg or 99 lbs. 
• On Korean Air, the pet carrier size cannot be more than the dimensions 291 cm or 114 in which includes the sum total of the height, width, and length of the container. The height alone should not exceed 84 cm or 33 in. 

You will not be permitted to change your container mid-flight. Once it is checked in, the same container has to be used for the entire journey as per the Korean Air pet policy. Therefore, make sure that you select the most appropriate container that meets all the requirements of weights and sizes. 

Crate Requirements For The Checked Baggage Pets

Your animal’s crate must be as comfortable for the pet as possible. There should be no shortcomings when it comes to the safety of the pet in the crate. Since it is the airline’s duty to safely transport the pets in the hold, it requires cooperation from the passengers as well. 

Hence, all travelers are required to transport their pets in approved containers. The following are the crate requirements for Korean Air’s pet policy for checked baggage: 

• The container must be spacious. It should allow the animal to move around freely, lay down, and also stand without any inconvenience. 
• It should be well-constructed. There should not be any damage to the screws, bolts, and locks of the crate. This is to prevent the animal from escaping by applying force from the inside. 
• There should be sound ventilation to prevent the suffocation of the animal inside. 
• The container must be water-proof. 
• Stable materials such as metal or wood should be used in the constriction of the Korean Air pet carrier. 
• It must obey all the conditions given under the size requirements. 

Important Note: In the case of carry-on pets, soft containers that are made with fabric or leather will be permitted. These must be able to fit in the space given under the passenger’s seat. 

Korean Air Pet Policy for Cargo Services

Sometimes, you might need to ship your pets alone without an owner. In such a case, the Korean Air pet cargo service can be used. Under this service, the animals can be sent alone without any company. 

This means that the handles will take care of your pet during the flight. Later, they can be collected from the arrival airport at the assigned destination. The animals will be transported in the hold of the aircraft. 

This service will be available to those pets whose weight is more than 99 lbs or 45 kg. These animals should be at least 90 days old. Also, the airline will only accept 4 pets per person in the cargo. 

Korean Air pet cargo safe travel is ensured when the crate requirements are followed. These requirements are similar to those of checked baggage. Further, to make certain that the health of the animals is not jeopardized, the airline does not accept pets in the hold when the temperature falls down to -7ºC or less or rises to  29ºC or more.

A separate pet fee will be charged for shipping your pets in the hold. This Korean Air pet cargo fee can depend on the number of animals you wish to transport, the flight itinerary, and the arrival destination. You will have to make your reservation in advance to secure a spot for your animal. 

Flying With Service Pets On Korean Air

Service animals are extremely useful to disabled passengers. They provide the needed assistance for them to safely travel. Hence, this airline also permits the travel of service pets. These animals can travel along with the owner in the cabin. 

The Korean Air pet policy allows the transport of guide animals without the need for any payment of charges. It is not necessary to transport these pets in a cage or a carrier. However, the pets cannot occupy a seat and should be seated near the passenger’s feet. 

Passengers who wish to travel with service pets are not required to fill out the transportation declaration form. They can make a reservation by calling the airline authorities directly. But, a quarantine certificate has to be submitted to book a Korean Air pet travel service for guide pets. However, this might only be required when traveling to certain destinations. 

The rules for traveling to and from the US with service pets are different. Here, the US DOT (Department of Transportation) rules are taken into account. The following are such conditions: 

• The animal must be at least 16 weeks old. 
• A proper training certificate has to be submitted stating that the pet is efficiently trained to offer proper assistance. 
• When traveling to the US, only 2 pets per passenger will be allowed. 
• Korean Air pet shipping service may not be available for service pets. 
• On flights to the US, the service pets must be kept on a leash or a harness at all times. 
• A medical report of the passenger has to be submitted showcasing that you need assistance from a service pet. 
• You will have to contact the airline at least 48 hours before the flight’s departure. 

Note: The pet fee does not apply to the transport of service pets even on flights to the US. 

Korean Air Pet Fee

In order to transport your pets, you are required to pay a certain fee. Free transportation services will not be available for any animals. However, service pets are an exemption and they are not subject to any charges. The fee for transporting your animals as cabin baggage differs from that of cargo luggage. 

The Korean Air pet cargo fee might depend on the availability of space in the hold. The cabin baggage fee depends on the size and weight of your animal. 

The following charges apply to the transport of your pets. 

On Korean Air, the pet cargo price or the cabin baggage fee in advance. This can be through the official site “www.koreanair.com“. In case, you wish to modify the weight and size after the payment of charges, the fee will be altered as well. 

A new fee will be determined on the day of departure after calculating the weight of your animal. 

How To Add Your Pet To The Korean Air Ticket?

To be able to fly with your pet, an advance reservation is required to ensure that there is enough space for the transport of your pet. For this, you will have to add your pet to the flight ticket. You can do so by calling the airline agents at the toll-free number. 

Otherwise, reach out to the officials at the service center. Let them know that you would like to make a Korean Air pet travel reservation. You will be asked to submit details regarding your pet. Give all the necessary information. In the end, make the payment of the pet fee after which your reservation will be confirmed. 

SKYPETS Feature Of Korean Air

SKYPETS is a program that gives passengers the opportunity to register their pets and receive stamps. These stamps can be used by travelers to avail of discounts and awards. Each passenger can register about 5 pets maximum. Then, you can earn stamps for each Korean Air pet trip completed. 

These stamps will be awarded for both domestic and national travel. Based on the number of stamps collected, you can receive a discount on pet travel charges up to 50%. 

In A Nutshell, 

The Korean Air pet policy is one of the most accommodating policies out there. It not only helps passengers to easily transport them but also offers the utmost convenience. This policy permits fliers to carry their animals through various options. Irrespective of the type of travel option you select this airline will offer utmost assistance through its pet-friendly services. Hence, when deciding to fly with animals, you can opt for the service offered by this carrier. 

FAQs- Korean Air Pet Policy