I have moved back to U.K. 3 weeks ago after being in Egypt for the past 15 years. I have had my 3 Dalmatians micro-chipped had their blood tests done and sent to Germany and have the Rabies certificates for travelling, all inoculations including rabies have been kept up to date. I have had the blood tests done nearly a year ago now so they have been able to travel since January when the law changed here. Meanwhile, they are in Egypt still with my husband while I find a house to rent here that will allow pets. I have spent many a day in the past 3 weeks in tears because I miss them so much, I just want to be able to bring them here as soon as possible!!!

My question is, has anyone brought their dogs into U.K. from a non listed European country since January 2012 and if so which airline did they use? I seem to be going round in circles so far. British Airways, I can't get through to, cargo, it says I need to be a member, I can't become a member, I have emailed and phoned different airlines that say they don't do it anymore.

So, I have tried 2 different pet transportation companies that are quoting me £6,000 - £8,000 plus which I think is extortionate!  Can someone advise me of costs and which company is the best to use that will deal with Egypt or if it is easier for me to try and do this myself.  The only thing stopping me doing it myself at the moment is I can't find an airline company that I can speak to for advice, someone told me BMI but I don't seem to be able to get through to them.

does this help? http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/pets/routes/

I used Ladyhayes to import my pup from Slovakia recently. I don't know if they deal with importing from Egypt but I would recommend them and it must be worth a phone call to get a quote from them I'd have thought. They were very helpful.

No, but thank you.  I have finished all that I needed to do with the dogs.  I know which airlines I can use but unable to contact any, have spoken to 2 agents but they quoted £6,000 - £8,000.  I wondered if anyone could help with other companies that deal with Egypt or if anyone could advise me if I wanted to do it myself, what it entails when I get to Heathrow, someone who has experienced this would be good.  Or is it better to go through a company considering I don't seem to be able to get through to an airline.  I am trying to contact BMI Cargo, I can't speak to BA, I need to be a member and apparently they only deal with agents anyway .

I was hoping to find a step by step account from someone who has been through this since January 2012 and at what cost for airline also what actually happens at Heathrow, procedure and price? 

Ridgielover can you tell me how much it cost you please and did you have to fly with your dog?  Also, where you at Heathrow if so what was the procedure?  I will look up the number for Ladyhayes meanwhile and see if they do Egypt.

Going by recent threads on here - many people are finding it cheaper to fly the dog/s to an European airport (eg. Amsterdam, Paris) and driving over to collect them in person. Would that be an option for you?

It cost me £500 to fly my pup from Prague to Manchester Airport. His breeder took him to the airport at her end and I collected him from Manchester. His breeder faxed all the paperwork to Ali at Ladyhaye so it was all checked before he got onto the plane so I knew there wouldn't be any problems at this end. It was a great service and I thought it was a good price.

I just collected him from the Animal Reception area at the airport - I had to wait about an hour after the plane had landed but they had got him out of the crate and had him with them behind the counter.

Unfortunately, that would not be an option.

£500 is a brilliant price to what I have been quoted, did you supply the travelling box or did the company deal with this and you pay them?  Did you meet you dog at Manchester?  Manchester is closer to me than Heathrow so that is another bonus.  How long did it take from beginning to when your dog arrived here?

Going by recent threads on here - many people are finding it cheaper to fly the dog/s to an European airport (eg. Amsterdam, Paris) and driving over to collect them in person. Would that be an option for you?

This route is an option for 'accompanied' pets only - and only one dog per passenger so with 3 dogs and 2 people - this would take a good bit of ferrying between countries :-(  Cargo is notoriously expensive and it's better to do it yourself if you can, but it's not always easy :-(

> £500 is a brilliant price to what I have been quoted

Yes but that was only from Prague to Manchester, not from Egypt!

You will find that outside of travel within Europe / Scandinavia now it is not unusual to have to use a pet shipping agent. 

I would contact Ladyhey, although there are other shipping agents listed on BA's site on their pet travel page.  Have you tried BA's Egypt office?

Also as someone else suggested it is often easier and cheaper to fly the dog to Amsterdam, and then collect it and bring it into the UK by car, you avoid the airport charges in the UK then.  KLM have an excellent reputation for transporting pets, and they do fly direct from Cairo to Amsterdam on certain days. 

The breeder chose and purchased the travel crate and I paid her.

How far away do you live from an airport? I'd be heading there to speak to someone direct to sort this with BA!!! Or first try a travel agent, maybe they can get through to cargo for you.. Can you not take the dog as excess baggage which I'm sure others have said is cheaper..

Suejaw, think the problem is there are 3 dogs involved so I would guess it will be a matter of using an agent but it may be possible to drive them up into the UK but it would be a tiresome journey for all concerned.

> but it may be possible to drive them up into the UK

LOL :) That's over 2000 miles :) :) I've driven to Croatia with two children in the car and that was quite enough :) :) :)

Of course, you might have to go through Syria enroute from Egypt ........ :) :)

> How far away do you live from an airport? I'd be heading there to speak to someone direct to sort this with BA!!!

BA states on their cargo information that pets MUST be booked through an agent, even though on their site this says for travel from the UK it also applies now to inbound travel.  I know someone who tried and tried to do all the booking etc themselves with them recently to no avail and ended up flying the dog to Paris which ended up way cheaper even taking into account ferry and petrol.  We used Amsterdam last time because of the ease and cost saving of dealing with KLM into mainland Europe rather than BA into the UK.

I've never looked into flying a dog into the UK do didn't know this. Good to know for the future for all of us :-)

Agree it would take a fair while but not out of the question, my geography is a bit weak but was thinking via Turkey but could be wrong, again you could use a ferry from Africa to Europe but it was only a thought I have not looked into it.

I emailed Ladyhaye last night but so far have had nothing back.  I have also found BMI for quotes on pets so have emailed them.  I don't think driving to Amsterdam is an option for me as I would need a transit van to bring 3 large cages back and my 3 dogs, I have never driven a transit and wouldn't feel confident enough to drive it especially abroad and on my own.  So now waiting for answers to emails.

BMI answered my email within 5 minutes.  Here is the reply in case it is of use yo anyone else now or in the future.

Good Afternoon,



Our agents in Cairo have to make bookings for this routing and advise us when done so. They will also be able to give you a price. Their contact details are below;



Delta Express;

Cross Road El Hassan Ibn Aly St

El Khalifa El-Rady St

7th District

Nasr City 11471 Cairo



Tel; +202 240 17561/2



Kind Regards



Bmi Cargo Reservations

tel: 0844 243 0600

fax: 0208 990 7965

Also Brussels, closer for driving for the southern English ports, though Amsterdam would be good for Hook to Harwich, worth considering if they do direct flights from Egypt.  Some airlines have a limit to the number of pets that can be on any one flight. 

You might need to have them on two or even three successive flights and spend the day at the airport.

I found though when arranging Cargo you had to speak to the Cargo department in the country the dog was being flown from when I was arranging incoming dog quotes.